In Cosmos, six directors bring us six stories about human nature. A couple are reconciled. Two friends prove that it's not too bad to be ignorant. There is a comic misadventure. An individual causes fright. Two people share a brief encounter. There is a brief but strange journey into the media universe.
Each story is told to a Greek taxi driver, who listens patiently and then offers advice. Directors Andre Turpin, Jennifer Alleyn, Manon Briand, Marie-Julie Dallaire, Arto Paragamian and Dennis Villeneuve attempt to show us the world in a nutshell through the experiences of their various, Montreal-based characters.
"Every film has its own style and its own rhythm," says Turpin, who won the Claude Jutra/OFQJ Award for the most promising young filmmaker. All six were shot by the same crew and bullied into shape by a single editor. One producer, Roger Frappier (Love and Human Remains) oversaw the entire project.
"When it is increasingly difficult to find the means, we must try to do things differently," says Frappier. "And I think, to do things differently, we must turn to the filmmakers of the new generation."
His six directors were encouraged to be playful and to take risks, but also to try to ensure that their individual efforts could be integrated within the whole. "There's a lot of cultural dialogue missing in the community, but here is an example of people co-operating with one another for the greater good," says Paragamian.
"Usually, the director is alone with his doubts and questions," remarks Alleyn, "but for this project, the artistic process was handled collectively. We shared our concerns, ideas and points of view to make the film better as a whole."
Drew Cavanaugh
Prod co: Max Films
Prod: Roger Frappier
Dir/Scr: Jennifer Alleyn, Manon Briand, Marie-Julie Dallaire, Arto Paragamian, Andre Turpin, Denis Villeneuve
Ph: Andre Turpin
Prod des: Sylvie de Grandpre
Ed: Richard Comeau
Cast: David La Haye, Elise Guilbault, Alexis Martin, Igor Ovadis
Running time: 100 mins
International sales: Malofilm
