enRoute


	ENROUTE TV ENROUTE FM MEDIA KIT AIR CANADA LINKS WRITERS' GUIDELINES

CITIZEN LANGLOIS
... Starring Daniel Langlois in a scintillating story about fame, fortune and ambition! See our hero change the movie industry! Watch him build extravagant monuments to art and pleasure! Weep with joy as he creates charitable foundations the world over!

Text: SYLVIE BERKOWICZ

These days, big box office means big FX. Your typical Hollywood blockbuster just isn’t complete without heavy doses of mind-altering computer-generated gimmickry. But that mega movie might never have seen the light of day had it not been for our man, Daniel Langlois. In fact, you could say it’s thanks to him that we have all those hyperrealistic landscapes, hordes of cloned creatures and optical illusions so dear to Hollywood. Daniel Langlois has changed the way you watch a movie, for better or for worse.

Here he is in his Montreal "lab," testing his latest brainstorm, cellphone in one hand, laptop in the other. Langlois is always on the move, always juggling projects, full speed ahead. Admirers (and they are legion) say there is no limit to his imagination. Sure, he’s a taskmaster, but that’s only because of his need for total control, which perhaps explains why his personal life remains a closely guarded secret. Our man is evasive and reticent, except when it comes to his professional work.

The story so far: Softimage, a small company specializing in 3-D -animation programs, hits the big time. In 1994, when the high-tech sector -started to boom, Microsoft bought a majority share. The sale made Langlois a rich man and allowed him to lay the groundwork for his own mini empire – one that was dedicated to fostering creative cinematography, to the development, distribution and promotion of artistic works -utilizing new technology. It allowed, quite simply, for our man to become a very big cheese not only in Montreal but also in Hollywood. And points in-between.

Scene 1

An enormous grey stone facade on Boulevard Saint-Laurent in Montreal... Inside one of three cinemas, a fashionable crowd takes in the latest Palme d’Or winner; in the Café Méliès, scenesters debate the latest trends over bistro fare; in the adjacent lounge, a sophisticated mix of regulars and tourists sip colourful cocktails. On the upper floors, things take a more studious turn: A group of young filmmakers are working on their latest production, while a visiting new-media guru from the U.S. searches through the archives. Welcome to Ex-Centris, Daniel Langlois’ flagship enterprise and headquarters for all his operations.

The Complexe Ex-Centris is the place to go for films you won’t see anywhere else in Quebec. But most filmgoers are unaware that, upstairs, the brains of Ex-Centris are hard at work. This is the home of Media Principia, a production company; Pix Cinema, a distributor of digital films; and the Daniel Langlois Foundation for Art, Science and Technology – not to mention a vast research and documentation centre. Ensconced within this self-contained realm, our man lays out his master plan. "I’m not interested in mere business, where cultural products are packaged and marketed like maple syrup," he says. "I’d rather search out ignored or under-developed -cultural sectors that I can support until they achieve some financial independence." Through his foundation, Langlois hopes to foster "a critical awareness of the implications of technologies for human beings." In addition to establishing a chair in digital technologies and the fine arts at Concordia University, the plan also extends to artists and organizations working in new technologies in the U.K., India, the Philippines and Africa.

Scene 2

Paris 1887... A rich American married to a French baron hosts regular gatherings of the city’s intelligentsia. An avid fan of the sciences, she decides to take in a primitive girl who was reared by pigs. Although The Baroness and the Pig is set in the past, the movie, which came out last fall, is very much tuned to the future: This first full-length feature to be produced by Daniel Langlois was shot entirely in digital format with a bare minimum of sets. The editing as well as the visual and sound effects were all created in a computer. The final result is beamed down from a satellite. In other words, there’s no film in this film.

The Baroness and the Pig was a kind of manifesto for digital cinematography. But that didn’t make it a success. It received a lukewarm reception in Quebec, and its American run, launched at Sundance, was a flop. Critics and audiences alike were unimpressed by the new technology. Well, so what, says our man. Nothing can shake his faith: Langlois is convinced that the future is now for digital cinema; he sees it as the new way to make movies and distribute them. So what if influential directors like Oliver Stone and Steven Spielberg disagree? (And even they recognize the usefulness of digital technology in post-production.) Our man has no doubt he’s on the right side of history. "Whatever the era, artists must use new technologies," he says. "If they want to communicate something contemporary, they have to use the tools of their age to do it." For Langlois, this means setting up a digital distribution network via satellite, which will allow him to instantly supply any movie theatre in the world, thus bypassing the traditional distribution cartel. Major dollars are at stake here. And you can bet Hollywood is keeping a close eye on our man and his next move.

