Montréal was initially the dream of people who believed in the possibility of creating a better world in New France. Who were those people? Which ideal did they pursue, and why? The answers can be found in a 17th century manuscript, allegedly the hidden memoir of Jeanne Mance. The filmmaker revisits this story in an original, personal way, highlighting how the past echoes the still current yearning to create a world with more humanistic values.
“The original Histoire du Montréal manuscript, which is kept at the Bibliothèque Mazarine in Paris, became the common thread of the film. I wanted to breathe life into it, to give it a voice. Two voices actually: actor Alexis Martin as Sulpician priest François Dollier de Casson, the one who writes, and actress Pascale Bussières as Jeanne Mance, the one who dictates, telling the story in the first person, from her point of view.” – Annabel Loyola, filmmaker
Following A Mad Venture, in the Footsteps of Jeanne Mance (2010) and The Last Breath, at the Heart of the Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal (2017), also written, directed and produced by Annabel Loyola, City of A Dream is the final part of a trilogy about the founding of Montréal. Produced and distributed by Arabesque Films, this new film will open in theatres in May 2022.
CITY OF A DREAM
Quebec. 2022. 74 minutes. Original French version with English subtitles
With Pascale Bussières and Alexis Martin
Written, directed and produced by Annabel Loyola
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