In France, the film “Aline” freely inspired by the life of singer Céline Dion made a very good start in theaters with 900,000 admissions in two weeks of operation. Critics also praised the quality of this film directed by Valérie Lemercier. In Quebec, the newspaper Le Devoir had greeted, during the screening of the film at the Cannes festival, “a sincere tribute” to Celine Dion, “very close to reality”.
Across the Atlantic, however, the film was received very differently by the singer’s family. Before the theatrical release of “Aline” on November 26 in Canada, Celine Dion’s homeland, the artist’s brother and sister have expressed their bitterness. “I don’t recognize the language, I don’t recognize my family, I don’t recognize our roots”, said Tuesday evening Claudette Dion, the sister and godmother of the international star. She was a guest, with their brother Michel Dion, on a popular Quebec talk show on the Noovo television channel. Claudette and Michel Dion denounced a “humor that does not pass” and scenes that go “too far”. According to them, Valérie Lemercier “Has paid a nasty trip on the back of Celine’s life!”. “My mother never spoke like that to René, and Céline never wanted for anything. We look like a gang (band, Editor’s note) of grumpies”, she commented.
In its review, Le Devoir pointed out thatAline sheds light on how Celine Dion had been at times “manipulated by those around him”.
The film, directed and played by Valérie Lemercier, is inspired by the life of the Canadian diva. It tells the story of Aline Dieu, a Quebec singer propelled to the rank of star thanks to her exceptional voice. “The film that we saw, Claudette and I, is not exactly what we thought”reacted Michel Dion, who accompanied Celine Dion on tour for 30 years as a stage manager.
Celine Dion has not yet given her opinion in public on the film and nothing says that she has already seen it. The French director hopes the singer will look at him to make up her mind. On November 21, Valérie Lemercier explained to Quebec television that she wanted to produce a film “moving and funny, like Celine Dion”. “I hope she will see the care we have all taken to pay tribute to him “, she said, adding to hope “that one day she will see it and that it will please her”.