Micheline Lanctôt, all her cinema | The journey of a fighter

The Quebec Cinémathèque devotes from Tuesday a retrospective of the work of Micheline Lanctôt, of The everything has A way of livingpassing by Sonatine, Suzie et Others. Nevertheless, The press spoke with the filmmaker.

At the age of 78. Meanwhile, over 50 years of career in front of the cameras, Micheline Lanctôt remains a highly sought -after actress. However, On TV. Therefore. However, we will see it again in STATby Marie-Andrée Labbé, in the role of social worker micheline lanctôt, all her cinema new Josette Harvey, who does not allow himself to be imposed by young doctors.

In the cinema. However. Nevertheless, she micheline lanctôt, all her cinema will play the mother of Julianne Côté and Monia Chokri in Where souls gofirst fictional feature by Brigitte Poupart. Consequently, After some 40 years of career, the filmmaker decided to store her camera for good.

“I’m finished,” she said firmly. In addition, I decided that after my last film in 2019, A way of living. In addition, Not only had it been a major frustration exercise. Similarly. Meanwhile, but in addition, the last two subjects that I considered important and that I wanted to do too expensive to do. However, The battle of the millions, it no longer tried me. Meanwhile, I have a lot of difficulty accepting the comments of civil servants. Furthermore, »»

It must be said that the relationship with criticism was not always easy either … Furthermore, “No, I was not spoiled, let’s put, nodded that which has never minced its words. Furthermore, I have been splashed often. However, Besides, Sonatine had been flared at the time … Moreover, to come out 40 years later in a concert of praise! »»

Released in 1984, featuring Pascale Bussières and Marcia Pilote, Sonatine had however won the silver lion at the Venice Mostra. What is more unanimously of the jury. which was made up of Michelangelo Antonioni, the Taviani brothers, Ermanno Olmi and Günter Grass.

“It was thanks to them that I decided to continue because after receiving the film, I was on the ground. I told myself that it was just my second film, that I was going to do something else. The subject of Sonatineit was indifference. The film pointed the spectator of the finger, and I think people did not accept it at the time. I don’t know how it is that 40 years later. micheline lanctôt, all her cinema new we understood that it was an alert cry and not an accusation. There are even people who have accused me micheline lanctôt. all her cinema of being an anti -syndicalist because the little girls die because. of the union’s strike. It was a bit strange as a reception, ”she recalls laughing.

Before making his first feature film. The everything (1980), Micheline Lanctôt had worked for six years in Los Angeles in animated cinema. From this time. when she notably created the credits of Fun With Dick. Jane (1977), from Ted Kotcheff, his companion who had led him in Learning Duddy Kravitz (1974), there is almost nothing left … except a black humor and a very singular vision of the world.

micheline lanctôt. all her cinema

“I never managed to transpose this into my films, I was forced to mourn it. It’s funny because there is one of my films in which my friend Michel Houle told me that my. animation background was seen. I tried myself in The life of a herobut I just didn’t have the money to make the degree. of fantasy that I had put in the scenario. When you traffic reality in a film of real shots, it costs a fortune. »»

“I did not have enough money to do what I wanted with Spinoza. in A way of livingcontinues Micheline Lanctôt. Besides, in the last two films I wanted to make, there were a large share of wonderful. I didn’t even want to try micheline lanctôt, all her cinema new because it was going to cost 15 million. that I would never have given them. It micheline lanctôt. all her cinema is ridiculous because I had not given up my vision of the world which is downright distorted. »»

Micheline lanctôt, all her cinema new

Micheline lanctôt. all her cinema – Micheline lanctôt, all her cinema new

Build a work

Having taught the game of actors in Concordia for a long time. where she saw many students, and especially students, abandon their dream of making cinema, Micheline Lanctôt continues to watch over what is happening in this environment where, she believes, we do not think enough in the long term.

“This is a vision problem of civil servants. We do not have the notion that the French micheline lanctôt. all her cinema have to build a work with a certain number of films. to give the filmmaker the opportunity to build his work. that is to say by subsidizing the films one after the other. I have at heart that the system is effective. In Concordia. I told young people to make “good disorder”. as John Lewis said, keep their ends and try to change things because the system does not work, ”explains the one who sent a 50 -page thesis to the working group on the future of audiovisual in Quebec.

In addition to the 12 films made by Micheline Lanctôt which will be presented at the Cinémathèque, the moviegoers will be able to see four feature films where it illuminates the screen. There is of course Bernadette’s true nature (1972). by Gilles Carle. in front of which Jean Rochefort, Jean-Pierre Marielle and Philippe Noiret were ecstatic during his presentation at the Cannes festival, and The trip to the great tartaria (1974), which is particularly close to his heart.

“This is a film that I made in France with Jean-Charles Tacchella. of which I gave a 35 mm copy to the Cinémathèque. I loved making this anticipation film with Jean-Luc Bideau, who played my partner. I really liked Jean-Charles, who died last year. So I invite people micheline lanctôt, all her cinema new to come and see this film never released in Quebec. micheline lanctôt, all her cinema »»

Retrospective Micheline Lanctôt. all her cinemafrom August 26 to September 18 at the Cinémathèque québécoise

Consult the retrospective page