Shunned by public institutions that fund cinema, Martin Villeneuve was still able to present his film at the Quebec City Film Festival on Friday. The 12 labors of Imelda thanks to an impressive outpouring of generosity.
All the actors, from Robert Lepage to Michel Barrette via Ginette Reno and Yves Jacques, as well as the technical team worked voluntarily so that a series of short films, inspired by the last years of life of the colorful grandmother of the filmmaker, could become a feature film.
No one received a penny, says Martin Villeneuve.
“In nine years, I’ve had nothing but refusals from SODEC and Telefilm Canada, despite the prizes the short films have received. What I didn’t receive on one side, I got a hundredfold on the other in generosity and time,” he rejoices.
Villeneuve, it does not help
Being the brother of Denis Villeneuve, one of our greatest filmmakers, does not give a free pass, can only see the one who had made his debut on the big screen with the science fiction film March and Aprilin 2012.
“On the contrary, it harms me considerably. The doors closed. Listen, my next film, which I had been working on for five years, was supposed to feature Isabelle Huppert and Anthony Hopkins. The two actors were confirmed, I had a reinforced concrete scenario and Denis as executive producer. Telefilm Canada said no. Uninteresting project. Same answer as Imelda, ”says Martin Villeneuve, still indignant.
Snub
In these circumstances, show The 12 labors of Imelda to the FCVQ was a snub to those who did not believe in him.
“In a way, I’m proud because they made me feel for years that my cinema wasn’t interesting, but it’s public money. Even if they didn’t like March and April, I have been around the world. I became the first Quebecer to speak at the TED conference in 30 years, and the film paid for itself with online sales. »
In addition to the theatrical release of his family film, scheduled for October 28, Martin Villeneuve is working on the TV adaptation into an animated series of the Quebec comic strip. red ketchup.
The FCVQ continues this evening with the presentation of the film Snow Angel, at the Diamond Theatre.