Defenders of democracy or stubborn investigators, journalists are also fictional characters. Their multiple incarnations have often changed the public’s view, but what about that of the main stakeholders? In series 7e art and 4e power, The duty gives the floor to journalists from all backgrounds to find out their perception of the profession through cinema.
He dreamed of journalism from a young age, and even when he became a lawyer. Back in his neck of the woods, in Alma, after his baccalaureate at the University of Sherbrooke, Janic Tremblay got the film club back on track that had introduced him to world cinema during his college studies. With the help of a few accomplices, he not only concocted the programming, but also presented it to the spectators before the screening, as well as on the radio. Some saw in him not a future filmmaker, but a gifted communicator who only wanted to reveal himself.
This is how Janic Tremblay abandoned the lawyer’s gown for the journalist’s microphone, a professional change dictated by the heart, a flame still burning after more than 20 years working for Radio-Canada. While for several years he occupied the chair of other hosts of various public affairs shows, he is now at the helm of All Terrain, ICI Première’s major news and reporting event, every Sunday morning. First and foremost a radio man, Janic Tremblay is never short of images when talking about cinema, always eager to explain in depth what guides his tastes and his choices.
Being a movie buff and running a film club really distracted you from your job as a lawyer. Why not have made the jump to journalism earlier if it was your childhood dream?
For a long time it was background noise, and I told myself I might get back to it one day. When my law studies began, I found myself caught in a spiral, everything happened very quickly. But no matter the films that I was able to see at that time, and those that I subsequently presented to the public, like The smell of green papaya [de Trần Anh Hùng, 1993], Michael Collins [de Neil Jordan, 1996] Or Ridiculous [de Patrice Leconte, 1996], I wondered if I should have studied film, but there is something in me that is rational. I wanted to tell stories, but when it came to my presentations, I liked to communicate. Filmmakers have their own way of doing it, journalists too, based on the facts. When Jean Hébert, then director of the regional Radio-Canada station, offered me a position as a columnist-interviewer for the summer, I crossed the Rubicon, and I never looked back.
Has cinema or television ever made you dream of practicing this profession?
Journalist characters on screen rarely inspire me. I’m going to be a little blunt: they’re not that interesting. In real life, they are great personalities, but in everyday life, most of us spend our time reading, researching, etc. When I watch a series like The Morning Show (2019-), I only see the “glamorization” of our profession, and that doesn’t concern me at all. On the other hand, what is the strength of a film like Spotlight [de Tom McCarthy, 2015] ? The journalists are at the heart of this story, they are like everyone who works around me, and have other things to do than be fashionable.
Are you more sensitive to films that take place in the radio environment?
I reviewed a few of them in preparation for our interview. Talk Radio (1988), by Oliver Stone, this is not at all my register: in front of this, I have the impression of living on another planet! On the other hand, Eric Bogosian, the author of the play on which the film is inspired and who plays the host, is absolutely magnificent in this role. But we are far from public service! In his case, he doesn’t hesitate to insult listeners and make his worst impulses take over when he’s in front of a microphone. That said, it is true that radio is a warm medium, and the host or journalist must be embodied. It’s a gift of self, we reveal ourselves a little, while being careful. But in our questions, our laughter, and even our silences, listeners can get to know us.
You have great admiration for the comic genius of the late Robin Williams. See him transform into a radio host in Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), by Barry Levinson, must not have displeased you.
His improvising skills are remarkable. I give you an example. During the casting from the sitcom Mork & Mindy (1978-1982), he was asked to sit like an alien: he immediately placed himself upside down… and was hired on the spot! To me, that says a lot about Robin Williams. In Good Morning, Vietnam, there are several striking scenes, such as when he is caught on the road among trucks carrying soldiers. When [le personnage de Forest Whitaker] tells them that they are in front of the famous radio host Adrian Cronauer, no one believes him. It’s when he starts talking that everyone lights up. We feel his sensitivity, his kindness towards men who will undoubtedly be killed… And what can we say about the musical score which blends wonderfully with the host’s words?
Even if you don’t have a particular affection for “journalist films”, do you believe that Good Night and Good Luck (2005), by George Clooney, is worth the detour?
Let’s be honest: we all dream of being a journalist like Edward R. Morrow. This man walks in the center, neither left nor right. But in the midst of McCarthyism, he considers that it is a grave injustice to condemn people without any form of trial, except through “We heard that…”. In this film, we express fundamental things, like “Dissent should not be confused with disloyalty” or “An accusation is not proof”. And just because I’m a former lawyer doesn’t mean I agree with that! Morrow practices responsible, combative, courageous journalism, ready for dialogue with anyone who is ready to speak. And the black and white adds a touch that is both sublime and spare to the film.
As for television series, have any piqued your journalistic curiosity?
I love Jeff Daniels, not only a great actor, but also a musician. He is the star of the series The Newsroom (2012-2014), designed by Aaron Solkin, the creator of The West Wing (1999-2006), no less. This is another great example of courageous journalism with Daniels playing the character of Will McAvoy. He is a news anchor capable of great neutrality while being a fiscal, not social, Republican, as well as a former lawyer! [rires] In an extraordinary scene evoking the shooting in Tucson, Arizona, in January 2011, which nearly took the life of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, several news channels announced her death. Against the advice of his bosses, and for lack of verified facts, McAvoy refuses to follow the competition. We hear this powerful line: “Doctors determine whether someone is dead, not the media.” » All this with the song Fix you by the group Coldplay in the soundtrack, which enhances the great emotion of the scene.
Does radio allow you to fully satisfy your need to tell stories?
I think radio is a great way to travel. With the team of All Terrain, whether we are in the West Bank, in Mexico or at the Valcartier military base, radio sound manages to take us elsewhere, to extricate us from everyday life. This is what Orson Welles brilliantly proved with his radio adaptation of War of the Worlds (1938), mentioned by Woody Allen in Radio Days (1987). What my colleagues do with sounds – words, music, ambient noises – represents a real work of art. Radio then becomes a formidable creative tool. With them, I have the impression of making cinema… for the ears!