Lakay Nou, it means “our house”, “at home” in Haitian Creole. This is also the name that Frédéric Pierre chose for the new series that he imagined, co-wrote and produced for Radio-Canada — and in which he plays one of the leading roles. With Catherine Souffront, they are Henri Honoré and Myrlande Prospère, a happy couple but torn between three children born in Quebec and rather traditional parents who immigrated from Haiti.
The result on the screen? A deliciously funny intergenerational comedy, which is simply crazy good. “It’s the best bridge to say to people: ‘Come in, come see, come and have fun with us!’ » he explains. “Laughter is universal, and it’s a beautiful invitation for people from the dominant culture. »
Fact, Lakay Nou is an old fantasy shared for a long time with Angelo Cadet, who is also part of the writing trio with Catherine Souffront. “We’ve been saying to ourselves for 20 years that we need to balance the image we convey of our communities on TV,” says Frédéric Pierre. And even if he believes that dramas that talk about the Haitian community have their place within the Quebec audiovisual landscape, he sees a certain threat in them. “Series that address this are necessary, but I have always found it dangerous that there is only one vision, which only conveys our dramas. »
In 2024, it is therefore high time to laugh at and with the black community on television, to “demonstrate the black joy », says the man with many hats.
“Catherine, Angelo and I started the series by sharing anecdotes from our families,” he says. So, of course, Lakay Nou necessarily talks a little about those around them. “We realized that each time we received friends from other communities, including the Quebec community, at home, they became attached to our loved ones,” notes Frédéric Pierre. What can these characters have that is so vibrant, so amusing to make their friends smile and laugh? “What we saw in our families, the funny things, is what set the tone for our fiction. It’s also a bit of who I am deeply,” he replies.
Because Lakay Nou is far, very far from being a laugh machine in the form of an empty shell, the series is also an opportunity to explore themes that are still taboo within the Haitian community, such as mental health and LGBTQ+ issues. “I am someone who likes sensitive comedies, so it is certain that I was going to bring more sensitive themes…” underlines Frédéric Pierre. And to continue: “I admire a Yvon Deschamps who is capable of making you laugh for 15 minutes and then who breaks you at the end of his monologue. »
Moreover, Lakay Nou is intended to reflect a desire, a paradigm shift that is currently taking place in Quebec, notably initiated with the recent series by Mara Joly After the flood. ” Finally, Lakay Nou tells the story of immigration over several generations — and how, through this, we “Quebecize” ourselves. It’s a bit like the story of the meeting and contact between white communities and ours. »
Go behind the camera
“This time it’s really a series thought out, created, reflected on by the community,” enthuses André Béraud, first director of dramatic programs and feature films at Radio-Canada. “Did it take too long?” Some would say yes, I am in those certain ones,” he hastens to add.
This first 100% Afro-descendant “business card” therefore had to have that little something extra to change the situation and not perpetuate miserabilism on the air. “It exists, and we will surely have more because it is a reality, but it is the fun to show something else,” he maintains. It is therefore with a certain excitement that André Béraud wants to take the next step. “Our communities are not always drug or gang problems. And finally, we start to see a wider palette. »
And to best portray these realities, what better way than to hire minority staff in creative positions? “I find that the train is well underway,” notes Frédéric Pierre, who founded Productions Jumelage for the occasion. He thus wanted to tackle what can be done behind the camera, “because there is a big lack in terms of key positions in production, direction, screenwriting”. To do this, duos between beginners from ethnocultural communities and seasoned professionals were formed. “We can’t just let time happen, because it’s going to be too long before it happens! »
Finally, according to Frédéric Pierre, it is the similarities between all Quebecers, regardless of their origin, and their “beautiful little differences” – served with Haitian sauce, please – which will seduce the public of Lakay Nou.