If we look at Pierre Gagnon’s roadmap, it becomes clear that the director likes to create encounters. When he studied with me THE Natalie’s villagethe production was assigned to himWith a capital AHockey recordings, comedy galas and world improvisations.
Bob le Chef in Arrival in the Country. Photo provided by TVA
He’s out with the camera behind “Les Insolences” and witnessed the excitement of “La fureur” and then “Les Missions de Patrice”. He accompanied France Castel and Michel Barrette to Pour le Plaisir and then followed them to Viens-tu faire un tour. No wonder he was asked to remake the show “Arrive en campagne” for Season 4. With Bob le Chef back at the helm in Season 8, he sheds light on the work of local farmers, bringing the challenges of the craft, but more importantly its importance, to townspeople. And to enable real encounters.
What did you hope to bring to the show by taking over production?
I wanted to make it as smooth as possible. We no longer only welcome families. Applicants may be bowling team players, dairy workers, or other co-workers or friends. We’re trying not to look like it’s in a show, but to take a more documentary approach. We conduct less static interviews, we are more walking and talking, in a continuity of their work. As if they were talking among friends. We also let them see the activity through to the end, even when the cameras are off. You feel more integrated. Milking cows at 7pm or 5am, that’s the real life of a farmer.
How are the participants and the people on the farm brought together?
Participants are asked what interests them or less. I ask each group if there is a “princess” among them. It can prevent a cast when it’s time to attach a worm to the end of the hook while fishing. It’s always interesting to see someone who doesn’t want to get too dirty. Although we exhorted everyone to put on boots, we had participants who arrived in the fields well dressed with their little scarves. We received four Muslim soccer players who agreed to go to a pig farm. In a group, people motivate each other. You see that the activities are not easy. Each becomes a small achievement. What makes me happy is the townsfolk’s pride when they’ve managed to surprise the other members of their party. The key is really in the integration.
How are farmers adapting to the new realities of consumption, weather and ethics?
Our farmers are often agronomists. They are CO2-neutral, self-sufficient and work with green manure. They care about improving their product and the environment. Technologies are constantly evolving. We often visit farms that are already being run by the 4th generation. If the grandfather fell hard all his life, then the agronomist uses his knowledge more. Animal welfare is a top priority, the trend is towards organic, cows are in the fields. We went to Abitibi, where the best organic milk in Canada is produced, and there we met a milk collector who is something of a milk sommelier. Our farmers know that they are becoming ambassadors, that they can serve as role models. They are becoming more and more specialized.
Filming with animals and crops must present challenges?
We know that we always have a window of around two weeks to harvest a corn crop, for example. Sometimes we have to find solutions and shoot something else. We have patience with animals. We’re going slowly. The farmer often approaches them first with one person.
Can you still discover new foods?
You can cook beef twice per season, but in a different way each time. There are so many ways to harvest the potato too. Depending on the equipment, it can be pulled individually from the field or eight rows can be picked up at the same time. It’s spectacular. We also allow ourselves two trips per season to leave the major centers of Montérégie, Trois-Rivières and Sherbrooke. We also hope to visit Charlevoix. The challenges are different in the regions. It’s very family friendly. If your machine breaks down, there is a lot of mutual help. We made blackcurrants on the Île d’Orléans, we would like to make haskap and flower cacti. We’re not done learning and marveling.
► Arrives in the campaign airs Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. on TVA.