Westmount’s Spurrell heart and soul of Montreal film field

So, other than recalling ad nauseum and with terminal fondness the decade I spent working in film, my favourite thing to do is interviewing people working in The Biz for your reading pleasure. In this instance, I will entertain you with far-too-few words about a leading figure on the Montreal film scene. While he was indeed an actor on student films, and locally-produced low budget feature films, Westmount’s Philippe Spurrell has earned his stellar reputation as a programmer, a director and, indeed, the founder of a club for film aficionados just like me. “It was in 1992, on the corner of Sherbrooke and Metcalfe, across the street from Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, where I founded a club that presented weekly screenings of classic films,” recalled Spurrell, when I asked him about his Le CineClub/The Film Society.

Spurrell’s film roots began when he was 12 and was in between primary and secondary school. His parents suggested he take some courses that summer (rather than likely frying ants with a magnifying glass... though I attest that no ants were harmed during the writing of this column, so supporters of PETA need not respond) and, this being back in the day, he actually took their advice. A course in film was among them. “Then, at age 17, I studied cinema at Dawson. But later at Concordia, rather than enrol in their (terrific) cinema program, I took a major in literature with a minor in marketing... as I considered my desired career in film, this combination seemed better than a degree in film would have been,” Spurrell said.

So, Spurrell went on to complete some very noteworthy projects, including co-scripting and helming a 35-mm feature film, the ghost story The Descendant, that premiered at Montreal’s FantAsia a few years back and has also played 13 other festivals worldwide and will play Belgium this February. Spurrell is also involved with FantAsia annually, in various capacities, his experience helping mold this popular summer event into one of our city’s finest.

But it is his Le CineClub/ The Film Society that has really taken off for him. Now in residence at Snowdon’s The Segal Centre for Performing Arts, 5170 Cote Ste. Catherine Rd. (Box Office at 514-739-7944), the film club presents movies every second Wednesday, for just $8 per person, $6 for seniors and students, starting at 7:00 p.m. The venue is director Ezra Soiferman’s state-of-the-art, comfortable and hemp-seated CinemaSpace facility, while buffs can chat before or afterward at the ArtLounge and Delmar Cafe. “We are doing well, with an average turnout of 40 per screening at the 77-seat facility,” said Spurrell. “But 50 would be nicer. We have some great films coming up.” Spurrell also had a request for a good Samaritan out there: He badly needs 500 square feet of warehouse space to house his precious and important archives. He can be reached at p.spurrell@hotmail.com.

For more information on Spurrell’s excellent lineup for the first quarter of 2010, go to cineclubfilmsociety.com after January 20. Happy New Year, on and off the Silver Screen! On January 26-27, CinemaSpace (Le CineClub/ The Film Society has nothing to do with this event) will host the newly-restored 1975 Montreal-filmed classic Lies My Father Told Me, as well as launching the new DVD of the film, in the presence of its co-producer Harry Gulkin. Reserve early, as seating is limited.