Star Wars Identities exhibit launches in Montreal

Star Wars fans from communities far, far away are expected to descend on Montreal for a new exhibition conceived and created completely in Quebec about the iconic film series.

Star Wars Identities makes its world premiere Thursday at the Montreal Science Centre. The immersive, interactive touring show explores human identity through the Star Wars universe and its vast pantheon of characters.

After putting together a successful Indiana Jones show, Quebec's X3 Production decided to submit a proposal for an exhibition based on another classicGeorge Lucas movie series: the space epic Star Wars.

X3 offered the most compelling proposal, said Kyra Bowling, Lucasfilm exhibits manager.

"We were very easily and very quickly persuaded that they were the right team for this project," she told CBC News. "Being in Montreal, it feels almost like a sister city to San Francisco [where Lucasfilm is based]in many ways. The creative energy is fantastic, so it's just been a perfect fit."

Star Wars Identities has wide appeal, she added. Everyone from diehard fans to parents with kids who haven't seen any Star Wars films will find something of interest, she said.

The exhibition includes multimedia installations and games as well as a trove of costumes, props, models and artwork from the Lucasfilm archives.

"We came [up] with a great idea to talk about the identity, the characters of the saga and we had a very compelling project. [It's] very interactive, engaging, with science, yet entertaining," said X3 president Jacques AndrDupont.

A staff of approximately 350 people worked on the project in Quebec, from conception to installation, he added.

"We were really proud to be able to showcase the creativity of a Montreal team to [the] world."

Designed with an international audience in mind, Identities will run in Montreal until Sept. 16, before moving onto Edmonton and then to cities in Europe, Latin America and Asia.

The exhibit will not stop in the U.S., where there is another Star Wars touring show making the rounds.

However, because of this, Identities organizers are predicting that American fans and those living in neighbouring provinces will make a trip to Quebec this spring and summer.

It's hoped that an estimated 200,000 people will visit the Montreal Science Centre for the show, said Claude Benot, president of the Old Port of Montral Corporation, which manages the Montreal Science Centre.