Less than two years after director Jean-Marc Vallée prematurely left us, the makers of the film CRAZY were destroyed by the death of Michel Côté. “The departure of Jean-Marc was huge… that of Michel, who put us both on our feet,” says producer Pierre Even.
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“It is extremely sad. They both left much too early, regrets Pierre Even, followed by Le Journal on Tuesday, the day after Michel Côté’s death was announced.
“This film was an unforgettable and enriching experience for everyone who worked on CRAZY. We remain the CRAZY gang. There’s this very strong bond that binds us together. On the wall of my house are photos of Jean-Marc (Vallée) and Michel (Côté) together on the set of the film. It’s quite a shock to think they are no longer with us…”
Pierre-Luc Brillant, who plays Raymond in the film, is also very sad that two of the great architects of CRAZY’s success are leaving.
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“I’m sick of the world dying,” the 45-year-old actor lamented over the phone.
“I think Jean-Marc and Michel would still have good years ahead of them if they had gotten a little older. They could still have achieved great things. Those are two big losses.”
According to Pierre-Luc Brillant, Jean-Marc Vallée remained loyal to the CRAZY team even after the film’s release in 2005.
“Every five years he would gather the whole gang to celebrate the release of the film,” he says. We have always felt that there is something that connects us deeply. The film was so successful that it feels like it will captivate us forever.
Producer Pierre Even had the opportunity to work with Michel Côté for several months in September 2005 during CRAZY’s tour of major international festivals including the prestigious Venice Film Festival. A few years later, he worked with him again while filming the comedy “Masters”. of Suspense (2014), by Stephane Lapointe.
“Everyone knows Michel the actor because we all had the opportunity to see what he can do. But first and foremost, I remember the wonderful man he was, emphasizes Pierre Even.
“He was such a nice, fine and funny man. I will always remember the time we spent together during the CRAZY tour in 2005. To all the laughs we had and everything we’ve been through together during this time.
“I will always remember the time after a screening of CRAZY, a man in his fifties came up to Michel and said, ‘I have to go, I have an important phone call to do.’ desire to get in touch with his son again. This anecdote shows how Michel had a very strong bond with the public and how people trusted him and naturally approached him. It is something extremely valuable that Michel has been able to develop together with the public.
Homage to Gatineau
Pierre Even will travel to Gatineau on June 4th to take part in a screening of CRAZY organized by the Outaouais Film Festival in honor of Michel Côté. The event’s founder and executive director, Didier Farré, announced on Monday that the 24th edition of the festival will be dedicated to the popular actor.
“Didier Farré called me on Monday and told me that he rarely organizes last-minute screenings, but that he was a good friend of Michel’s and wanted to pay tribute to him,” explains Pierre Even.
“It’s going to be a great time. The best way to pay tribute to Michel is to show the works he created.