The exception to the rule is what Rodolphe Forget was at the beginning of the XXe century. While French Canadians seemed doomed to work for English speakers, Sir Rodolphe was building an empire whose legacy is very important: the railway between Charlevoix and Quebec, Notre-Dame Hospital, the Manoir Richelieu, or even the first jet from Hydro-Québec, to name just a few of his accomplishments.
A daring pioneer, Rodolphe Forget, who once made the headlines in Canadian and French newspapers, left a strong mark on Quebec and Canadian history, which nevertheless has not retained many memories of him. The documentary Rodolphe Forget, precursor of Quebec inc. thus seeks to celebrate his memory by displaying his many successes, without neglecting his defeats.
Built using a plethora of archives and a few fictional reconstructions, the documentary stands out for its dual narration. While the excellent Bernard Derome is piloting the medium-length film, the public can also hear the words of Mme Francoeur, shorthand typist and Rodolphe’s trusted wife. This narration comes from his memoirs, titled Thirty years rue St-François-Xavier and elsewhere published in 1928, where she recounts how life was spent in the Forget home.
The politician, businessman, philanthropist, knight, “king of the place” and father of Thérèse Casgrain, has a long list of exploits, all beautifully tied up in this tribute documentary which very well updates this part of our history which should never have been forgotten.