Jean-Claude Lauzon’s film Léolo returns to Cannes

Montreal, April 30, 2014—Telefilm Canada proudly announces that the late Jean-Claude Lauzon’s acclaimed 1992 film LÉOLO will screen as part of Cannes Classics at the 67th Festival de Cannes (May 14 to 25, 2014).

Generally considered one of Canadian cinema’s seminal films, it tells the story of Léo Lauzon (Maxime Collin), a young boy living in a Montreal tenement with his dysfunctional family. He uses his active fantasy life and the book L’Avalée des avalés by Québécois novelist Réjean Ducharme to escape the reality of his life. LÉOLO was produced by Verseau-International Inc. (Canada) in coproduction with Flach Film (France) with Aimée Danis, Lyse Lafontaine and Jean-François Lepetit as producers.

LÉOLO has been digitized and restored by Éléphant, a major philanthropic initiative by Québecor that restores and archives Quebec movies and makes them accessible to the public via most notably illico and iTunes. The project will create the largest existing online database and information source on Quebec cinema. Visit www.elephant.canoe.ca. Since its launch in 2008, more than 200 fiction films have been added.

Jean-Claude Lauzon, director, screenwriter (born 29 September 1953 in Montreal, died 10 August 1997 near Kuujjuaq, Quebec). Often considered the enfant terrible of Quebec cinema, Lauzon had a brief career as one of Canada’s most talented and truculent filmmakers before he was killed in a plane crash at age 46. His two feature films, UN ZOO LA NUIT (Directors’ Fortnight, Cannes, 1987) and LÉOLO (Official Competition, Cannes, 1992), earned international acclaim and multiple awards.

LÉOLO joins the historical selection of Canadian directors in this year’s Official Competition.

About Telefilm Canada
Telefilm is dedicated to the cultural, commercial and industrial success of Canada’s audiovisual industry. Through its various funding and promotion programs, Telefilm supports dynamic companies and creative talent here at home and around the world. Telefilm also administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/telefilm_canada or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/telefilmcanada.

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For more information contact:
Andrea Grau
Touchwood PR
andrea@touchwoodpr.com
(416) 593-0777 x201

Douglas Chow
Telefilm Canada
Manager, External Communications
douglas.chow@telefilm.ca
(514) 283-0838 x2225