Exotica Canada
1994, 103min.
Producers: Atom Egoyan, Camelia Frieberg, Robert Lantos, David Webb, Dir./Script: Atom Egoyan, Director of Photography: Paul Sarossy, Composer: Mychael Danna, Prod. Design: Linda Del Rosario, Richard Paris, Sound: Steven Munro, Editor: Susan Shipton
Cast: Bruce Greenwood, Mia Kirshner, Don McKellar, Arsinee Khanjain, Elias Koteas, Sarah Polly, Victor Garber
“In telling the story of Exotica, Egoyan wanted to structure the film like a striptease, gradually revealing an emotionally loaded history. The characters in the film move through a series of rituals and routines that define their loneliness and sense of despair. At times these activities may seem perverse or absurd as people transform their pain into self-made myths and legends. It is Egoyan’s belief that human beings find nothing more absorbing than the exoticism of their own experience.” – Atom Egoyan
Awards
FIPRESCI Prize (Cannes IFF, 1994); Toronto City Award for Best Canadian Film, (Toronto IFF, 1994); Silver Spike (Valladolid IFF, 1994); 8 Genie Awards including for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Don McKellar), Best Screenplay, Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Musical Score, Best Achievement in Art Direction, Best Achievement in Costume Design, 1994; Best Foreign Film (French Critics Association, 1994); Best Foreign Film (Belgium Critics Association, 1994)
Production Companies
Ego Film Arts, Alliance Entertainment, Miramax Films, with the participation of Telefilm Canada and the Ontario Film Development Corporation
| Egoyan, Atom Atom Egoyan (born 1960, Cairo, Egypt)
Born in 1960 in Cairo to Armenian parents, he was raised in Western Canada. Studied International Relations and Music at the University of Toronto where he began making short films. He won attention at the Sundance FF for earlier work, then broke through critically and commercially with The Sweet Hereafter (1997). Three time Cannes IFF winner and the best, since Sergei Parajanov, filmmaker of Armenian ethnicity, Oscar-nominated master of cinema, has collected four awards from the Toronto IFF. A seven-time recipient of Canada's top Genie Awards, he is one of the most remarkable figures of contemporary independent filmmaking. Returned to his ethnic "homeland" when he filmed Calendar (1993) in Armenia. Winner, Golden Apricot Award for Ararat at 1st Yerevan IFF (2004). In 2010 Egoyan was the president of Cinefondation and Short Films Jury at Festival de Cannes.
Filmography
Lust of a Eunuch (1977), Howard in Particular (1979), After Grad with Dad (1980), Peep Show (1981), Open House (1982), Next of Kin (1984), In This Corner (1985, TV), Men: A Passion Playground (1985), Family Viewing (1987), Cupid’s Quiver (1987, TV), The Last Twist (1987, TV), Looking for Nothing (1988), There Was a Little Girl (1988, TV), The Wall (1989, TV), Speaking Parts (1989), The Adjuster (1991), Montreal vu par… Six variations sur une theme (segment "En passant", 1993), Calendar (1993), Gross Misconduct (1993, TV), Exotica (1994), A Portrait of Arshile (1995), The Sweet Hereafter (1997), Bach Cello Suite #4: Sarabande (1997, TV), Felicia’s Journey (1999), The Line (2000), Krapp's Last Tape (2000), Diaspora (2001), Ararat (2002), Where The Truth Lies (2005), Citadel (2006), Chacun son cinema (segment “Artaud Double Bill, 2007), Adoration (2008), Chloe (2009)
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