In Arlette, the third feature film by Mariloup Wolfe, a fashion magazine director is approached by the Premier of Quebec to rejuvenate the image of his government and take the reins of the Ministry of Culture. The road will be far from peaceful for Arlette Saint-Amour, who, helped by her press attaché, will have to wage a battle for the survival of Quebec books – and prove by the very fact that it is not just about image of young and sublime scatterbrain that his colleagues in the National Assembly wish to attach to him.
This story, which at first glance seems a bit far-fetched, is in a way a true story. Because the screenwriter of the film, Marie Viens, by a curious chance of life, herself for a few years shod the shoes of press officer of Liza Frulla, liberal Minister of Culture in the early 1990s.
“I had absolutely no skills for this position, but I accepted. I found myself at the heart of a world in turmoil, with the establishment of a first cultural policy in Quebec, the reform of the Society for the Development of Cultural Enterprises and the birth of the Council of Arts and Letters of Quebec. It was effervescent. »
However, what Marie Viens retains, above all, from her time in the National Assembly, is this impression of being catapulted every day directly to the court of Louis XIV. “The rituals and decorum straight out of another era, the importance of the appearance and image of politicians, the monarchical atmosphere, the pre-established roles that everyone must play to perfection… I wanted to translate all this in a story that would be both modern and timeless, that would talk about contemporary issues and what defines the Quebec nation. »
The whole thing takes the form of a grandiloquent satirical and critical comedy woven with intertextual winks, where each character represents an archetype of the royal court and where the murderous replies are inspired by Rabelais, Voltaire or even Simone de Beauvoir. . pass to the scaffold the boy clubs and toxic masculinity, the reduction of women to their appearance, neoliberalism and its sacrosanct zero deficit, the corruption and hypocrisy of the political and cultural worlds.
Big challenges
A loaded scenario, therefore, on which Marie Viens worked for nearly 10 years – and for which she suffered several refusals – before it landed in the hands of Mariloup Wolfe.
“I was approached just before Christmas, a few days before submitting grant applications for film projects,” says the filmmaker. I had 24 hours to give my answer. I met Mary. We discussed for hours and hours his vision, this idea of the National Assembly as the court of Versailles, all the references hidden in his text. It was so colorful, I immediately started to have ideas. I also felt like I was the right person to tell the story of a girl thrown into a man’s world. »
Like her Arlette, the director jumped into the adventure with both feet, without really measuring the extent of the challenges she would face. The feature film is notably the first to be shot at the National Assembly since I Confess (The law of silence, 1953), by Alfred Hitchcock, a process that took nearly a year of preparation and negotiation. “It was a real headache, especially in times of COVID, to get 300 people in while respecting the protocols in place. »
Cinematically, parliament was both a gift and an immense risk. “It is a place that is both austere and grandiose. I wanted to transpose this place that everyone knows into our universe, close the shutters, dim the lights, and highlight the details, the flourishes, the extraordinary frescoes on the ceiling. »
The filmmaker did not hesitate to go to extremes, to push the flamboyance of the sets, costumes and soundtrack to its climax, to open and close many scenes with expressive and contrasting baroque tunes.
“We had to make the main theme of the film attractive: the Quebec book. Captivate people and make them want to embark on the story. But the trap with a satire is to fall into caricature. We also had a larger-than-life proposal, with flamboyant visuals, costumes and sets. For us to believe in it, we had to find truth and minimalism in the acting of the actors. I was lucky to be able to count on an exceptional cast. »
The controversial choice of Maripier Morin
The film cannot be taken out of context either, since Mariloup Wolfe entrusted the title role to Maripier Morin, who had put his career on hold in July 2020 following allegations of sexual harassment, physical assault and of racism.
Although this choice is controversial, the filmmaker denies having wanted to take a position or send a message. “I chose Maripier because I felt that the vulnerability and background she brought to the audition gave weight to the character and the film’s words. I never wanted or could ignore what had happened. I saw her in an audition a year after the events, I was told that she was going back to work, and I had the impression that we were already somewhere else. I am not the judge of this people’s court whose codes I do not master. My candor may have gotten in the way, since I honestly didn’t think this decision would elicit such a strong and polarized reaction. That said, I made an artistic choice that I assume. The rest is now up to the public. »
The director also claims to believe in the importance of second chances, she who found herself at the heart of a controversy that led to the withdrawal of comedian Gabriel Roy from public life. Mariloup Wolfe had notably brought a lawsuit against him, in the wake of the dissemination of a post published on Facebook in 2013 where he alluded to a fictitious sexual relationship of great violence with the main interested party. “I followed the traditional process and used the tools given to us — it’s important to emphasize that. There is an agreement that has been respected. After that, he can do whatever he wants, I wish him only the best. »
Maripier Morin abounds in the same direction: the allegations led her to undertake therapy and to recognize her dependence on alcohol and cocaine, among other things. “I made mistakes. I will do more, but certainly not the same. I want to be on a path that allows me to evolve, to heal, for myself and for others. I also want to live in a forgiving society. »
“If we don’t forgive people who admit their wrongs and do everything in their power to change, where are we going? she asks. Nor do I want to become the face of sobriety, the one that has risen. I do my little business so that me, my boyfriend, my daughter and my family, we are well. »
The actress also affirms that the story of her character has allowed her to progress. “I have never recognized myself so much in a character. It allowed me to reflect on my relationship to my image and in the eyes of others, and to learn to see and appreciate my own value. »
The film Arlette hits theaters August 5.