Special Screening: Un reve americain

The French Cultural Center is thrilled to present, in partnership with the Delegation of Québec in Boston, the 2013 documentary by Bruno Boulianne and Claude Godbout, Un rêve américain! This will be the March installment of the Ciné-Club de l’Alliance, taking place on Monday, March 16th.

In this film, Franco-Ontarian musician Damien Robitaille introduces us to the extraordinary history of the millions of people in the United States of French Canadian heritage. Driving from New York to Los Angeles, winding his way through New England, Michigan, the Midwest and the legendary Far West, he brings the milestone events of their exodus to life. He uncovers a paradoxical, almost imaginary society dissolved into American life but still very much alive. During his travels he meets all kinds of engaging people and visits many places steeped in memory, and we begin to understand a multifaceted diaspora three centuries old and more than 11 million strong - more people of French Canadian descent than in all of Canada. Click here to watch the trailer for the film.

This 2013, 92-minute film will be presented in its original French version with English subtitles. Following the screening, there will be an open discussion with special guests Damien Robitaille and Claude Godbout as well as a reception in the gallery.

The event is free, and all seats available to the public are already reserved. A waiting list is available for those interested in attending.

The screening will begin at 6:00 PM. This event will take place at the French Cultural Center, 53 Marlborough Street, Boston MA, 02116. For more information, visit us online or call 617.912.0400.

Celebrating Francophonie

This screening is part of the celebrations of le mois de la francophonie. La Francophonie aims to create a space for solidarity that embraces the values of humanism, democracy and cultural and linguistic diversity. We are thrilled to join the Francophonie Celebrations in New England by offering a variety of programs of cultural interest in celebration of French language!

About Damien Robitaille

Damien Robitaille is a Franco-Ontarian musician. Robitaille started his music career at a young age, when he started playing the piano when he was eight years old, and later in his childhood he learned to play such instruments as the trumpet, guitar and violin.

Later on, Robitaille attended Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo to study classical music. While at Laurier, he was a member of the rock band The Mezameeze (made to sound like “Mes Amis” in French, meaning “My Friends”). Halfway through his university career he was a finalist in Ontario Pop, a Franco-Ontarian competition, in which he won a scholarship to attend a one year program at “L’École Nationale de la Chanson” in Granby, Québec.

In 2004, Robitaille won the first prize at the Francouvertes festival in Montreal. In 2006, Robitaille released his first full length album titled L’homme qui me ressemble (The Man Who Looks Like Me). The title is a reference to the duality of being a performer having to take on a persona, which is a large part of Damien’s act. On September 8, 2009, he launched his album Homme Autonome (Autonomous Man).

Robitaille was nominated eight times at the 2011 Gala des prix Trille Or where he won six awards. In 2012, he released his album Omniprésent (Omnipresent) which won three awards at the Gala des prix Trille Or in 2013.

In 2014, Robitaille starred in Un rêve américain (An American Dream), a documentary following the artist on an extraordinary journey following the path of French-Canadians throughout the United States.

Film Credits
Research and script : Claude Godbout; with Damien Robitaille; photography : François Messier-Rheault; original music: Damien Robitaille; editing : Vincent Guignard; director : Bruno Boulianne ; producers : Claude Godbout, France Choquette, Jean Roy; Eurêka Productions; 92 minutes.