Pier-Luc Funk and Marianne Fortier will play two lonely souls who fall in love you are not alone, a romantic comedy with a touch of science fiction. Filming for the feature film begins on Thursday in Laval.
François Papineau, Sandrine Bisson, Blaise Tardif and Micheline Lanctôt are also part of the cast of this first feature film by co-directors Marie-Hélène Viens and Philippe Lupien.
Joël Lemay / QMI Agency
The plot of You Are Not Alone revolves around the character of Léo (Pier-Luc Funk), a pizza delivery boy who has just fallen in love with a young woman, Rita (Marianne Fortier). His encounter with an alien who looks like a taxi driver (François Papineau) will jeopardize the beginning of his relationship with Rita.
“I liked the script, but also the tone of the film,” says Pier-Luc Funk in an interview with the Journal.
“I liked the truth with which the characters speak and the mix of science fiction and romantic comedy. I think it’s a really interesting mix. That’s something we haven’t seen much anyway.”
Urban loneliness
Pier-Luc Funk also recognized himself in the film’s theme of urban loneliness.
“It’s about a sadness that I experienced, that of a little guy who’s a little stuck in the straitjacket of the suburbs, wondering if he really wants to be here and if it’s worth the risk of being loved or just being alone. These are questions that I have already asked myself. It’s really an element of the scenario that came to mind.”
Marie-Hélène Viens and Philippe Lupien wrote the screenplay for “You Are Not Alone,” with Pier-Luc Funk, Marianne Fortier and François Papineau in mind for the film’s three lead roles.
“They have been in our heads since we started writing,” says Philippe Lupien. Two years ago we asked her to read the script. We were lucky, everyone agreed to take on the project.”
Filming for “You Are Not Alone” will take place over 24 days in Laval and on the south shore of Montreal. The film will be released in 2024.