Scene 3

The Hotel Gault in Old Montreal... A businessman relaxes in his designer bath in a luxurious loft. A little further south, down by the river, a group of well-heeled guests are enjoying a gourmet meal in the discreet luxury of their private club, the 357C. Uptown, a film buff approaches the video screen of the virtual ticket wicket at Ex-Centris. All embraced by the Langlois vision.

"I think entertainment should be enriching," Langlois says. "I want to experience something I can’t find elsewhere, something unique that allows me to think. Each one of my projects is distinct, but they all include dramatic and stimulating spaces." Daniel Langlois creates environments. And they are almost always luxurious. With the opening of Ex-Centris in 1999, taking in an auteur film is no longer a purely intellectual exercise; it’s become a full-on sensory experience that begins the moment you buy your ticket at the futuristic video counter. Admittedly, some of Langlois’ environments are inaccessible. Club 357C, for example, is a modern version of the English gentleman’s club where only a select few gain admittance. More affordable (though it still feels exclusive) is the Hotel Gault. All of which begs the question: Is our man a snob? Not really. In 2005, he will open four new movie theatres in the projected Spectrum complex in downtown Montreal. These venues will offer a more mainstream audience the opportunity to see more "difficult" movies. And, unlike at Ex-Centris, you’ll be able to buy popcorn.

Scene 4

A large grey stone house on the Quai de la Commune in Old Montreal... Neglected for many years, the building has regained its former glory, complete with solid weathered wooden doors, dark purplish wood panelling, plush sitting rooms, refined cuisine and a well-stocked wine cellar. Welcome to the club.

The 357C is a private gathering place for business people. A place where art and money meet, the club serves primarily to raise funds for the foundation. It was the designer in Daniel Langlois that took charge of every aspect of renovating and furnishing this historic house, from the door handles to the ceramic tiles. The result is not some flashy design showcase but an 1874-style interior created with modern techniques. A few blocks away, the Hotel Gault is something entirely different. Under the management of Langlois’ brother and his partner, and renovated by the YH2 architectural firm, the property is unique in Canada. Luxury, in this case, is defined by a generous allocation of open space and a contemporary minimalist decor.

Behind his foray into the world of architecture is our man’s desire to leave his mark: "I want to make things that last," Langlois admits. "Any given project may fail, but at least this way I’ll leave behind an architectural legacy. When I built Ex-Centris, some people criticized the style as too sober, too serious, but I wanted to reach a clientele that was both young and not so young. I opted for a style that I would consider classic for the years 1998 to 2000. Something that isn’t off-putting and that will still be useful 10 years from now." In our man’s world, good architecture is more than just a pretty face. Function counts too.

The End

The scene is like a hazy dream: red carpet, bronze statuettes... It’s the Genie Awards. Onstage, a visibly moved Daniel Langlois thanks his team. A list of names to thank in one hand, coveted trophy in the other, our hero radiates joy: He’s just won Best Director.

People are always asking him: Wouldn’t you like to make a movie? When are you going to make your movie? Langlois, who created several animation films at the National Film Board, doesn’t hide his dream to be a filmmaker. When he talks about The Baroness and the Pig, you can feel his frustration. He rejected three edited versions of the movie and kept close tabs on every step of the production. But the script -wasn’t up to his standards. Never was. Maybe next time… after he’s finished work on a second digital feature film, a co--produced adaptation of Robert Lepage’s play The Hidden Face of the Moon... after he’s finished construction of a top-of-the-line 100-percent ecological resort on his favourite Caribbean island, Dominica… after he’s inaugurated that new movie theatre downtown now that Ex-Centris and Cinema du Parc (a rep house) have taken hold… after he’s realized his dream of opening an Ex-Centris in New York (he already owns several properties in Manhattan)… Then, just maybe, we’ll see a real Daniel Langlois movie. In the meantime, Langlois will continue his "unending discovery of the world," patiently putting together the pieces of his grand design. For our man, it’s full speed ahead. Always.