Jules in the land of Asha | See beyond the differences

In his first feature film, Jules in the land of Asha, Sophie Farkas Bolla tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a young settler newly settled in northern Quebec and an Aboriginal girl. Even though the adventures of this duo take place in the 1940s, the themes at the heart of this family tale remain relevant. The Press met the director and the two main actors, Alex Dupras and Gaby Jourdain.

” Jules in the land of Ashait is the culmination of a long process of reflection”, indicates, from the outset, Sophie Farkas Bolla.

A reflection that began ten years ago when she was working as an editor on the documentary Angry Inuk by Inuit director Alethea Arnaquq-Baril.

“At the time, I was surprised at how much I was learning [sur les autochtones]. I didn’t understand why I hadn’t learned that at school,” she says, pointing out that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was taking its course at the same time.

This issue has become essential in his eyes.

“I was trying to find a way to talk about it in a human way to the children so that they open their hearts to each other, so that a curiosity leads them to talk to each other and, eventually, to move forward together to a more inclusive future. »

Thus were born the characters of Jules and Asha who, despite their differences and the disapproval of some adults, become friends.

Moreover, in the film, at no time do the two protagonists judge the culture of the other, underlines the interpreter of Jules, Alex Dupras. No joke either about the skin disease from which the young hero suffers. An example we should follow, thinks the 12-year-old actor we saw in Plan B.

Openness to different cultures is also an element that Gaby Jourdain would like audiences to take away from the feature film that was awarded at the Montreal Children’s Film Festival in March, and presented at various international festivals since.

“In films, series or commercials […]we don’t talk enough about aboriginal people,” says the 13-year-old Innu girl, who had no experience as an actress before filming began.

Archive research

Sophie Farkas Bolla found it not only important to talk about it, but also to do so in the most authentic and truthful way possible.

“The entire historical context of the film is inspired by facts that really happened in the region of Amos [en Abitibi-Témiscamingue] “, underlines the one who co-wrote the screenplay with Sarah Lalonde.

To do this, she searched the archives of the region. However, there was a problem: “Most of the texts are written from a non-native point of view. When I was researching on the colonization of Abitibi […], there was nothing from the Anishinabe point of view. »

The director therefore went to meet the elders of Pikogan to find out their version of the story.

Many members of this community located near Amos have also collaborated in the project, particularly as actors.

The legacy of Tales for all

Despite the research carried out, Jules in the land of Asha is not a historical or documentary film. It is rather a family tale in which the imagination and magic occupy a central place.

Pourquoi la cinéaste a-t-elle voulu s’adresser à un public jeunesse ? « Je trouve qu’il y a tellement un émerveillement dans l’enfance. Comme adulte, j’essaie constamment de le retrouver », répond celle qui, par le passé, a réalisé des courts métrages pour ce même auditoire.

Et puis, il y avait aussi cette envie de créer une œuvre apparentée à celles qui ont bercé sa jeunesse.

« J’ai grandi avec les Contes pour tous. Chaque année, il y avait un nouveau film qui sortait. Je trouve que c’est une belle tradition qu’on a perdue », confie celle qui constate cependant un renouveau du cinéma jeunesse québécois depuis peu (pensons à Coco ferme ou à Pas d’chicane dans ma cabane).

Le regretté créateur de la populaire série, Rock Demers, a d’ailleurs été impliqué dans le projet de Jules au pays d’Asha à titre de producteur délégué. « Il nous a beaucoup aidés dans le processus de casting. […] It was really very valuable, ”underlines Sophie Farkas Bolla.

Unfortunately, Rock Demers died a week before filming began.

“He was a benevolent star for us throughout the rest of the project”, adds, moved, the director.

In theaters Friday.