Very attached to the Gala Québec Cinéma since he hosted its very first edition in 1999, Rémy Girard protests against Radio-Canada's decision to stop broadcasting the ceremony. “I am in tabarnak! “Reacted the popular comedian on Wednesday.
• Read also: End of the Gala Québec Cinéma at Radio-Canada: a decision that goes wrong
• To read also: Quebec Cinema Gala: Radio-Canada takes the plogue
• Read also: TV: galas are dinosaurs
"There is no reason for them [Radio-Canada] to stop presenting the gala like that", insists Rémy Girard, a great defender of our cinema, who has played in several Quebec films including The Decline of American Empire, The Barbarian Invasions, Fires and It Was Raining Birds.
“They would never do that with the comedy gala. It is the mandate of the national public broadcaster to present this type of event. Ratings have nothing to do with it. I hope they will reconsider their decision because I find it totally ridiculous. »
“If we made bad films, I could understand, he adds. But our films are seen abroad, they win prizes at festivals. I took it very badly yesterday [Tuesday] morning when I read that. My toast went wrong! »
25th anniversary
In addition to having hosted the first edition of the gala in 1999 – then called Jutra Awards Evening –, Rémy Girard returned to the helm of the great celebration of Quebec cinema in 2013, for the 15th anniversary of the event. . He has also been nominated several times for the best actor award, notably in 2004 for his interpretation of the character of Rémy in Les invasions barbares.
Recall that the management of Radio-Canada announced Monday that it was ceasing the broadcast of the Gala Québec Cinéma, as the ceremony prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2023. The organization Québec Cinéma – which oversees the gala – and several film industry stakeholders reacted strongly by asking the public broadcaster to reconsider its decision.
“Radio-Canada owes the entire film industry an explanation. It is too easy to invoke the low ratings of a gala broadcast in June to justify its abolition,” insisted Hélène Messier, president and CEO of the Association québécoise de la production maladie (AQPM), in a statement issued Tuesday.
