Canadian films set for Palm Springs festival showcase

Recent Canadian films by Don McKellar, Denis Villeneuve, Louise Archambault and Sébastien Pilote are taking the spotlight at the Palm Springs International Film Festival early in the new year.

More than a dozen Canadian titles will screen throughout the 25th edition of the festival in January, as part of its annual focus on a country or region that has made a mark on the international cinema scene.

Funding agency Telefilm Canada has also planned a host of special events, including a showcase of Canadian actors and other talent who will attend.

"Canada's extraordinary success on the international stage this year — as evidenced by the plethora of awards and sales activity — has inspired us to shine a spotlight on Canadian cinema at the Palm Springs Film Festival this year," festival artistic director Helen du Toit, a Canadian, said in a statement.

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"Talent nurtured in Canada is launching at prestigious international festivals and finding distribution around the globe," she added. 

Along with the Jake Gyllenhaal-starring thriller Enemy, one of Oscar-nominated director Villeneuve's latest, the Canadian lineup includes:

• Another House (L’Autre maison), directed by Mathieu Roy.
• The Auction (Le Démantèlement), directed by Sébastien Pilote.
• Empire of Dirt, directed by Peter Stebbings.
• Gabrielle, directed by Louise Archambault.
• Gerontophilia, directed by Bruce LaBruce.
• The Grand Seduction, directed by Don McKellar.
• The Manor, directed by Shawney Cohen.
• Patch Town, directed by Craig Goodwill.
• Sarah Prefers to Run (Sarah préfère la course), directed by Chloé Robichaud.
• Siddharth, directed by Richie Mehta.
• Stay, directed by Wiebke von Carolsfeld.
• Vic Flo Saw a Bear (Vic Flo ont vu un ours), directed by Denis Côté.

The 25th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival runs Jan. 3 to 13.

The festival typically presents more than 100 films from 60 countries and draws strong attendance. Its location in southern California, east of industry hub Los Angeles, makes it an influential festival in that its more than 135,000 participants include a significant number of voting members for the Oscars.