Montreal, Tuesday, March 12, 2024 — Cinema Politica is proud to present SILVICOLA, the award-winning feature documentary by Jean-Philippe Marquis. At a time when the planet’s old growth forests are threatened as never before, Marquis has crafted a dazzling and unsettling meditation on forestry practices in the Canadian Pacific Northwest — home to the world’s tallest trees. SILVICOLA opens in select theatres across Canada on March 22. Director Jean-Philippe Marquis will be in attendance for post-screening discussions at the Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma Public in Montreal.
SILVICOLA premieres at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in 2023 where it won the John Kastner Award and continued its festival success at DOXA Documentary Film Festival, and RIDM where it competed in the New Visions Competition.
Drawing on his own working experience in forestry, Marquis ventures into remote locations and worksites to encounter people whose livelihood and labour is connected in various — and often contradictory — ways to the forest economy and related cultures. Juxtaposing sublime aerial imagery with vérité workplace footage, Marquis tempers his critique of neoliberal forestry practices with an up-close understanding for people who labour within the system.
“By centering the voices of forestry workers, I hope to have captured the nuances of their lived experiences, and of the wisdom that comes with it.”
— Jean-Philippe Marquis
SILVICOLA is directed, produced and lensed by Jean-Philippe Marquis, and co-edited with Emmet Walsh. The film features a powerfully arresting score by composer Samuel Laflamme, and captivating sound design from Oscar Vargas. SILVICOLA received support from Canada Council for the Arts, British Columbia Arts Council, and the National Film Board of Canada.
SILVICOLA opens in select theatres across Canada on March 22 at The Westdale Theatre, Cinémathèque québécoise, and Cinéma Public. Additional screenings will soon be announced. For more information, follow this link.
