(Quebec) It was Christmas in the ballroom of the Château Frontenac last Monday for the shooting of the film December 23, written by India Desjardins and directed by Miryam Bouchard. We visited the set where the actors Bianca Gervais, François Arnaud, Virginie Fortin and Stéphane Rousseau were gathered.
Posted at 8:00 a.m.
Reading the synopsis of the choral film December 23it’s hard not to think about Love Actually. Quite rightly, India Desjardins has allowed itself to dream of reinventing Richard Curtis’ successful romantic comedy: could we have a Quebec Christmas classic with strong female characters in addition?
“With real snow and little twinkling lights,” adds the author and screenwriter.
And a host of Quebec references: the Petit Champlain room, Ricardo’s recipes and the famous tourtière.
10 years ago, India Desjardins experienced an overwhelming holiday season when her mother’s husband fell ill in Charlevoix and had to be rushed to the hospital. “I felt like I was watching a Christmas movie. So much so that she discussed it the next day with producer Guillaume Lespérance and distributor Patrick Roy, of Seville Films.
India Desjardins could not have told the drama that her family experienced in her screenplay, because reality exceeded fiction. But she had the idea of a film inspired by the adage: “We will arrive at Christmas at the same time as everyone else. »
the rush to visit his parents in the four corners of Quebec in a snowstorm.
India Desjardins, about the film December 23
Thus, we follow in particular the parallel destinies of a successful author who wants to find love (Virginie Fortin), of a couple who are expecting their first child (Catherine Brunet and François Arnaud), of a singer who wants to try a return (Stéphane Rousseau) and the director of the Château Frontenac who must save her job (Bianca Gervais).
However, the scenario had 350 versions, underlines India Desjardins. “And I’m hardly exaggerating. »
“It’s a challenge to write a crossover,” she continues. Especially since December 23 takes place in a single day.
Unifying and popular
PHOTO PATRICE LAROCHE, THE SUN
India Desjardins is writing the script for December 23. We owe him the test Mister Big or the glorification of toxic loves.
“It’s a film that feels good,” continues producer Guillaume Lespérance (Everyone talks about it, The threesome). When we did the casting, everyone wanted to be in the film. »
Shooting in winter and at night is not without rest for a producer, however. “We walk around with snow cannons and potato starch. To sell snow to Quebecers, you have to be on the mark. The storm is a character in the film, ”he reveals.
Guillaume Lespérance does not hide it: he wanted to produce a unifying film which will be a great popular success. He even dreams that December 23 or “a postcard from Québec” abroad.
“I wanted us to be a bit chauvinistic,” adds director Miryam Bouchard.
The latter adores Christmas: the music, the magic, the state of mind and the films like The Family Stone. “At Christmas, ultimately, we want to be with the people we love. »
This is the third feature film directed by Miryam Bouchard after My own circus and Vanishing lines (co-directed with Catherine Chabot and scheduled for release in July). “The films are different, but the characters can have similar quests: can we be loved as we are? “, underlines the filmmaker.
Reunion on set
PHOTO PATRICE LAROCHE, THE SUN
Bianca Gervais plays the director of Château Frontenac in December 23.
Journalists were invited to the ballroom of the Château Frontenac last Monday, where the character of Bianca Gervais is organizing a major benefit evening. “I recognized myself in this female director,” she says. She only has one chance to succeed in fundraising. She wants to do well. She feels anxiety and she wants to perform… These are sensitive chords with me, ”explains the actress who had not filmed since. The Bolduc and who had already worked in the past under the direction of Miryam Bouchard (Destinies, The Escape).
Bianca Gervais also finds on the set of December 23 Catherine Brunet. They played sisters in Charlotte’s world.
As for François Arnaud, he says he once doubled The Borgias with Catherine Brunet. In December 23they play future parents who see their plan to spend a romantic night at the Château Frontenac getting complicated.
François Arnaud accepted the role just three months ago.
In an choral film, nobody carries the film on their shoulders. It’s nice. We laugh a lot between takes.
Francois Arnaud
The pandemic will have allowed François Arnaud to be featured in several Quebec films: goodbye happinesscurrently showing, and norbourgwhich will be released next month and in which he plays fraudster Vincent Lacroix.
Before Christmas, he also shot in Barcelona and Dublin alongside Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger and Jessica Lange in the film Marlowe. “I found the director Neil Jordan who directed me in The Borgias for three years”, indicates the one who will also be in the series Areaproduced by Reese Witherspoon.
Virginie Fortin at the cinema
Like François Arnaud, Virginie Fortin is not idle. She holds her first big role in the cinema when she gave the premiere (Montreal) of her new show My feelings at the National no later than last Wednesday.
“Everything happens at the same time”, she exclaims… Which is like the whirlwind of the December 23.
Everyone will recognize themselves in the film. It’s the magic of Christmas, but it’s also a lot of stress and pressure to get there.
Virginia Fortin
Virginie Fortin was offered the role of Elsa without an audition, that of a successful children’s author (self-reference from India Desjardins). “It’s not a great compositional role, because I recognize myself a lot in the character. In her feminism, in her way of defusing things with humour, in the fact that things are going well professionally even if she would like to be in a relationship, but not at any price… ”
PHOTO PATRICE LAROCHE, THE SUN
Stephane Rousseau
Silence is turned !
As for Stéphane Rousseau, he plays a singer who tries to come back on stage. One could immediately think of the character of Love ActuallyBut the resemblance ends there.
“He went through a great ordeal which forced him to leave the profession. He tries his return and he does not want to miss his shot, details Stéphane Rousseau. There is the facade and the man behind. It’s interesting to play. »
A few hours after our interview, Stéphane Rousseau had to perform two songs in front of the camera and in front of his peers. He admitted to being a little nervous… “I have to master an instrument at the same time”, he reveals.
Quite rightly, the film technicians ordered us to leave the ballroom of the Château Frontenac, because the shooting was to begin.
What more can I say except that December 23 will be released on November 25 and that we also find in the distribution Christine Beaulieu, Catherine Souffront, Guylaine Tremblay, Michel Barrette, Mathieu Pepper, Sacha Charles and Ines Talbi.