A brand new place to see films. A brand new place to gather.

The Segal Centre unveils CinemaSpace and ArtLounge, attracting a diverse group of artists and community members seeking a stimulating and modern environment in which to unite, relax and be entertained.

CinemaSpace

A state-of-the-art high-definition, digital screening room and multi-function venue. Featuring surround-sound and 77 seats covered in hemp eco-fabric, CinemaSpace is Montreal's brand new boutique arts venue. It will host film screenings, film and TV industry gatherings, collaborations with existing film festivals and many more events to be announced.

ArtLounge

Opening May 2008, this lounge located next to CinemaSpace will provide an oasis to artists, cinemagoers and community members to stretch out in a comfortable and colourful setting. Featuring an espresso bar, curated art exhibits and a live music area, ArtLounge will be used to complement CinemaSpace events and stand-alone functions.

Upcoming CinemaSpace Shows:

Anne and the Reverend
(Documentary, France, 2008, 50 mins, in Japanese and English with English subtitles)
Dates: Wednesday, April 30th, 2008, 9pm; Thursday, May 1st, 2008, 9pm

Directed by Francois Uzan
Montreal premiere
Tickets (available at the door): $8 general, $6 students with ID, seniors (65+).
Tickets also available at Admission.com.

A reverend from Hiroshima who speaks Hebrew fluently… A museum about the Shoah lost in the middle of the Japanese countryside… Anne and the Reverend tells the story of Makoto Otsuka, a reverend from Hiroshima, who met Anne Frank's father Otto Frank 30 years ago and ever since then has shared the memory of the Holocaust to Japanese children. Through the portrayal of this man, both funny and moving, Anne and the Reverend presents an unexpected approach to the Shoah and an unknown side of Japan. In the spirit of Paper Clips and Hanna's Suitcase, this film will take you by surprise and leave you wanting to make the trip to Reverend Otsuka's incredible museum in Japan.

Director Francois Uzan will be present for a Q&A on April 30th and May 1st.

Watch the trailer.

Visit the web site for Makota Otsuka's Holocaust Education Center.

Esti Mayer: Artist. A live lecture on The Holocaust Suite
A special Yom Ha'shoah illustrated lecture presentation at the Segal Centre
Thursday, May 1st, 2008, 7pm (Approx 1 hour)
Tickets: Entry is free. Reservations required. Please call the Segal Centre box office at (514) 739-7944 to RSVP.

Esti Mayer, the artist/creator of a 50 painting masterpiece titled the Holocaust Suite, has been on the lecture circuit for a year now. Her presentations include a PowerPoint slide show of the paintings, and a personal, hard hitting, and inspirational talk about the historical-personal perspective she employed when creating the Holocaust Suite.

The Holocaust Suite has been donated to the State of Israel by the artist. Exhibited in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem, the Holocaust Suite has received a great deal of media attention in Israel and was featured prominently on Holocaust Memorial Day in the Israeli newspaper, Yediot Acharonot. It is currently an educational resource and a document of national importance, housed at the Jerusalem Academy for Teachers. Esti’s work has received countless accolades from those who have attended a lecture or have read her outstanding companion book – among them Elie Wiesel, who upon receipt of said book, took the time to respond with a handwritten note of thanks.

Esti will be available for book signings at the end of her presentation.

Ralph Benmergui: My Israel, An evening with Ralph Benmergui
Saturday, May 3rd, 2008, 9pm (approx. one hour)
Tickets: Entry is free. Reservations required. Please call the Segal Centre box office at (514) 739-7944 to RSVP.

Ralph Benmergui: My Israel, coming to VisionTV on May 5, 6 and 7, is a new, five-part documentary series that looks at the past, present and future of Israel through the eyes of one of Canada’s most renowned journalists. The series brings Ralph, a Moroccan-Canadian Jew, face to face with Israelis from every stratum of society, and shows the Holy Land in ways that few Canadians have been privileged to experience. Broadcast in honour of Israel’s 60th anniversary, the program is a heartfelt exploration of belief and values, ethnicity and identity, conflict and reconciliation in a country coming of age in the 21st century.

The Segal Centre’s new CinemaSpace is pleased to invite you to an evening with Ralph Benmergui on Saturday, May 3rd at 9:00pm, as he offers a sneak peek at video clips and shares stories of his recent experiences in Israel. Come out and meet Ralph Benmergui at CinemaSpace on this special occasion. Entry is free.

See the trailer for My Israel.

Join the My Israel's Facebook Group.

Check out more My Israel photos.

Exclusive Short Film Screening: Award-winning shorts by students at Tel Aviv University’s Department of Film and Television
Sunday, May 4, 2008, 7:30pm
Tickets: $25. Available by calling the Canadian Friends of Tel Aviv University office at (514) 344-3417
Featuring a Q&A with Tel Aviv University’s Dean of Arts, Prof. Hannah Naveh.
A reception will follow the Q&A.

