I’m really sorry to hear that Nicole Vézina, owner of the Cinémathèque Méliès video club in Val David, QC, sadly passed away recently. I met her in summer 2023 whilst searching for video stores in Québec, and was blown away by the space she had created at Cinémathèque Méliès, a very small space with an extremely well organised video library, much loved by the local community. Nicole’s loyal clientele reflected her own passion for cinema, and it would be impossoble not to be struck by her attention to detail and presentation of all aspects of the store – from her smart waistcoat to the comprehensive catalogue system of films to browse.

Nicole kindly allowed myself and artist Rob Feulner to host some video artworks in the store in March 2024, as part of the SVP Rembobinez exhibition project. Initially concerned that abstract ‘video art’ might be a stretch too far for her and her regulars, she quickly became a great advocate of the project, introducing the works to the clientele of the Cinémathèque with the same enthusiasm as she brought to films in her collection.

After the project, we kept in touch, and I hoped to develop the exhibition collboration this year. When our CALQ application for a 2025 exhibition was unsuccessful, Nicole replied to me exporessing her sympathy at the result, but also with some extremly kind words of encouragement: “je vous souhaite de l’inspiration sans limite.”.

She can be sure that she has inspired myself and many other people through her vision and commitment to cinema and the community.