Trailer
Best Canadian Film Prize, FIFA 2024
David Adams Richards is one of the few Canadian writers to have won the Governor General’s Award in both fiction and non-fiction categories. Through intimate interviews and readings from his works, the film captures the rugged beauty of New Brunswick that shapes his stories, bearing witness to the life journeys of his characters between self-destruction and the quest for redemption. Richards opens up like never before, sharing his struggles, demons, family love and faith in God.
In presence of the director Monique LeBlanc and the producer Nathalie Cloutier on March 23, 2024 at McCord Stewart Museum in Montréal
Word of direction
Captivating and deeply evocative, “The Geographies of DAR” delves into the life and literary work of the renowned Canadian author David Adams Richards.
Through striking imagery, penetrating interviews, and poignant excerpts from his works read by peers, the film explores the profound relationship between the writer’s personal geography and his literary landscapes. We discover how the intertwining of his own experiences with the Miramichi region in eastern Canada has shaped his narratives.
The masterful black and white images capture David Adams Richards’ Miramichi in all its ruggedness and beauty: rippling rivers, endless forests, dirt roads and paths, breweries or houses ablaze. They take us on a journey through the complex life trajectories of his characters, following their path towards self-destruction or their quest for freedom and redemption.
One of the most reserved giants of Canadian literature opens up in this film like never before. With disarming frankness and acute sensitivity, David Adams Richards recounts his childhood and adolescence, his struggles, his demons, and testifies to the love he holds for his family and friends. He does not hesitate to emphasize the importance of faith and boldly declares his belief in God.
The film is a true elegy on the human condition: joys, sorrows, big and small forgiveness, crimes against loved ones, self-inflicted violence, love of words, inevitable despair, lies we choose to believe, and the courage to see the beauty in it all.
A vibrant tribute to the life and work of a great Canadian writer, “The Geographies of DAR” speaks to David Adams Richards’ indomitable spirit, his love for humanity, his unwavering faith, and the courage he shows in following his own path.
- Monique LeBlanc
David Adams Richards is one of the few Canadian writers to have won the Governor General’s Award in both fiction and non-fiction categories. Through intimate interviews and readings from his works, the film captures the rugged beauty of New Brunswick that shapes his stories, bearing witness to the life journeys of his characters between self-destruction and the quest for redemption. Richards opens up like never before, sharing his struggles, demons, family love and faith in God.
In presence of the director Monique LeBlanc and the producer Nathalie Cloutier on March 23, 2024 at McCord Stewart Museum in Montréal
Word of direction
Captivating and deeply evocative, “The Geographies of DAR” delves into the life and literary work of the renowned Canadian author David Adams Richards.
Through striking imagery, penetrating interviews, and poignant excerpts from his works read by peers, the film explores the profound relationship between the writer’s personal geography and his literary landscapes. We discover how the intertwining of his own experiences with the Miramichi region in eastern Canada has shaped his narratives.
The masterful black and white images capture David Adams Richards’ Miramichi in all its ruggedness and beauty: rippling rivers, endless forests, dirt roads and paths, breweries or houses ablaze. They take us on a journey through the complex life trajectories of his characters, following their path towards self-destruction or their quest for freedom and redemption.
One of the most reserved giants of Canadian literature opens up in this film like never before. With disarming frankness and acute sensitivity, David Adams Richards recounts his childhood and adolescence, his struggles, his demons, and testifies to the love he holds for his family and friends. He does not hesitate to emphasize the importance of faith and boldly declares his belief in God.
The film is a true elegy on the human condition: joys, sorrows, big and small forgiveness, crimes against loved ones, self-inflicted violence, love of words, inevitable despair, lies we choose to believe, and the courage to see the beauty in it all.
A vibrant tribute to the life and work of a great Canadian writer, “The Geographies of DAR” speaks to David Adams Richards’ indomitable spirit, his love for humanity, his unwavering faith, and the courage he shows in following his own path.
- Monique LeBlanc
Other festivals:
Silver Wave Film Festival, Canada (2023)
Atlantic International Film Festival, Canada (2023)
Belleville Downtown DocFest, Canada (2024)
Silver Wave Film Festival, Canada (2023)
Atlantic International Film Festival, Canada (2023)
Belleville Downtown DocFest, Canada (2024)
| Director | Monique LeBlanc |
| Script | Monique LeBlanc |
| Production | Nathalie Cloutier |
| Editing | Geoffrey Boulangé, Julien Cadieux |
| Cinematographer | Bernard Fougère, Monique LeBlanc |
In Partnership with
Session
• Musée McCord Stewart
Saturday, march 23, 2024, 05:00 p.m. — 06:30 p.m.
Production
Monique LeBlanc
Director, actress, screenwriter, writer and producer Monique LeBlanc is a prominent figure in Eastern Canada’s film industry, working in both documentary and fiction.
Through a powerful dialogue between image and word, her films explore the worlds of painters, musicians and writers, as well as ordinary people confronted with poverty, racism or exile. From shantytowns to concentration camps, from border crossings to vast wilderness, Monique LeBlanc’s works weave different stories together, delving into the intricate complexities of human relationships and offering a vivid portrayal of contemporary societies.
Her credits include collaborations with the National Film Board, CBC, Bravo, the History Channel and the Movie Network. Notably, her adaptation of Louise Dupré’s acclaimed book of poetry, Higher Than Flames Will Go (2020), stands as a cinematic tour de force.
Geographies of DAR is her fourth feature documentary and fifth collaboration with the NFB.
Biographical notes provided by the film production team
Through a powerful dialogue between image and word, her films explore the worlds of painters, musicians and writers, as well as ordinary people confronted with poverty, racism or exile. From shantytowns to concentration camps, from border crossings to vast wilderness, Monique LeBlanc’s works weave different stories together, delving into the intricate complexities of human relationships and offering a vivid portrayal of contemporary societies.
Her credits include collaborations with the National Film Board, CBC, Bravo, the History Channel and the Movie Network. Notably, her adaptation of Louise Dupré’s acclaimed book of poetry, Higher Than Flames Will Go (2020), stands as a cinematic tour de force.
Geographies of DAR is her fourth feature documentary and fifth collaboration with the NFB.
Biographical notes provided by the film production team
Higher Than Flames Wil Go (2020)
In the same session
Musée McCord Stewart
Saturday, march 23, 2024, 05:00 p.m.
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