All profits from this fundraiser will be directed to Tel Aviv University’s Department of Film and Television

Films being screened:

Roads
(Israel, 2007, 22 minutes, in Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles)
Directed by Lior Geller, Montreal Premiere.

A gripping story two young Israeli Palestinian children caught up in drug-running and an Israeli addict who is tormented with the complexities of life in the Middle East. This fast-paced film exposes Israeli contemporary challenges.

Prizes: Best Short Film: Jerusalem International Film Festival 2007; Special Mention: Poland 2007; Young Audience Award: France 2007; and Best Asian Film: China 2007.

Pinhas
(Work in progress, Israel, 2008, 34 minutes, in Hebrew and Russian with English subtitles)
Montreal Premiere.

A moving story of a 10 year-old immigrant boy, who is searching for a sense of belonging and identity. Pini Tavger is a compelling young talent in Israeli cinema who has won numerous awards for previous works. This “work in progress” no doubt will also be celebrated as a prize-winning film.

Second Watch
(Israel, 1995, 15 minutes, in Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles)
Directed by Udi Ben Arieh, Montreal Premiere.

The humorous tale of two soldiers “on watch” on either side of the border who find a way to communicate and have some fun. Berkowitz, an Israeli Reserve soldier, is guarding a remote post along the Israeli-Jordanian border. Just a few yards away across the border, he finds an equally bored Jordanian soldier. The interaction between the two guards makes for an irresistible comic exercise and speaks volumes about the simple human truths underlying the complexities of life in the Middle East.

Prizes: 1996 Dresden International Filmfest: Best Short Film; and 1996 Student Academy Awards: Nominee for Best Foreign Film.

Visit the Tel Aviv University Department of Film and Television web site.

S&M: Short and Male
SNEAK PREVIEW!
(Documentary, orig. English version, Canada, 2007, 84 mins. plus Q&A)
Screening Dates: Tuesday, May 6th, 2008, 7:00pm and 9:00pm
Tickets (at the door): $8 general, $6 students (with ID)/Senior (65+).
Tickets also available at Admission.com.

It's our dirty little secret -- size matters. We're obsessed with height. We like our men tall, dark and handsome but at what cost? S&M: Short and Male, explores the relationship between height, self-esteem and success. With a touch of humour, S&M: short and Male examines the obstacles that short statured men face every day in life, love and work.

Q&A with filmmaker Howard Goldberg and producer Ina Fichman after the film. Seating is limited.

See the film's trailer.

Six Days In June
(Documentary, orig. English version, Canada, 2008, directed by Ilan Ziv, 100 mins, plus Q&A)
Date: Thursday, May 8th, 2008, 8:30pm
Tickets (at the door): $8 general, $6 students (with ID)/Senior (65+).
Tickets also available at Admission.com.

Special Yom Ha’Atzmaut screening of this ground-breaking new documentary that brings a contemporary perspective to the Six Day War by documenting how the 1967 war forever transformed the politics of the Middle East. The weeks that preceded the war, its six days of fighting and the repercussions serve as the narrative spine of the film.

Producer Ina Fichman will be present for a Q&A.

See the film's trailer.

Baghdad Twist
(Documentary, English version, NFB, Canada, 2007, 34 mins. plus Q&A with filmmaker Joe Balass)
Screening Dates: Wednesday, May 14th, 2008 7:00pm and Thursday, May 15th, 2008, 7:00pm
Tickets (at the door): $7 general, $5 students (with ID)/Senior (65+).
Tickets also available at Admission.com.

Baghdad Twist is a visual memoir of one family’s life in Iraq before escaping to a new home in Canada in the fall of 1970. Featuring a never-before-seen collection of archival images, home movies and family photographs from Baghdad, the film pulls back the curtain on Iraq’s once thriving Jewish community, its perilous final years and its remarkable ability to find solace in the shadow of fear. Baghdad Twist was selected to the 2007 International Documentary Film Amsterdam and the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival (US premiere).

A Q&A with director Joe Balass will follow the projection. Seating is limited.

See the film's trailer.

Visit our archive of previous screenings in CinemaSpace

About the Director of CinemaSpace and ArtLounge - Ezra Soiferman:

Montreal filmmaker Ezra Soiferman has over ten years experience directing and producing TV documentaries (Tree Weeks, Man Of Grease, Posthumous Pickle Party, etc.) for outlets including CBC, CTV, TVO, Newsworld, Life, National Geographic and Oprah. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, he has also produced or curated live events with Just For Laughs, Pop Montreal, YES Montreal and most recently The Montreal Film Group, a 1500+ member film and TV industry collective he co-founded and co-directs. An artist, entrepreneur and natural networker, his quirky and unexpected films have appeared at over 30 film festivals worldwide.