Press Notes

Les Grandes Short film

Claques Canada
18 minutes
Like the French
Ones I Used with
to Know English
subtitles
a film by Color
Annie St-Pierre Dolby 5.1
Synopsis
December 24, 1983, 10:50 p.m.;
Julie and her cousins ate too
much sugar, Santa Claus is late
and Denis, alone in his car, is
anxious at the idea of setting foot
in his ex-in-law’s house to pick up
his children.

Les Grandes Claques is an early

coming-of-age that is as squeaky
as it is poetic.

In Quebec, the entire film com-
munity knows Annie St-Pierre.
She is everyone’s friend, getting
involved at different levels in
everyone’s projects, in which
she occasionally transforms her-
self into an actress or a casting
director, sometimes in a location
manager or even a producer, al-
ways turning everything she
touches into gold. No wonder we
felt so honored when she offered
to collaborate with her for the
production of her own short film,
first entitled “Black Christmas”.
We immediately fell in love with
the premise and were moved by
the touching drama experien-
ced by the two endearing prota-
gonists. Through this story, we
rediscovered a nostalgia for the
Holidays that we had all known.
The film got financed pretty
quickly by SODEC and Québec
Art Council and we were ready
to roll just before the pandemic
exploded!
We knew that the main chal-
lenge of this production would
be to recreate the spirit of the
’80s Canadian Christmas, invol-
ving a big family embodied by
numerous extras worthy of the
legendary regional family par-
ties, large buffets of typically
Quebecois food and, above all,
the costumes and sets decorati-
on of the period. Fortunately, we
Production
notes
surrounded ourselves with the
best team to achieve our goal.
Eric Barbeau, the incredible set
designer was in his comfort zone
zealously posing tapestry and
old rugs EVERYWHERE in the
shooting location, in addition to
spending nights and days con-
cocting the greatest classics of
Christmas buffets. The costume
designer, Gabrielle Lauzier, spent
many days scouring all Mon-
tréal’s thrift stores looking for
vintage pieces, while the cine-
matographer, Etienne Roussy,
tested every lens imaginable on
the market in search of that vin-
tage look so particular to the film.
Not having the means to shoot on
film but looking for the texture
of super 16mm, the Super Bal-
tar kit came out the winner of
these numerous tests. The most
fun part was nevertheless the
casting, where each character
was found by a powerful crush,
nothing less. After several days
of research, testing and rehear-
sals, all punctuated by the nu-
merous calls from Annie’s dad,
all the ingredients were finally
in place to give this particular
texture to the film, the result of
which is faithful to the emotional
memories of the director, now re-
cognized in the industry as the
queen of Sandwich Bread.
Q&A But this little room is
closed in my mind and I
think much more about
what I’ll do on my next
shoot.
How much has your
background in docu-
mentary filmmaking
helped prepare you for
making your fictional
short films?
Documentary is a
very complex genre of
cinema, ‘cause every-
thing is related to the
Where did your in- is necessarily bad…Well, capacity of welcoming:
spiration for “Like the I’m always interested in people, time you’ll be
Ones I Used To Know” moments of transition in able to dispose, places,
come from? life, humiliation, mixed noises, what will be
Hum. Good question… feelings… soft cruelty of said, what will happen…
Do all the other film- ordinary life. You are always writing
makers know precisely How flexible are you with the present mo-
what inspired them for with your script, do ment. You must be cu-
a movie? I think for me you prefer to stick to rious at every second
it’s always a mix of a lot what was planned or and stay open and sen-
of things: questions, un- do you allow yourself sitive to the best place
conscious images, me- to go in surprising or to put the camera in a
mories, seasons… new directions? wink. For sure, all those
Many years ago, I was I directed three reflex helps in every
approached to write a feature documentaries shoot… and even more
Christmas movie in a before this film so my so in a short film con-
collective and even if it worst fear isn’t to face text with such a small
was never made, I stay- something different amount of time. You
ed with the idea that my than what I’ve planned, have the experience of
Christmas eves have but to shoot something prioritising what’s real.
often been very diffe- perfectly planned that And finally, what do
rent than the ones of my sounds false. I will al- you hope people will
cousins, whose parents ways embrace surprise take away from “Like
were not divorced. It on a set. the Ones I Used To
was often the opposite Looking back, is the- Know”?
of the naive magic that re anything you would I hope they will stay
the greeting season have done differently with this feeling of dua-
wants to sells us. Those on “Like the Ones I lity in their minds: was
moments deeply chan- Used To Know”? it funny or was it terrib-
ged my childhood and Yes! For sure! Scenes ly sad? Did I feel more
forced me to evolve fas- that we didn’t have the like the kid or the adult
ter. Which I don’t think time to shoot, mostly. in the story? Do family
ties bind us to each other’s suf- find a meaning.
fering or do they force us to Whether it’s in my writing
develop empathy and evolve? or my way of filming, my mind
This is one of the things that has an ability to zoom into the
interest me the most in story- smallest details that reveal
telling: creating a universe hidden emotions. The stories
where nothing is completely I want to tell are all about
