Cinema's Next F1 Period Piece Will Spotlight The Unlikely Rise Of A Canadian Icon
Canada's fervor for Formula One and Scuderia Ferrari can be traced back to the brief yet brilliant career of Gilles Villeneuve. The upcoming film "Villeneuve: The Rise of a Legend" will highlight the unlikely path Villeneuve took to reach F1. Once there, the Québécois driver became the first Canadian to win an F1 Grand Prix with a home victory in 1978, then finished as the world championship runner-up the following season.
The trailer released last week showcases the era-appropriate machinery alongside Rémi Goulet portraying Villeneuve. The 1970s-set drama follows the aspiring racer's struggle with the financial burden of his profession while racing snowmobiles and junior single-seaters. While "Rush" has already given movie-goers a taste of formula racing in the age of bell-bottoms, it's difficult not to be intrigued by the idea of seeing vintage snowmobile racing on-screen. Quebec is the home of the snowmobile, so I'm fully prepared to see Concours-level '70s Ski-Doos.
Villeneuve's meteoric entry onto the world stage is worthy of the silver screen
A clip in the trailer alluded to a fabled non-championship Formula Atlantic race at Trois-Rivières. The 1976 street race, which could likely be the film's climax, featured F1 stars Alan Jones and James Hunt headlining a field of international talent. With the world watching, Villeneuve won the race after holding up a late charge from the future world champion from Australia. According to Autosport, Jones said post-race, "Really the difference between the two cars was our starting positions. It's so hard to catch someone when they start first and you are seventh!"
Villeneuve's career was tragically cut short when he was killed in a crash during qualifying at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix. Later that season, Montreal's F1 circuit on Île Notre-Dame was renamed in the local hero's memory. His son Jacques would go on to become Canada's first F1 champion in 1997. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve remains the home of the Canadian Grand Prix to this day.
"Villeneuve: The Rise of a Legend" will premiere as the closing film of the Toronto International Film Festival on September 19, before a theatrical release in Quebec on November 11.