In a couple of days, ARTV will carry out some of Radio Canada’s “duties” towards French speakers outside Quebec.
Viewers who haven’t watched the mini-series The world of Gabriel Roy On ICI TOU.TV EXTRA last winter, he’ll be able to watch it in a four-episode series tonight and tomorrow on ARTV, Radio Canada’s other paid channel. So far, to my knowledge, The world of Gabriel Roy It is not yet included in the main Radio Canada channel schedule.
If we’re not in a hurry to broadcast it on the main channel, it’s because we don’t expect it to break listening records. with reason. The mini-series isn’t zero, but it doesn’t bother anything. Nothing frankly bad, but nothing great either. Rene Blanchard’s scripts are subtle and without surprises, her direction to the actors – because Madame Blanchard is also the director – is weak and almost nonexistent. Even a veteran actor like Gaston Lepage is striving to stand out.
The music does not manage to overlook the weakness of the dialogues, which is made all the more evident by the narration taken from the beautiful texts of Gabriel Roy. Fortunately, the pictures are beautiful and the reconstruction of the period is successful. Also highlighted was Gabrielle Roy’s house, which we ended up restoring and which has become a museum. We get a little bored, but…
A PENSUM, the chain outside Quebec?
Periodically, Radio-Canada considers it part of its mandate as a highly subsidized broadcaster to deliver series filmed outside of Quebec. I don’t think we do it lightly. She has co-authored only one of these series outside Quebec: Samuel and the sea. Four 45-minute episodes filmed in the picturesque region of Cap-Pelé, about fifty kilometers southeast of Moncton. Shooting was a penny (extra labor given as a penalty) to the production team, and the budget, so I’m told, it couldn’t have been more generous than if we had shot in Montreal.
For financial reasons, New Brunswick has always been the preferred province for the “Out of Quebec” series. Since the French-speaking population is more numerous than anywhere else, the cast of actors, both professional and amateur, is also greater there. Especially being a neighbor, this province is more accessible than the prairie or even northern Ontario.
Inglophones get there
except Bill Bay, which has 44 episodes, most of the series filmed in Acadie have a few episodes. From memory, nothing distinguished viewers. Does this mean that the series filmed outside Quebec is destined to have a humble fate? Yes, as long as we don’t assign them great experienced producers, screenwriters and directors, and above all, as long as we don’t give them a big budget.
If the string in English is popular like gas corner And the Doyle Republic Filmed entirely in Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, there’s no reason why we can’t successfully produce a French-language series outside of Quebec, especially where there are minorities who don’t want to stop working. But you must have the will to do it, and above all, you have to accept that it costs more, even much more. Too bad, but we once again missed a great opportunity The world of Gabriel Roy.
