After the French Florence Cestac in 2000 and the Japanese Rumiko Takahashi in 2019, the Quebecer Julie Doucet becomes the third woman, and the first Quebecer, to win the Grand Prize at the Angoulême International Comics Festival. On the phone, having just arrived on the spot, the one who published the anthology Maxiplot (The Association) in France and Quebec in recent months is still in shock at the idea of marking the history of the 9and art.
“I don’t know what to say!” she exclaims with a nervous laugh. I learned about it on March 9 by email. My editor told me. I didn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe it! I was so convinced that it would be one of the two French women who would win. »
A rare fact to report in the history of the festival, accused of sexism in 2016 for its 100% male selection, three women competed for this honor this year, the author of Dirty Plotte and the French Pénélope Bagieu and Catherine Meurisse. In the previous edition, the latter had been nominated with the American Chris Ware, who had won the Grand Prix.
For the record, in 2016, the Collective of comic strip creators against sexism had called for a boycott of the festival: “We recall that for 43 years, Florence Cestac has been the only woman to have received this distinction. Claire Bretécher, pillar of the ninth art, never received the Grand Prix herself, leaving in 1983 with the prize of 10and anniversary (award that has never prevented its winners from being eligible for subsequent Grand Prizes). »
” It is enormous ! »
“I’m overwhelmed by events,” says Julie Doucet. It is enormous ! I think that’s the biggest reward there is in comics. I hadn’t planned to go to Angoulême, but with the nomination of three women and the fact that I won a prize, I really had to go. »
Upon arrival, the artist felt very welcome and found the atmosphere more relaxed than she had expected: “I thought I was going to have to give a big speech, but luckily it wasn’t. is not how it will happen. Last year’s Grand Prize winner will introduce me. I’m going to say a few words of thanks and then it’s the artistic director of the festival who is going to interview me in front of a professional audience. It’s gonna be a lot more casual than I thought. »
A few hours before the ceremony, Julie Doucet had not yet written her speech. Was she going to greet the women who inspired and influenced her, such as her mother who introduced her to the magazine Pilot when she was young and cartoonists Claire Bretécher, Nicole Claveloux, Chantal Montellier and Florence Cestac? Was she just going to improvise a few words?
“Oh no, no, no! It would be a disaster! I have some ideas that I will put on paper. Basically, I’m going to thank my editor. I was told I would only have one minute, so this is not the time to expand on the subject. »
Having stopped doing comics in 1999, disgusted by the ambient machismo, Julie Doucet does not hide her astonishment at being crowned for her work in 2022. Maxiplot, released in November in France, got a lot of attention; there were a lot of articles. It surprised me, but it could explain the price. I don’t know if the world of comics has changed since I left it… I imagine it has because women have more room there. I have just arrived and I am staying in Angoulême until Sunday. In the meantime, I have so, so, so many interviews, it’s completely crazy! »
The 49and Angoulême International Comics Festival takes place from March 17 to 20.