Nuit blanche film set | A second season full of promise

When Sleepless night will be reborn on Prime Video and Séries Plus next year, it will answer all the questions left unanswered when Radio-Canada unplugged it in December 2021. For Julie Hivon, this is a way of thanking viewers who saved her from an untimely death. “You have to give them the series they are hoping for,” says the author.

Crossed during our visit to the film set of soap luxury, at 11^e floor of a building overlooking Highway 40, Julie Hivon displays a broad smile. And for good reason. The resurrection of Sleepless night was unexpected. But thanks to the sustained efforts of producers Nicola Merola and Charles Lafortune, a sequel materialized.

“It’s like a miracle,” declares the screenwriter. I hadn’t gotten to the end of this story, to the end of the characters that I really liked. I was very happy to dive back into that. »

The protests of part of the public greatly affected Julie Hivon. A petition demanding the return of the drama has even collected thousands of signatures. The main interested party speaks of an adventure that is as “incredible” as it is “emotional”.

In an interview, Julie Hivon admits to feeling a certain pressure when thinking that she must meet the expectations of the 850,000 viewers who watched the series on ICI Télé. She knows their frustrations, having consulted social networks after the announcement of Radio-Canada’s verdict.

This is why when Prime Video and Séries Plus announced that they intended to resurrect the series last winter, the screenwriter promised to elucidate each of the mysteries that she had left hanging in the last episode. We will thus discover the identity of Lucas’s father (Jean-Philippe Perras), the true intentions of Marco (Jean-Nicolas Verreault), the murderer of Clémence (Lisette Guertin), and, above all, if the latter acted alone to eliminate Loulou Hébert (France Castel).

In three stages

The second season of Sleepless night will include eight episodes and three time frames: the present (Loulou Hébert’s children carry out their own investigation), the recent past (just before Loulou’s death, so that France Castel is more than a voice-over) and – as previously announced – the 1980s. In addition to backcombed hair, we promise shoulder pads, flamboyant colors (long live fuchsia pink), parties of style Boogie Nights too much water and powder, vintage cars and several old hits on the charts. (The production is also trying to obtain the rights to Sunglasses at Night by Corey Hart.)

These marks of a bygone decade were unfortunately not apparent, Wednesday, during our guided tour of the offices of Nocturne, the cosmetics company at the center of the scenario, since director Julien Hurteau (Alerts, The little kings) was filming scenes from the 2020s.

Hurteau succeeds Sébastien Gagné, who would not have returned to his position behind the lens due to a scheduling conflict, explains producer Nathalie Cécyre.

“I have a lot of respect for Sébastien Gagné,” emphasizes Julien Hurteau. I really liked his work. I picked up ideas. I also took over its director of photography, Simon Villeneuve. We therefore maintain consistency on a visual level. My touch is to look into the human aspect, the emotions of the characters… I wanted to deepen their family relationships. »

According to Julien Hurteau, the new episodes of Sleepless night will make more room for flashbacks. They will show the beginnings of a young Loulou Hébert (played by Rose-Marie Perreault) in business.

“Is she taken seriously? Balancing work and family for someone who wants to prove that she can be a businesswoman is complicated. And it affects him. She drinks more alcohol, she sleeps with different people… It creates friction. »

Stunt scenes (battles, deaths, a car falling to the bottom of a ravine) will also be on the program, says the director.

Brigitte Lafleur takes up the torch

Julien Hurteau is not the only new name to appear in the credits of Sleepless night. In front of the camera, Brigitte Lafleur takes on the character of Charlotte Hébert, which Valérie Blais defended in 2021. This fall, the latter preferred to film in the film adaptation of Sisters-in-law by Michel Tremblay.

Brigitte Lafleur watched the first season of Sleepless night in bursts before starting filming the new episodes in August.

Brigitte Lafleur joins an otherwise unchanged cast, consisting of Jean-Philippe Perras, Marilyse Bourke and Iannicko N’Doua. After spending almost her entire career playing characters who are “extremely candid”, “extroverted”, or “who experience business in a very, very intense way”, the actress is delighted to play “something cerebral” .

“Charlotte was already going against the grain in the family. This is even more pronounced in season two. She is even kept from certain secrets. But I think she has the most common sense! [Rires] She has a lot of empathy. She is straight and very endearing. »

The filming of Sleepless night continue until November 16. Its second season will land on Prime Video in spring 2024. Séries Plus will broadcast it the following fall, a few months later, we are confirmed.