On earth as in heaven | In search of the lost path

It’s the story of a young girl, Clara, from a tight-knit religious community, who leaves one fine day for Montreal, in search of her beloved escaped sister. From one day to the next and a little despite herself, her points of reference, her certainties, in short, her life, collapse. Where is the right path, finally? Does it even exist?

It is this somewhat convoluted preamble which is at the origin of On earth as in heavenstarring Lou Thompson (The pact), in his first role on the big screen (in a feature film, and what a role!), a lyrical film with a seemingly rather unusual script, although ultimately not so much. This is because once the proposal is accepted, there will be a lot of question of discoveries, but above all of emancipation, doubt and free thought. All while strolling through the bustling streets of the metropolis, close-ups of its skyscrapers, its colorful murals and its flowery bicycles.

Certes, ce n’est pas tous les jours qu’on parle de communautés chrétiennes contemporaines au cinéma québécois. Les sectes ne font pas vraiment partie du paysage médiatique, sauf quand scandale il y a. Et il n’y a rien de cela ici, faut-il le signaler. Point d’histoire d’abus ou de magouille à l’horizon.

« Ce n’est pas la question religieuse qui m’intéresse tant que ça », explique en entrevue Nathalie Saint-Pierre (Ma voisine danse le ska, Catimini), scénariste, réalisatrice et productrice du film, qui vient de remporter plusieurs prix au Festival du film canadien de Dieppe, dont le Grand Prix du jury et le Prix d’interprétation. Ce dernier a été remis aux deux comédiennes Lou Thompson (Clara) et Édith Cochrane (sa tante Louise), qui incarnent deux personnages assez antagonistes, merci, dialogues crus et savoureux en vue.

Je voulais montrer un personnage [Clara] who discovers Montreal for the first time […] at a time when we all have our truth, in a world of certainties.

Nathalie Saint-Pierre, director

Note that it is not necessary to be in a religious movement to be “indoctrinated”, she slips. “We are all in echo chambers, and in all kinds of spheres, there are people who have answers…”

A real-life fact

However, you should know that the original idea (by Marika Lhoumeau, co-writer) actually comes from a real-life event, as unprecedented as it may seem. “It’s a story that happened in her family,” confirms Nathalie Saint-Pierre. 25 years ago, someone left to live in a Protestant Christian community. » Years later, her child, until now unknown to the battalion, arrived in Montreal. “She had left the community. »

We won’t know more. “I didn’t want to target a community,” repeats the director. If she chose a Christian congregation, somewhere around Maniwaki, it was for practical reasons. “Very quickly, we understand the codes,” she argues. Think: hierarchy, moral rules and the sacrosanct path. Nathalie Saint-Pierre also invented a word, “the lost”, to talk about all those who deviated, or left the famous path in the film (or who never entered it). Muggles, if you will. But be aware that only the first 15 minutes of the story take place in this mysterious location. The main point is elsewhere.

My goal was not to denounce a religious community, […] I wanted to show emancipation.

Nathalie Saint-Pierre, director

Lou Thompson convincing

Speaking of emancipation, Lou Thompson, comically convincing as a young nun with frowning eyebrows parachuted into the city of a thousand steeples (but with locked doors), is not a little proud of having landed this first “beautiful” big role “rich and interesting ! » “I really wanted it!” » After having been everywhere, God is nowhere here, she notes, to her great dismay. “She discovers for the first time everything that I already know. It was like diving back into discovery,” she says, whether it was the city, of course, but also music, dance, friendship or betrayal. To refine her role, the actress only read a few passages from the Bible, and that was it. “I understood her,” she said, “it’s as simple as that! »

As for Edith Cochrane, who here plays Aunt Louise, the polar opposite of her niece, extroverted and without filter (you have to hear her talk about “Jesus freaks”!), she does not hide having done various research on alcoholism, for the sake of realism. Her character, who sips her vodka from a flask while driving every morning, more complex than it seems, has visibly taken her out of her zone. “A character of this stature, funny and moving, that’s what I was waiting for! Let someone see me in something else! “, she congratulates herself.

“I like to say that the events are not autobiographical,” continues Nathalie Saint-Pierre, “but the emotions and concerns are. » Among other things: looking for one’s famous path, straight or not (“it was complicated for me!” says the one who first studied administration), alcoholism (“my father died from it”) and importance of doubt. “Beware of those who know! », slips the director, paraphrasing one of her characters, with a line among many others which here invites reflection.

In theaters April 12