A film inspired by Jean Leloup’s work is in the pipeline. However, the project is still in its early stages and it could take several years to bear fruit.
Paradis City is one of 21 projects that received seed funding from the Cultural Business Development Corporation (SODEC) as part of the development assistance program on Thursday. The feature film is to be directed and screenplayed by Jean-Philippe Duval, to whom we owe Dédé through the mists, among other things.
Except that unlike this 2009 film, which tells the tragic fate of the leader of the Colocs, Paradis City will not be a biographical film. “It won’t be a musical either. It will be a music film inspired by Jean Leloup’s songs. This will be the raw material. But like Sebastian [Ricard] For Dédé through the Mists, we need to find actors who know how to sing the songs of Leloup,” specified Roger Frappier in an interview with Max Films President Duty. The producer did not want to give any further information about the scenario.
Dede through the Mists had taken seven years to come true. It will also be a few years before Paradis City hits the cinemas. Especially since Mr. Frappier is aware that the release of the rights to certain songs by Jean Leloup promises to be difficult.
purchase song rights
“We have yet to find the songs that we will use in the film, but it could indeed get complicated. It’s often easier to use a foreign song than a Quebec song in a film, it’s absurd! That’s why we hear so many songs in English in our films,” laments Roger Frappier.
His outrage echoes that of Xavier Dolan last December during the release of his series The Night Laurier Gaudreault Woke Up.
Roger Frappier and Jean-Philippe Duval also have to convince Jean Leloup to sell the rights to his songs. The producer says he’s tried to get in touch with the singer to talk about the project a few times over the past two years, to no avail. Jean Leloup has stayed away from the industry since the release of his latest album L’étrange pays in 2019. But according to Roger Frappier, the “Ponpon King” is still aware that a film based on his work is in the works.
“We want him to know more, that’s for sure. We want him to like the film. The idea is really to pay tribute to his work,” stresses the producer, who describes himself as an ardent admirer of the Cookie and 1990 interpreter.
In addition to Paradis City, SODEC also approved several other documentary film projects and feature films on Thursday. Including a film about the life of Jehane Benoît, the great lady of Québec cuisine, forerunner of the Josée di Stasio and Ricardo of this world. SODEC has also given the green light to the adaptation of Kevin Lambert’s award-winning novel, Querelle de Roberval.