black or white, where you can micro-moments which have
explore many emotions with meta effects on my characters’
a small ordinary event. I love life. I am fascinated by psycho-
when reflections on human logy (from psychoanalysis to
nature arise from a primarily Gestalt to newer approaches)
sensory cinematic language. and my strengths lie in the
I also hope the film will give analysis of human nature, the
them a moment with both creation of characters and the
their inner child and their dramatization of their inner
adult humiliated part (don’t world… and also an important
we all have one?) and feel em- need to laugh.
pathy for them. I would also
like that they take away from
this film the idea that family is
made with ties that force us to
experience a lot of emotions,
sometimes that we wouldn’t
like, but which also force us
to evolve. This year, specially,
I hope that the film will also
give people just the feeling of
family Christmas parties (for
the good and the bad!) that we
are deprived for.
Is this film autobiographi-
cal?
"although
People often want to know if I am also a
this film is autobiographical…
I would prefer them to know
documentary
that, although I’m also a docu- filmmaker, my
mentary filmmaker, my only only interest in
interest in “what is true” in
cinema concerns the universe 'what is true'
created and the emotion pro- in cinema con-
voked. I approach films like
memory: a collection of images cerns the uni-
and sounds of which we no verse created
longer know the difference
between the invented and the and the emoti-
real, but to which we want to on provoked."
Cast
Steve Laplante
as Denis
Steve Laplante received his trai-
ning at the National Theater School
of Canada.
On-screen he appeared on several
popular series such as Les Invincib-
les, Confeux, Le Gentleman, Mirador,
La vie parfaite, and Faits divers.
Steve Laplante is well known as an
actor, but he has also given us great
written projects, which include the
series “Tu m’aimes-tu”, and “Léo”,
which he co-wrote. Also, for “Léo”,
he was nominated two times for a
Gemini for Best Comedy Text, and he
also won a Gemini for Best Suppor-
ting Role in a Comedy.
Since he graduated from the Natio-
nal Theater School, he has participa-
ted in thirty theatrical productions.
For his first play, “Littoral” by Wajdi
Mouawad, he won the OFQJ-Rideau
prize for his performance. He also
participated in productions such as
“Orphelins”, directed by Maxime
Denommée, and “Coma Unplugged”,
by Denis Bernard. He was part of the
cast of the plays “Ennemi public” by
Olivier Choinière, “La Liste de mes
plaisirs” by Marie-Thérèse Fortin
and “Trahison” by Frédéric Blan-
chette.
Amongst his most recent pro-
jects, Steve will be in the cast of the
film “Baby-Sitter” by Monia Chokri
and “Patrick Sénécal Présente” by
Stéphane Lapointe.
Lilou Roy-Lanouette Larissa Corriveau
as Julie as Christiane
Lilou is a 10 year old little girl who impresses the in-
dustry with her instinct, talent and spontaneity. Chosen Larissa Corriveau is a multi-
from a hundred little girls two years ago to play Yanna talented artist; actress, wri-
in “Jouliks”, Lilou didn’t have any experience in acting, ter and director, she distin-
it was her first big role and she was such a natural. She guished herself in many ways
even has been nominated three times as Best Young Ac- being highly appreciated by
tress and Breakthrough Artist of the Year! Since then she her peers in the Montreal art
played multiple principal and recurring roles in French colony and the theatrical field
and in English and was the perfect match to play Julie in since she graduated from Col-
“Les Grandes Claques”. She loves animals, climbing trees, lege Lionel-Groulx’s Option
playing in the woods… As she says, she is a real tomboy théâtre in 2007.
and not a princess at all! She is funny and loves to make In 2019 she made a remar-
people laugh. She is also serious and thoughtful when it kable entry into cinema in
comes to play a role. She is one of those rare children who Denis Côté’s film “Répertoire
have an innate talent for comedy, she’s brilliant. des villes disparues” (official
competition, 69th Berlinale);
her superb interpretation is
unanimously praised by the
Laurent Lemaire critics, who called her “re-
velation of the film”. She was
as Mathieu also nominated for this role at
the Gala Québec Cinéma the
Laurent Lemaire is an 8 year old actor from Saint- same year.
Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. He started his acting career Finalist for the Arthur Rim-
at the young age of 3 years. Where work meets talent, it baud Prize of the Maison de
brings opportunities. Lauren worked with many headline Poésie de Paris (2007 and
actors and directors in the industry. He was offered prin- 2008) and the Prix de poésie
ciple roles in more than a dozen television commercials Radio-Canada (2011), her po-
and has also had the opportunity to work on several popu- ems have been read in nume-
lar shows such as “Catastrophe”, “Conseil de famille” and rous events and published in
more recently on “Epidemy”. He had his first lead role on literary periodicals in Mon-
the big screen in the movie “Les Grandes Claques” and it tréal and in Paris.
was an amazing experience. Since then, he’s been acting Larissa is also the founder
in both short and feature films. After attending diction of the production company
classes and a dubbing course, Laurent now lends his voice called La Demeure, where she
to several characters for dubbing projects. He definetly writes, directs and produces
has everything needed for amazing experiences ahead! short films presented at va-
rious festivals around the
world.
Lilou Roy-Lanouette & Laurent Lemaire
above

