Black Robe (film)
Black Robe is a 1991 historical drama film directed by Bruce Beresford, adapted by Brian Moore from his 1985 novel of the same name. Set in the 17th century, it depicts the adventures of a Jesuit missionary tasked with founding a mission in New France. To do so, he must traverse 1500 miles of harsh wilderness with the help of a group of Algonquins, facing danger from both the unfamiliar environment and rival tribes. The title refers to the nickname given to the Jesuits by the Algonquins, referring to his black cassock.
| Black Robe | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Bruce Beresford |
| Screenplay by | Brian Moore |
| Based on | Black Robe by Brian Moore |
| Produced by | Robert Lantos Sue Milliken Stéphane Reichel |
| Starring | Lothaire Bluteau Aden Young Sandrine Holt August Schellenberg Tantoo Cardinal |
| Cinematography | Peter James |
| Edited by | Tim Wellburn |
| Music by | Georges Delerue |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Alliance Films (Canada) Hoyts-Fox-Columbia TriStar Films (Australia) |
Release dates | 5 September 1991 (Toronto International Film Festival) 4 October 1991 (Canada) 27 February 1992 (Australia) |
Running time | 101 minutes |
| Countries | Canada Australia |
| Languages | English Cree Mohawk Algonquin |
| Budget | A$11 million |
| Box office | $8,211,952 |
The film stars Lothaire Bluteau in the title role, with other cast members including Aden Young, Sandrine Holt, Tantoo Cardinal, August Schellenberg, Gordon Tootoosis and Raoul Trujillo. It was the first official co-production between a Canadian film team and an Australian one. It was shot mostly in the Canadian province of Quebec. It was Young and Holt's film debut.
Black Robe premiered at the 1991 Toronto International Film Festival and was given a wide release on 6 October, becoming the highest-grossing Canadian film of 1991. It received generally positive reviews and won several accolades. It was nominated for ten Genie Awards and won six, including Best Motion Picture, Best Director (Beresford), Best Adapted Screenplay (Moore), and Best Supporting Actor (Schellenberg). It was also nominated for ten AACTA Awards, with Peter James winning Best Cinematography.