Cinémental 2020 to proceed with reduced capacity

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This article was published 21/10/2020 (1798 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There may not be a better time to get lost in a movie or two.

As of Oct. 15, the 29th edition of Cinémental 2020, Manitoba’s French-language film festival, was scheduled to take place over two weekends — from Oct. 23 to 25 and Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 — in the Pauline-Boutal Theatre at the Centre culturel franco-manitobain, located at 340 Provencher Blvd.

The annual festival is a celebration of French-language films from around the world, and it’s aimed at community members who are both French-speaking and non-French-speaking. The theme of this year’s festival is “treat yourself.”

On Oct. 16, the provincial govenment announced further measures under the restricted (Orange) level of the pandemic response system to minimize community spread of the COVID-19 virus by reducing close-prolonged contact between people.

At press time, Mélanie Bédard, Cinémental 2020’s co-ordinator, said the event will proceed at 25 per cent capacity.

Prior to the province’s announcement, Bédard told the Lance that most of the films scheduled to be shown at the festival have English subtitles, and there should be something for everyone during the festival, which will provide an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate French-language cinema.

 
“There’s really an array of different selections, such as comedies, dramas and family-friendly films,” Bédard said. “For me, this is about the community coming together — both francophones and anglophones alike. More specifically, it’s about coming together apart. The theme this year is about treating yourself — and it’s very much about treating yourself in a safe space.”

Bédard said festival organizers had been working hard to make sure all social distancing protocols are observed during the event to maintain a safe environment at the centre. Audience members must bring and wear a face mask. A maximum of 76 seats were set to be available at each show.

“Volunteers will be guiding people into the theatre, and we’ll be seating people from the inside out so as not to compromise anything,” Bédard said on Oct. 14. “We know how difficult the last few months have been, and this festival allows people to physically go out in a safe way and enjoy a shared experience. It’s about community and culture.”   

As of Oct. 15, the lineup included 14 jouts 12 nuits, Jukebox, Mafia Inc., and Nadia, Butterfly — to name a few. There was also a short film competition planned.

At press time, advance seat reservations were required, and prospective participants were asked to call 233-ALLÔ (204-233-2556 or 1-800-665-4443) during office hours to make reservations.

Go online at cinemental.com for more information, including ticket prices.