Larissa Corriveau
left
Crew
Annie St-Pierre
Writer &
Director
A filmmaker fascinated by parallel
worlds populating everyday life,
Annie St-Pierre directed, among
other films, “Migration amoureuse”,
a documentary co-produced with
France and Belgium, winner of the
Pierre Perrault Best Documentary
Hope Award, and “Fermières (All
that we make)”, a feature documen-
tary presented at the RIDM closing
ceremony and screened in more
than 30 Quebec theaters.
Then she wrote and directed a
very short fiction film 让 - 马克 · 瓦雷,
which won Best French Screenplay
at Festival Regard… even though
it’s all in Mandarin. With “Les Gran-
des Claques (Like the ones I used to
know)”, she refines her style in fic-
tion, keeping the same interest in
micro-moments that have a meta
effect on the life of her characters.
Since the Premiere at Sundance Film
Festival 2020, her short was shown
in more than 50 international festi-
vals and won twelves awards, inclu-
ding two for best direction at SXSW
Festival. Apostle of independent
cinema, she also collaborates as a
scriptwriter, casting director, ac-
tress and producer with the Montreal
film community that inspires her
(Matthew Rankin, Denis Côté, Monia
Chokri). She is the co-producer of
the two last Denis Côté’s films: “Wil-
cox” (Premiere at Locarno) and
“Social Hygiene” (Premiere at Ber-
linale). Annie is now in production
of “Le plein potentiel (Your Higher
Self)”, a feature documentary in the
universe of life-coaches around the
world and in development for a fea-
ture fiction she’s writing, “Écho”.
Selected
filmography
Annie St-Pierre

