Seductio

Seductio is a 1987 Canadian film written, produced, and directed by Bashar Shbib.[1] The film stars Attila Bertalan and Kathy Horner as Mikael and Melanie, a couple who are lost in the woods when their vehicle breaks down while travelling;[2] Melanie is consumed by a fear of being attacked by bears, while Mikael tries to stoke her fears as a psychological game.[3]

Seductio
Directed byBashar Shbib
Produced byBashar Shbib
Written byBashar Shbib
StarringAttila Bertalan
Kathy Horner
Music byBetty Doroschuk
Erika Hagenlocher
Michel Oicle
CinematographyMichel Lamothe
Edited byFlorence Moureaux
Bashar Shbib
Amy Webb
David Wellington
Release date
  • August 29, 1987 (1987-08-29) (MWFF)
Running time
87 min
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Distribution

The film premiered in the Panorama Canada stream at the Montreal World Film Festival on August 29, 1987.[4] It later faced some controversy when the Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma initially refused to screen the film in its original form at its 1988 festival;[5] Chbib attempted to blockade the venue in protest.[6] When the film screened at the 1987 Toronto International Film Festival, Chbib also stripped in public to protest the lack of funding available to independent filmmakers.[7]

Critical response

The film was poorly received by critics. Jay Scott of The Globe and Mail opined that the film had been programmed by TIFF solely "to remind viewers how bad Canadian movies once were", and concluded that "you can escape the theatre, but you can't collect on the debt Seductio owes you for wasted time".[3] John Harkness of Now wrote that publicist Daphna Kastner deserved an award for having to promote the film, and felt personally compelled to ask festival programmer Kay Armatage why the festival even programmed Chbib's films at all.[8]

References
  1. Gerald Pratley, A Century of Canadian Cinema. Lynx Images, 2003. ISBN 1-894073-21-5. p. 193.
  2. Thierry Hoguelin (1991). "Chroniques dos à dos". 24 images (in French). p. 36.
  3. Jay Scott, "A Kid Brother who's special". The Globe and Mail, August 31, 1987.
  4. Éric Fourlanty (August 24, 1987). "Vue panoramiques". Voir (in French).
  5. Hélène De Billy (August 1991). "Chbib, le cinéaste du nouvel âge". L'Actualité (in French). p. 111.
  6. Bill Brownstein, "Montrealer Shbib shoots on shoestring". Montreal Gazette, August 27, 1991.
  7. Ina Warren, "Reality hits fantasy film-maker; Frustrated by funding Chbib heads to Hollywood". Montreal Gazette, February 21, 1989.
  8. John Harkness, "Cinematic slim pickings dim 1987 festival fervour". Now, September 24, 1987.
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