“It’s a very special project,” says director Louis Choquette, sitting down to discuss Cloakrooms, his new TV series. In any other context, this sentence would ring hollow and seem conventional. But today, she seems sincere. Because Cloakrooms brings together people we rarely see in fiction in Quebec: disabled people.
Filmed at the Gadbois Center, a recreational complex located in the Sud-Ouest borough of Montreal, the sketch comedy will be broadcast in the spring on AMI-télé (starting April 8), and possibly, in a second window, on Radio -Canada.
Adaptation of a successful French format presented on France 2 since 2011, Cloakrooms paints the portrait of a club of swimmers, who train every week in the swimming pool. The cast is made up of names unknown to the general public, with the exception of Dominic Sillon, member of the comedy duo Dominic and Martin. The comedian, who acts as a content producer, is also part of the group of authors, some of whom have a disability. Because throughout the adventure, the show’s production company, Sphere Media (Cerebrum, Transplant), promoted the inclusion of people with disabilities in front of and behind the camera (artistic direction, sound, editing).
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Director Louis Choquette gives his final instructions to actors Dominic Sillon (left) and Michel Cordey before filming a scene.
“It was important for us to have their point of view,” says Josée Vallée, who produces the series with Renaud Chassé. We wanted to do something credible. »
” It’s possible ”
The Press attended the filming of a scene during his exclusive visit to the set of Cloakrooms, last week. We could see Dominic Sillon overdosing on caffeine trying to hold a coherent conversation with Michel Cordey, his co-star. Like most of the actors in Cloakroomsthe latter had no playing experience before being recruited by Louis Choquette and company.
A television editor for ten years and creator of a YouTube channel (Tutorial with Michel) as amusing as it is informative, Michel Cordey realizes a dream that he thought was inaccessible by acting.
I’m having a blast right now! Every day I am like a child. I can’t believe I’m going through this.
Michael Cordey
Wheelchair-bound due to a genetic condition called osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease), the 38-year-old welcomes the initiative of Sphere Media and AMI-télé, to have hired disabled people to interpret disabled characters.
“What I find fun with Cloakrooms, is that we show disabled people that it is possible to play on TV, that there is a way. I did a lot of theater when I was young, but quickly, I gave up on it because there wasn’t really any opening, when I entered CEGEP, 15-20 years ago years. »
Representativeness
Quebec television has made significant progress in recent years in terms of diversity, both cultural and sexual, particularly with series like After the flood, Lakay Nou, The little kings And Without an appointment.
Cloakrooms is part of this lineage, believes Louis Choquette. “We feel that we are still in a period of change. I have just filmed the third season of Red bracelets. In the episodes, there are characters with amputations who are not played by real disabled people. But it seems like something is changing. We are asking more and more questions about this. Isn’t this an opportunity to seek out people who are really going through this kind of situation? »
Film set
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Dominic Sillon during the filming of a scene with Michel Cordey. In Cloakrooms, Dominic Sillon plays Stéphane, the worst swimmer in the group. “He’s the one who loses all the time,” says the comedian. He’s not getting any better, and what’s more, he’s a bad loser. »
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Marie-Christine Ricinuolo, doing makeup before shooting her scene. Like all the actors of Cloakroomsthe budding actress benefits every day from the advice of a coach “It’s a great safety net,” she says.
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Director Louis Choquette describes the filming as Cloakrooms, which brings together people with disabilities in front of and behind the camera, of “incredible human experience”. “It’s really very strong. I think it can come across the screen and have the same effect on viewers. »
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
The group of authors was sometimes inspired by the actors’ real journey to write tailor-made sketches for them. Michel Cordey, who plays the role of Mike, really enjoyed the experience. “It’s actually more satisfying than 10 years of therapy! »
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Choreographer Jacques Poulin-Denis, who plays the role of the very competitive Charles, believes that Cloakrooms can attract a large audience. “I have the impression that you can watch the series without realizing that we’re talking about disability, because we’re talking about fairly universal subjects, like romantic relationships. »
1/5
Louis Choquette, however, admits to having felt “a little dizzy” at the start of the project, given that he was preparing to direct a cast mainly made up of amateurs. In an interview, the director speaks of an enormous challenge, but also of an unforgettable and formative experience.
“In our little lives, Cloakrooms, it’s an extraordinary event, but I think that on a social level, it’s important. For open-mindedness, tolerance… We all really need it. »
In swimsuit !
Another characteristic specific to Cloakrooms : the scenes are almost all played in swimsuits. The series will show bodies, amputations, prosthetics, etc. As for the actors, we understand the importance of “exposing the difference”.
“These are things that we are not used to seeing,” emphasizes Jacques Poulin-Denis, 45, one of the few to have playing experience. It’s a big victory straight away. »
Host and speaker, Camille Chai, 34, knew what she was getting into when she auditioned. Born without left arms or legs, the aspiring actress “never hid.”
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Marie-Christine Ricignuolo, Camille Chai and Jacques Poulin-Denis
For me, it’s not vulnerable. I like to go swimming. It’s not a problem for people to see my prosthesis.
Camille Chai
“It can allow viewers to better understand our reality,” adds Marie-Christine Ricinuolo. It can also show them that they need to stop seeing disabled people as victims. »
Dual lens
The words of Marie-Christine, speaker and collaborator at AMI-télé who lost her sight in 2018 due to glaucoma, clearly reflect the objective of the team behind Cloakrooms : we want to entertain, but also raise awareness.
“We want to demystify disability,” explains Dominic Sillon, who has worn a glass eye for several years. There are people who are uncomfortable around people with disabilities. They don’t really know what to do. This is something I observe when I sign autographs after a show. People are sometimes hesitant to approach me, because they are afraid that I will see that they are looking at my disability. »
For Louis Choquette, the humor contained in Cloakrooms will do useful work.
“Finding disabled people on screen who have a life, who have something to say, who are able to talk about themselves and laugh about it… Everyone can win. »
The first season of Cloakrooms will be broadcast on AMI-télé from April 8 and then on ICI Tou.tv