La mémoire des anges

Imagine an angel memorising all the sights and sounds of a city. Imagine them coming to life: busy streets full of people and vehicles, a bustling port, children playing, lovers kissing in parks. Then recall the musical accompaniment of the past: Charles Trenet, Raymond Lévesque, Paul Anka, Willie Lamothe, Oscar Peterson, Igor Stravinsky. That city is Montréal. That angel is the National Film Board of Canada.
This is The Memories of Angels, Luc Bourdon’s virtuoso assemblage of clips from 120 NFB films from the 50s and 60s. A journey in time, a tribute to the vitality of the city and a wonderful cinematic adventure, it recalls Wim Wenders’ Wings of Desire: the same sense of ubiquity, the same sense of dreamlike freedom.
The film is a history lesson on the 20th century: the red light district, the eloquent Jean Drapeau, young Queen Elizabeth greeting the crowds and Tex Lecor shouting 'Aux armes, Québécois!' Here are kids dreaming of hockey glory, here's the Jacques-Cartier market bursting with fresh produce, the department stores thronged with Christmas shoppers. Bourdon and editor Michel Giroux have assembled fluid, clear sequences, underlining the beauty of the black-and-white images contrasted with coloured ones. The Memories of Angels also showcases the singular beauty of Montréal, its architectural and human wealth and the grandeur of its setting.