Valérie Lemercier refutes the criticisms of Claudette and Michel Dion on Aline, her feature film freely inspired by Celine Dion’s career. “I don’t want to apologize for making this film. ”
Joined by the phone on Wednesday, the French filmmaker and actress defended herself for having produced a work that betrays her subject, as Claudette and Michel Dion, sister and brother of Celine had strongly decried the day before on the show. The week of 4 Julie.
In an interview with Julie Snyder, the pair burned down this France-Quebec co-production, which portrays Aline Dieu (Valérie Lemercier), a Quebec singer from a modest background who becomes an international star. The film also features characters like Guy-Claude (Sylvain Marcel), impresario and much older lover of Aline, and Sylvette (Danielle Fichaud), her protective mother.
Valérie Lemercier has not watched Julie Snyder’s talk show, but she knows the main points of the comments made by Claudette and Michel Dion.
“We were so careful,” she said. I didn’t want to spoil this family, these characters. We took great care to present them as heroes, which they are to me anyway.
“I don’t want to apologize for making this film because I like it, this film. ”
A fiction
Accused by Claudette and Michel Dion of having tampered with Celine’s story, Valérie Lemercier replied: “It’s cinema. It’s not a documentary; it is a fiction. It is said at the beginning of the film: there are things which are not true, which are of the order of the imagination of Brigitte Buc and I, who wrote the scenario. ”
PHOTO FROM THE FACEBOOK PAGE OF THE WEEK OF 4 JULIE
Celine’s sister and brother Michel and Claudette Dion on the show The week of 4 Julie.
In response to the many inaccuracies that Claudette and Michel Dion noted on the air, Valérie Lemercier cited The man who killed Liberty Valance, an old American film by John Ford: “When legend goes beyond reality, legend is printed. ”
“Yes, it’s true, we didn’t ask [Céline Dion] in marriage by putting a diamond ring in her ice cream in Italy, but that’s a pretty story. Céline had 15 houses, but we only see three. And I concentrated all the brothers into one because you can’t have 25 main characters in a movie. Making a film is also about making choices.
” I heard [que Claudette et Michel Dion] had found the house dirty. But I was so careful to keep it looking tidy and clean. The cinematographer shed the most beautiful light possible so that everyone is beautiful… even me, who is ugly! ”
Although she has not obtained the seal of approval from Claudette and Michel Dion, Valérie Lemercier keeps her head held high.
“I know there are other people in the family who haven’t spoken publicly and who really liked the movie,” she said. The family is big. You can’t please everyone. “
“I’m not forcing anyone to go see this movie,” she continued. We can very well refrain from going to see this film at the cinema. It is not imposed. ”
Valérie Lemercier did not say she was hurt, but rather surprised by this public outing of Claudette and Michel Dion.
“There are so many imitators who do such mean stuff about Céline on your television, in our radio… Imitators who call René-Charles thawed, it doesn’t shock anyone, but my film does. It’s funny that it creates a controversy when there have been so many gratuitous and mean teasing that has been said about Celine, about her relationship, over the years. ”
To “create the buzz”
Valérie Lemercier was to be one of Julie Snyder’s guests on Wednesday evening, but she canceled after learning the content of the interview with Claudette and Michel Dion.
“Julie, the first time she saw the film, she loved it, she cried,” said the director. Knowing that she knows her subject very well, it made me happy when I learned that… I did not understand why she wanted [présenter un segment qui dénigrait Aline]. Probably to create a buzz. It’s his job. Each his trade. ”
Valérie Lemercier was to record her interview with Julie Snyder just before the premiere ofAline Tuesday in Montreal. Since it was a very meaningful evening for her and she “wanted positive things”, the director decided to give up.
“I never Google my name. I forbid myself because there are only blows to take. You have to move forward in life. You have to be able to dream. You have to be able to be happy. I’m not going to take the baton to get beaten, ”said Valérie Lemercier.
“I have to protect myself. Because if you want to create something, you have to have a little self-confidence. I didn’t want to spoil the beautiful Tuesday evening. ”
Aline hits theaters this Thursday evening.