On est au coton
Encyclopedia
On est au coton is a documentary film
directed by Denys Arcand
in 1970, about the conditions of workers in the textile industry
in Quebec
.
, due to its politically sensitive nature. On est au coton was completed at the height the October Crisis
, and the NFB was alarmed by the appearance of two members of the FLQ, who issued a call for armed revolution in the film. Then NFB chairman Sydney Newman
also sided with textile industry executives, who pointed out what they believed to be inaccuracies and unfair portrayals in the film.
Newman was quoted as stating that “there are many factual errors either through bad research or overzealous attempts to show the evils of capitalism. The general tone is a slashing attack on the English-controlled textile industry. I tell people, ‘if you want to make a smear film, make sure you present invincible arguments.’ This one didn’t.”
copies spread among separatist
student groups for several years until an edited version of the film was released in 1976 by Newman's successor, André Lamy
. Lamy had served as Newman's assistant commissioner and had played a key role in informing his superior about potentially problematic films like On est au coton, however with the passage of time and the subsidence of political violence after the October Crisis, Lamy felt that the film no longer needed to be withheld from distribution. Moreover, the ban on distribution of On est au coton and other films was contrary to the NFB’s reputation for freedom and creativity. When Lamy learned that the Conseil québécois pour la diffusion du cinéma had decided to distribute a pirated copy of the film, he did chose to not take legal measures, and released an edited version of the film. The film was not released in its original, uncensored form until 2004.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
directed by Denys Arcand
Denys Arcand
Georges-Henri Denys Arcand, is a Canadian film director, screenwriter and producer. He has won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 2004 for The Barbarian Invasions...
in 1970, about the conditions of workers in the textile industry
Textile industry
The textile industry is primarily concerned with the production of yarn, and cloth and the subsequent design or manufacture of clothing and their distribution. The raw material may be natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry....
in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
Suppression
The release of the film was blocked for several years by its producer, the National Film Board of CanadaNational Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
, due to its politically sensitive nature. On est au coton was completed at the height the October Crisis
October Crisis
The October Crisis was a series of events triggered by two kidnappings of government officials by members of the Front de libération du Québec during October 1970 in the province of Quebec, mainly in the Montreal metropolitan area.The circumstances ultimately culminated in the only peacetime use...
, and the NFB was alarmed by the appearance of two members of the FLQ, who issued a call for armed revolution in the film. Then NFB chairman Sydney Newman
Sydney Newman
Sydney Cecil Newman, OC was a Canadian film and television producer, who played a pioneering role in British television drama from the late 1950s to the late 1960s...
also sided with textile industry executives, who pointed out what they believed to be inaccuracies and unfair portrayals in the film.
Newman was quoted as stating that “there are many factual errors either through bad research or overzealous attempts to show the evils of capitalism. The general tone is a slashing attack on the English-controlled textile industry. I tell people, ‘if you want to make a smear film, make sure you present invincible arguments.’ This one didn’t.”
Release
BootlegBootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
copies spread among separatist
Quebec sovereignty movement
The Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...
student groups for several years until an edited version of the film was released in 1976 by Newman's successor, André Lamy
André Lamy
André Lamy was a Canadian film producer, who served as Canada's Government Film Commissioner from 1975 until 1979. In this position he was the Chairman of the National Film Board of Canada ....
. Lamy had served as Newman's assistant commissioner and had played a key role in informing his superior about potentially problematic films like On est au coton, however with the passage of time and the subsidence of political violence after the October Crisis, Lamy felt that the film no longer needed to be withheld from distribution. Moreover, the ban on distribution of On est au coton and other films was contrary to the NFB’s reputation for freedom and creativity. When Lamy learned that the Conseil québécois pour la diffusion du cinéma had decided to distribute a pirated copy of the film, he did chose to not take legal measures, and released an edited version of the film. The film was not released in its original, uncensored form until 2004.
External links
- Watch On est au coton, National Film Board of CanadaNational Film Board of CanadaThe National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
(in French)