Dream Imprints

For this exhibition, the Cinémathèque québécoise continues the exploration of its collections by tracing another narrative thread. From thousands of archived posters, curator Marie-Douce St-Jacques selected rare works—some never exhibited—that draw, directly or indirectly, on the visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau. Known for its arabesques, flowing lines, and lush floral motifs, Art Nouveau peaked in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, then resurfaced briefly but vividly between 1965 and 1975. Poster artists of that moment turned it into film posters that do more than promote: they offer a parallel reading of the movie. The curator chose to bring these archival pieces into dialogue with the work of author and illustrator Catherine Ocelot.