LE PLEIN POTENTIEL
(Your Higher Self)
in production, 90 min
Screenwriter, director
feature documentary
Produced by Metafilms, with financial
collaboration of SODEC and TÉLÉFILM
LES GRANDES CLAQUES
(Like the Ones I Used to Know)
2021, 17 min
Screenwriter, director
narrative short
Produced by Colonelle Films, with
SODEC and CALQ
World Premiere in Internat. Competition,
Sundance Film Festival, 2021
HYGIÈNE SOCIALE
(Social Hygiene)
2020, 75 min
Co-producer
fiction, directed by Denis Côté
World Premiere in International
Competition, Berlinale 2021, over 40
international festivals and more to come
WILCOX
2019, 63 min
Co-producer
fiction, directed by Denis Côté
World Premiere at Locarno Film
Festival 2019, over 50 international
film festivals
让 - 马克 · 瓦雷 (Jean-Marc Vallée)
2015, 5 min
Screenwriter, director
Produced by NFB in collaboration with
the Governor General’s Prize of Canada
FERMIÈRES
(All That We Make)
2013, 83 min
Screenwriter, director
Produced by micro_scope, with help from
SODEC, Téléfilm Canada, Radio-Canada
MOI AUSSI JE M’APPELLE GABRIELLE
2013, 46 min
Screenwriter, director, camera operator,
producer
Documentary of the filming of Gabrielle,
produced by micro_scope
C’EST MOI JE LE JURE
2008, 23 min
Screenwriter, director, camera operator,
producer
Documentary of the filming of C’est moi
je le jure, produced by micro_scope
MIGRATION AMOUREUSE
2007, 52 min
Screenwriter, director, camera operator
Co-Production of Virage, Iota Production,
Grenade (Canada, France, Belgium)
JEAN-PIERRE RONFARD :
SUJET EXPÉRIMENTAL
2003, 59 min
Screenwriter, director, distributor
Official selection of RIDM and RVCQ
Presented at Cinéma Parallèle
(Ex-Centris) 2004
Myriam
Magassouba
Editor
Myriam Magassouba is a director,
screenwriter and editor. Her short film
“Where I Am (Là où je suis)” has won
more than a dozen national and inter-
national prizes including Best Short
Film at the Jutra Awards (Quebec Cine-
ma Awards). In parallel to her directing
career, she has edited many award-win-
ning films both documentary and fiction,
feature and short. She was nominated
for Best Editing in a Documentary at the
Canadian Screen Awards for Fermières
(produced by micro_scope).
Fanny Drew &
Sarah Mannering
Producers
Sarah Mannering & Fanny Drew foun- (2015) premiered at TIFF and their first
ded COLONELLE FILMS in 2012 with feature drama “A Colony” (2018) won
filmmaker Geneviève Dulude-De Celles, a dozen of awards, including a Crystal
who also acts as a development producer Bear at the Berlinale and the Best Motion
in the team. The company supports ta- Picture award at the Canadian Screen
lented emerging filmmakers and have Awards. Colonelle producers also took
produced over 20 author-driven films part to many development programs
of all formats (shorts & features, docu- such as EAVE, the Berlinale Talent
mentaries & fiction) that were selected Campus, the Rotterdam Producers Lab,
and awarded by important film festivals Cannes Producers Workshop, Hot Docs
such as Sundance, Berlin, Rotterdam, Doc Accelerator Lab, in addition to win-
Tiff, Locarno, Hot Docs, etc. Their first ning the Emerging Filmmakers award
short film “The Cut” (2014) won Best at Hot Docs 2018 and the Emerging
International Short in Sundance, their Producers award 2019 by the AQPM,
first documentary “Welcome to F.L.” Québec’s producers union.

Etienne Roussy
Cinematographer
Canadian born, Montreal-based
Etienne Roussy began his career as a
cinematographer after completing a
degree in cinema at the University of
Quebec in 2009. Etienne worked with
the late collective, Epopée, surroun-
ded by filmmakers Hubert Caron-
Guay and Rodrigue Jean. During this
time, he shared the role of cinemato-
grapher with Mathieu Laverdière
on two hybrid documentaries which
premiered at Visions du Réel in
Nyon: “State of the Moment” (2012)
and “State of the World” (2013). The
combined body of work, “Love in the
time of Civil War”, premiered at TIFF
in 2014. He was awarded at the Gala
Quebec Cinema for best cinematogra-
phy on the documentary “Gulistan,
Land of Roses” (2015) directed by
Zayne Akyol. In 2016, Etienne wor-
ked on the documentary “Destier-
ros” directed by Hubert Caron-Guay.
The film was selected at Visions du
Réel in 2017 and was in competition
for best cinematography at the
Gala Québec Cinema. Most recently,
Etienne worked on the short film
“Jarvik” directed by Emilie Manne-
ring, premiered at TIFF in 2019 in
official competition. He also shared
the role of cinematographer with
Lena Mill-Reuillard on “A Colony”
directed by Genevieve Dulude-De
Celles. The film won the Crystal Bear
at Berlinale in 2019.
Eric Barbeau
Set Designer
Eric Barbeau is a renowned Set Desig-
ner in Quebec. He started his career in
commercials in the ’90s but switched
to independent films a few years later.
His filmography included many famous
canadian films like La Femme de mon
frère, Une Colonie, La disparition des
Lucioles, Chien de Garde, Nuit #1, Corbo
which will have earned him several re-
cognitions in nominations and awards
in the film industry.
Gabrielle
Lauzier
Costume
Designer
Gabrielle has been working in the
costume department since 2018. It’s her
intuitive personality and her passion
for psychology and fashion that bring
her to work on different movie sets. Cu-
rious and analytic, she immerses her-
self in the characters’ personality while
keeping an aesthetic eye. Most recently,
she was part of the costume team for
Monia Chokri’s upcoming feature film
“Babysitter”, she worked as a costume
designer for season 2 of Jean-François
Leblanc's web series “L’arêne” and pre-
viously collaborated with Leblanc on
his others projects such as his short film
“Landgraves”.
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