Saved by the Belles, also known by its French title Échappée belles, is a 2003 feature film by Ziad Touma, his first long feature film.S. James Wegg (JWR) review: "First feature shows promise" Touma is a Lebanese Canadian film director and producer residing in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Touma is the founder of Couzin Films film, television and digital media production company and it was released through the company.
In 2023, Telefilm Canada announced that the film was one of 23 titles that will be digitally restored under its new Canadian Cinema Reignited program to preserve classic Canadian films.Pat Mullen, "Oscar Winning Doc Leads List of Restored Canadian Classics". Point of View, May 9, 2023.
Synopsis The film's story line has a young man rearing his head in Montreal's club milieu, claiming not to remember a thing about his past or who he is. Discovered by local drag diva Sheena Hershey (played by Brian Charbonneau, aka Brian C. Warren) and scene stress Scarlet VJ (played by Karen Simpson), this young amnesiac is soon dubbed "Sean" and taken under wing by the club-junkie duo. Hoping to jar his memory, they take him on a tour of Montreal's club scene, introducing him to various characters along the way; Touma's cast includes numerous authentic night life figures, among them drag fixtures Mado and Madame Simone.
The press kit describes it this way: "Saved by the Belles" stars fags and hags, blonde bimbos, label whores, sugar daddies, club kids, biceps builders, leathers and feathers, funky junkies, freaks and geeks, sex addicts, chupa chicks, lube monsters, pimply pimps, weight watchers, nympho virgins, mingle singles, glow stick ravers, cheap strippers, wannabe actors, guest list leftovers, glittery debutantes, kinky grannies, impotent hustlers, baggy-eyed scenesters, size queen cupids, self-taught porn stars, air miles jet setters, showgirls, smoking players, bendable bisexuals and mama's toys.Matthew Hays in Montreal Mirror article: "Night and the City"
Cast Brian Charbonneau ... Sheena Hershey (as Brian C. Waren) Karen Simpson ... Scarlet Steven Turpin ... Chris Danny Gilmore ... Sean Lydia Lockett ... Magda Matt Williston ... Tobey Ron Diamond ... Doug Marcelle Lapierre ... Edith Mado Lamotte ... Mado Dennis O'Brien ... Dennis Varda Etienne ... Varda Terry Sigalas ... Terry Louise Bastien ... Loulou Robert Horble ... Chicken Driss Berki ... Driss Paul Pabello ... Paul Alessandro Mangiarotti ... Alessandro Bernadette Rusgal ... Bernadette Nohémie Renaud ... Noémie John Thomas Fraser ... Sean's Dad
Awards and nominations A theatrically distributed feature film, Ziad Touma's Saved by the Belles won several awards in festivals around the world.
The film went on to win the Best Feature Film award at Toronto's Inside Out Film and Video Festival in 2003."Canada's hottest up-and-coming directors, actors and writers". Playback, July 5, 2003.
In 2004, it was nominated for three Genie Awards for "Best Achievement in Cinematography", "Best Achievement in Art Direction" and "Best Achievement in Music - Original Song".
Saved by the Belles website "Belles" film led to the launching of a website by Ziad Touma, co-wrote and co-produced with Mouna Andraos and BlueSponge.Power Talk Creative directors presentation The website won the "Boomerang Awards" for "Best Arts & Culture Website" and was nominated as "Best Extreme Entertainment Site" at the South by Southwest SXSW Awards.
References
External links Couzin Films Official website
Telefilm Canada page on Saved by the Belles savedbythebelles.com website