MONTRÉAL, Nov. 20,
2023 /CNW/ - Éléphant: The Memory of Québec
Cinema is pleased to announce that its catalogue of over 250 films
can now be accessed directly on its website at
elephantcinema.quebec. All the feature films it has digitized and
restored are now available in one place, without restriction, from
anywhere in Canada. The move marks
the 15th anniversary of Quebecor's largest philanthropic project,
which was officially launched on November
18, 2008.
The films in Éléphant's catalogue were already available on
Videotron's platforms and the Apple TV app. Now they can also be
rented for 48 hours at any time on the Éléphant website. To rent a
film, visitors to the site simply locate it using the search bar
and then click on the Éléphant logo below the trailer. Several
collections, including new restorations, can also be found directly
on the homepage.
"With this new service, we can proudly say that the films
digitized and restored by Éléphant are more accessible than ever,"
says Sylvie Cordeau, Vice-President,
Philanthropy & Sponsorships of Quebecor. "Preserving Québec
fiction films and making them available to as many people as
possible has always been at the heart of our mission, and this move
is very much in line with that goal. Many of these films can also
be seen in any country in the world where French or English is an
official language."
Officially launched 15 years ago with an initial catalogue of 25
films, Éléphant: The Memory of Québec Cinema has steadily
expanded its offerings. In addition to making films available on
video-on-demand, Éléphant presents a monthly theatrical screening
at the Cinémathèque québécoise and has partnered with a number of
prestigious festivals over the years so that film-buffs can see
restored movies the way they were meant to be seen, on the big
screen.
"Éléphant has done a colossal job over the past 15 years," says
Pierre Karl Péladeau, President and CEO of Quebecor. "Thanks to the
concerted efforts of a dedicated team combined with MELS'
expertise, hundreds of films from our cinematographic heritage have
been rescued from oblivion and can now be enjoyed by new
generations under optimal conditions. And when cinephiles visit
Éléphant's website to rent a film, they can also access the largest
existing database on Québec movies. Every feature-length fiction
film from the origins of Quebec
cinema to the present day is listed, and there are many exclusive
interviews with the people who made them."
See Éléphant's 2023 catalogue for the full list of
films.
About Éléphant: The Memory of
Québec Cinema
Éléphant: The Memory of Québec Cinema is a large-scale project
to digitize, restore, preserve and make accessible Québec's feature
film heritage, fully funded by Quebecor. Since its inception in
2007, Éléphant has restored more than 240 movies, which are now
available on its website, on Videotron's illico video-on-demand
service (channel 900) and on Helix. The films are also available,
in the original version with English subtitles, on iTunes
Canada, Apple TV and in all
countries where French or English is an official language. As well,
more than 50 of the movies are available in Spanish-speaking
countries with Spanish subtitles. The Éléphant website at
www.elephantcinema.quebec contains the largest existing database
and information bank on Québec cinema.
Éléphant: The Memory of Québec Cinema is a philanthropic
endeavour from which Quebecor derives no financial benefit. Aside
from a small amount to cover a portion of the platform's operating
costs, all revenues from distribution of the movies goes to the
rights holders and the filmmakers.
About Quebecor
Quebecor, a Canadian leader in telecommunications,
entertainment, news media and culture, is one of the
best‑performing integrated communications companies in the
industry. Driven by their determination to deliver the best
possible customer experience, all of Quebecor's subsidiaries and
brands are differentiated by their high‑quality, multiplatform,
convergent products and services.
Quebecor (TSX: QBR.A, QBR.B) is headquartered in Québec and
employs more than 10,000 people in Canada.
A family business founded in 1950, Quebecor is strongly
committed to the community. Every year, it actively supports more
than 400 organizations in the vital fields of culture, health,
education, the environment, and entrepreneurship.
Visit our website : www.quebecor.com Follow us on
Twitter : twitter.com/Quebecor
Information: medias@quebecor.com
SOURCE Quebecor