I wonder what happened to Denys Arcand’s most recent film. Days of Darkness (in some circles referred to as The Age of Ignorance) was an official Cannes selection in 2007 and though it didn’t win any prizes and the reviews weren’t exactly stellar, the film showed promise. Alliance opened it in Quebec where, of course, it made a killing while the rest of Canada sat around twiddling thumbs waiting for it to open. The film did finally make an appearance outside of Quebec when it was featured as one of Canada’s Top Ten and it even screened at the MoMA but I assumed we’d seen the last of it. Thankfully I was wrong.

IFC picked up the film for distribution in the US but rather than release it to empty theaters (Arcand may be a national treasure but The Barbarian Invasions and The Decline of the American Empire may be the extent of his American repertoire) they’ve chosen to release the film on Festival Direct where it will make its debut on June 17th. Canadians can expect to see it appear on DVD in the next few months.

I don’t like this new trailer quite as much as the teaser which I posted earlier this year, but this full trailer captures the mood of the film much better than the teaser did. Days of Darkness stars Marc Labrèche as Jean-Marc, a civil servant bored with life who constantly imagines different realities; from a superstar author, to a great lover and even a knight in shinning armor. But are they all fantasies or are some of these “dreams” realities? When his wife leaves him, Jean-Marc is faced with reality and forced to make some decisions about his life.

It sounds dry and boring but Arcand has a witty and biting sense of humour which shines here. Though funny all around (though not always laugh out loud), Canadians will appreciate some of the regional specific comedy (like the fact that the government office is housed in a deteriorating sports arena). As always, Arcand manages to make interesting points about modern society while keeping us entertained throughout.

With excellent supporting performances from Diane Kruger and Rufus Wainwright this is a great “hidden gem” and one worth checking out on a Saturday night.

New trailer tucked under the seats!