Posted at 7:00 a.m.
How did cinema come into your life?
I was first drawn to the visual arts. I also enrolled in the School of Fine Arts in painting and sculpture. I also studied graphic design. This is how I came to cinema, an art that was already part of my life as a spectator. At that time, however, I could never have imagined producing films. At the end of my studies, I was desperately looking for a job and I was a candy girl at Théâtre Outremont!
How did you come to animation?
A friend had set up a group project as part of the Perspective jeunesse program, which consisted of making an animated film based on the song Quebec Love, by Robert Charlebois. The success of this clip stimulated the entrepreneurial fiber in me. When I was starting to set up my company, still in collective mode, I met Rock Demers, who was then preparing to found Productions La Fête with his Contes pour tous. He first asked me to take care of derivative products, which didn’t really appeal to me, and then offered me to produce The tuque war with him. I didn’t know what the function was, but I accepted. And since I had to leave my own company, Rock offered me the vice-presidency of Productions La Fête. This adventure was exceptional.
After having produced The tuque war and Operation peanut butter, you have however left the company. Why ?
Les Contes pour tous was above all Rock’s project. However, the producer in me woke up and I felt the need to launch my own projects by founding Lux Films. My company’s very first feature film was Laura Laura, an adaptation of a novel by Suzanne Jacob, directed by Brigitte Sauriol. I invested everything I could in it, but the reception was difficult. I was then able to produce Requiem for a heartless handsome. Even if it was not a great public success, this film was important, especially since it marks for me an extraordinary meeting with Robert Morin, for whom I also produced Windigo.
PHOTO MICHEL GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Patrice Robitaille and Stéphane Breton in Quebec-Montreal, by Ricardo Trogi. This is the first millionaire film in the career of producer Nicole Robert.
So what would be the first film you produced that was both a critical and public success?
I would tend to say Karmina [de Gabriel Pelletier]but the first part did not really meet the public. Karmine 2 worked better. But Quebec-Montreal [de Ricardo Trogi] was truly a success on all counts. This is my first millionaire movie. No one, however, expected it because it was made by a team made up of new craftsmen – director and actors – then unknown. Besides, no distributor wanted this film!
Is it very different to produce a feature film today compared to 20 or 30 years ago?
The whole system has changed. Industry too. At the time of The tuque war, we were witnessing the birth of the independent film industry, which passed from the National Film Board of Canada and Radio-Canada to the private sector. Everyone learned their trade by doing it. The many talented people have made the industry soaring, but the consequence is that the funding is not enough. Our market remains the same. That said, whatever people say, there is an audience for our cinema – the cancellation of the Gala Québec Cinéma by our state corporation is inadmissible – and it shines in several festivals around the world.
After having worked 40 years in the field of production, what motivates you still and always?
I thought that by selling my company [Go Films], I would lighten my tasks, but I can’t manage to withdraw. I realize that cinema is really my life. I am still challenged by certain themes and the questions I ask myself when someone submits a project to me are always the same: what we are talking about, who is talking about it, and how. The human experience counts above all!
white dog hits theaters November 9.