Centered around the humans who create the rhythm of the city’s heartbeat, this vertigo-inducing work offers a fascinating trip through time to the working-class Montreal of the 50s and 60s. From neighbourhood sidewalks bustling with children to busy downtown streets, from factory floors to the dancefloor, The Memories of Angels reveals the daily rhythms of life in a complex urban landscape. Moving smoothly between themes, locations and environments, this cinematographic poem is made up of sequences that follow one another perfectly. With its masterful editing and sound mixing, this narrationless film succeeds in linking shots with such ease that we forget they were initially captured for more than 120 different films. A remarkable success of archival assembly, this piece is testament to the important role that the NFB plays in documenting our communities.

Hubert Sabino-Brunette
Teacher and programmer