MONTREAL – Quebecor Inc. announced Monday it would spend $2.5 million over five years to preserve, promote and provide access to Quebec films via subsidiary Videotron’s illico on demand TV service.
The project called Quebecor’s Elephant: memoire du cinema quebecois involves digitizing about 800 features films, many of which are currently only on the original film stock. All revenues, except for a nominal administrative fee, will go to the rights holders. Access to the catalogue will be free to film students and researchers.
Quebecor is also creating an online database of Quebec movies on its Canoe website that will include synopses, photos from the sets, interviews, movie posters and reference materials.
“The site will be a source for information about Quebec movies and a powerful tool for promoting Quebec’s cinematographic heritage,” stated Quebecor in a media release.
The project will be coordinated by Quebec cinema experts Marie-Jose Raymond and Claude Fournier.
After the movies have been preserved, short films, documentaries and animation productions will be digitized and added to the illico on demand offering.
