Montreal QC – A laughing contest held last October in Montreal sparked an international trend with contests breaking out in Japan,Czech Republicand the USA, according to the documentary RiRE EXTREME which premieres July 24th at the Just for Laughs Festival.
“Laughing contest held. Hilarity ensues.” CBC
Ultimate Laughter or extreme laughter can be highly entertaining due to the contagiousness of laughter and some are heralding as a new sport.
The film tracks the bizarre origins of the phenomenon, where filmmaker and Laughologist Albert Nerenberg, observed the fighters in the Ultmate Fighting Championships often crack up while trying to stare each other down.
Laughter Overrides Hostility
The film suggests that human beings can be powerfully triggered to overcome negative emotion with laughter. Based on that idea Nerenberg and crew create a series of hilarious laughter contests at festivals around Quebec, culminating in the first ever Montreal Ultimate Laughing Championships last October. The goal was to find the best laugher in Quebec. The winner will be attending the event on July 24th,
“Competitive laughing takes off around the world.”
The UK based Independent newspaper wrote in December of the Tokyo Championship. The Czech contest received 6 minutes of coverage on the Czech national news. There is now an loosely-based international laughter league called the ULC, the Ultimate Laughter Championship.
Japan, Czech Republic, USA, Austria
Following the Montreal Ultimate Laughter Championship and ensuing international publicity, Nerenberg was brought to Japanto organize the 1st Tokyo International Laughter Championship and later the Czech International Laugher Contest where over 500 people attended.
Nerenberg saysMontreal is a natural place for the development of new sports and games due to it’s playful, bi-cultural nature.
The next championship is set forAustria this fall. However, the second Montreal Ultimate Laughter Championship will take place at Just for Laughs, immediately after the screening of Rire Extreme on July 24th,
INFO: 450-242-2927 or hey@laughology.info RIRE EXTREME and The 2nd Montreal Ultimate Laughing Championships
July 24, 7 pm, Cinema Du Parc
RIRE EXTREME is co-production of CANAL D and ELEVATOR FILMS
Think Harper and his clowns, and laugh your head off.
This sounds insane. Love it.