The production company Bravo Charlie announced Thursday the preparation of a feature film inspired by the life of Pauline Julien.
Produced by Etienne Hansez (Watch dog, Underground), this film, still at the first processing stage, is written by Véronique Côté and Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, the latter also directing. Singer, poet and activist, the performer from A witch like the others, who passed away in 1998, saw the words she cherished so much gradually fade away in the last years of her life. The scenario will thus be constructed in fragments, around the condition of a woman of great speech, both artistically and politically, aware of the loss of what was the great driving force of her life.
“We are at the stage where we meet a lot of people who have known Pauline well and this results in very embodied scenes, explained the director of white dog at The Press. We want to get away from the classic biopic as much as possible. We focus more on the universal character of the tragedy that was the end of his life. It doesn’t matter whether we know Pauline Julien or not, what she experienced is dramatically very strong, very deep. »
PHOTO JEAN GOUPIL, PRESS ARCHIVES
Pauline Julien, photographed during a big show on Mount Royal held on National Day in 1976
No actress has yet been chosen to play the famous singer, but the fact is that when the story begins, Pauline Julien is already a mature woman. The songs, essential, will be evoked and heard, but not necessarily interpreted by the character on the screen. All the dimensions of this exceptional woman will be explored.
“For me, Pauline Julien is the supreme woman, so free and avant-garde in all areas,” adds Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette. From her conception of love to politics, including a very refreshing way of being a feminist. Pauline is really inspiring and I would like her not to be forgotten because she remains a super beautiful model. »
A rereading of Kamouraska
Before shooting this film on Pauline Julien, Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette will direct the production of a new adaptation of Kamouraska. Already brought to the screen by Claude Jutra in 1973, Anne Hébert’s novel is this time revisited by screenwriter Catherine Léger.
“I re-read the novel when I was in my forties and I was really impressed by its modernity, by the avant-garde way in which Anne Hébert deals with female desire,” says the director. We had the impression, Catherine and I, that the film which paraded while re-reading the novel had not yet been made. It doesn’t take anything away from the existing film, which is a reflection of the era it was filmed in, but with these modern and truly disturbing female characters, there’s room for a re-read, while still staying true to the novel. We also want to bring back the political dimension of a story that takes place at the time of the patriots. »
Produced by Réal Chabot of Les Films du Boulevard, this new adaptation of Kamouraska has just been filed with the institutions to obtain funding. If he gets the green light, the feature film could be shot next winter.