The Memories of Angels (2008)

The Memories of Angels (Original French title: La Mémoire des anges) is a 2008 collage film by Luc Bourdon, created entirely from stock footage from over 120 National Film Board of Canada films, as an homage to the city of Montreal in the 1950s and 1960s. Bourdon incorporates material from films by such well-known directors as Michel Brault, Claude Jutra, Gilles Groulx, Denys Arcand and Arthur Lipsett.

The idea for the film originated 15 years earlier, during a conversation between Bourdon and NFB producer Colette Loumèd about making a documentary film entirely from other movies. Poring over the vintage footage, Bourdon chose his hometown of Montreal — also the headquarters of the NFB — to be the central character of the film, since no other actor would appear throughout the film.

The film received the award for best Quebec film at the Festival du Nouveau Cinema. It was also chosen as one of the top ten Canadian films of the year by the Toronto International Film Festival.

Synopsis

À la fois documentaire, poème et essai, La mémoire des anges de Luc Bourdon est constitué d’un assemblage d’extraits tirés de 120 films produits par l’Office national du film du Canada couvrant les années 1940, 1950 et le début des années 1960. L’auteur y revisite l’histoire de Montréal, avec ses grandes figures, ses lieux emblématiques et ses résidents.

Actors