The Marée Noire Effect will come to life in the Quartier des Spectacles.

A Striking Multidisciplinary Experience from October 1 to 19

Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, September 25, 2025 — The contemporary dance company Fleuve | Espace danse will take over the Quartier des spectacles from October 1 to 19 with The Marée Noire Effect, a powerful media arts installation inspired by its award-winning film Marée Noire (Somber Tides).

Co-presented with the Quartier des spectacles Partnership, The Marée Noire Effect will feature a screening of the short film every evening, on the hour, starting at 7 p.m., projected onto the façade of the WILDER Building – Espace danse. In addition, as night falls, three large-scale ground structures will offer passersby striking poetic fragments that echo the work. The first structure will reveal never-before-seen images from the film as well as the creative inspirations behind Chantal Caron’s artistic process. The other two will showcase photographs captured during the shoot on the river’s ice floes amid a snowstorm—offering a visual experience that is both poetic, evocative, and contemplative.

The Marée Noire Effect brings to life the powerful choreographic universe of Chantal Caron, where nature and movement merge to create an experience at the crossroads of dance, northern landscapes, and environmental awareness. Inspired by offshore oil spills and the devastating impact they have on marine ecosystems, the work—like the artist’s overall approach—draws its strength from a troubling ecological reality transformed into a choreographic language.

An Exceptional Film with International reach
The short film Marée Noire, which inspired the installation, is a powerful work that has, until now, been presented exclusively on the international festival circuit. Since its release, it has been widely praised, earning 18 prestigious awards — including four in just the past month alone. These distinctions range from Best Direction to Best Choreography, as well as awards recognizing the film’s environmental impact. Acclaimed around the world — from Mexico to the United Kingdom, as well as Canada, Venezuela, the United States, Austria, Norway, Bulgaria, Russia, Italy, and Lebanon — it confirms the universal resonance of Chantal Caron’s work.

To view the full list of distinctions, click here.

Inauguration Event on the Place des Festivals
On October 2, starting at 5:30 p.m. on the Place des Festivals (at the corner of Jeanne-Mance and Sainte-Catherine West), Fleuve | Espace danse invites the public to an elegant, free, and open-to-all evening. At 6 p.m., the performers will present an exclusive rendition of La Marée Noire, the starting point of this artistic journey. The evening will continue at 7 p.m. with a screening of the award-winning short film, bringing together for the first time the three facets of the project: the contemporary dance performance, the media art installation, and the film.

Making Dance an Essential Part of Québec’s Cultural Landscape
Beyond the event itself, The Marée Noire Effect powerfully underscores the importance of contemporary dance in our society. A universal language, dance goes beyond words to evoke emotion, build bridges, and express what spoken discourse can no longer convey. “In a fragmented world where debates collide, dance opens a sensitive and unifying space, capable of touching audiences internationally as well as here at home. It invites us to inhabit the world differently, to reconnect with one another, and to rediscover — through movement — a shared sense of hope,” says Chantal Caron.

About Fleuve | Espace danse
Fleuve | Espace danse is a contemporary dance company based in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli. Since 2006, it has distinguished itself through the in situ choreographic work of its founder, Chantal Caron, as well as its internationally acclaimed dance films. Chantal Caron is a recipient of the Order of Canada, was named 2023 Artist of the Year by the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, and received the King Charles III Coronation Medal in March 2025. Through a sensitive and committed artistic approach, she creates works that celebrate the beauty of the living world and awaken collective consciousness.