Shortly before his death, a dying film fan from Saguenay expressed a final wish: to see the second part of the epic Dune saga, adapted by Denis Villeneuve. Except the film wasn't released in theaters for more than a month. And he didn't have long left.
Published at 6:28 p.m. Updated at 7:16 p.m.
The story has been making the rounds on social media since Friday, the release day of the highly anticipated Dune: Part Two.
From his bed in a palliative care home, one man had the opportunity to see the science fiction film for the world to see.
A moment of “pure magic” “that shows that anything is possible if you do something with your heart,” argues the initiator of this private screening, Josée Gagnon.
As a co-founder of an organization that deals with the dying, the actress met the man on one of her usual tours.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY JOSÉE GAGNON
Josée Gagnon, co-founder of Clowns Thérapeutiques Saguenay
“I found it very touching. He didn't have an easy start in life, she describes it in an interview with La Presse. We started talking about his passions, what he loved in life. He was a very simple man. »
As a film fan, he wanted to see the second part of “Dune”. A bit in limbo because the film wasn't released in theaters for over a month.
However, his condition deteriorated rapidly. He didn't have much time left, a few days at most. It would have taken a miracle, and still…
Except Josée Gagnon wanted to try anyway.
“It was a bit far-fetched. Obviously that wasn't going to happen! But we said to ourselves: Maybe we can make him dream differently and try to get a message from Denis Villeneuve,” she says.
At the beginning of January, the actress appealed to everyone on social networks.
“Could someone by chance put me in touch with filmmaker Denis Villeneuve (director of Dune)? » she wrote on Facebook.
There was a bottle in the sea, she knew it. But it was also his only chance. And against all odds, it worked.
“It caused a wildfire. Several people mobilized me to put me in touch with his team,” she says, referring in particular to the filmmaker Sébastien Pilote.
Within hours, the story reached Denis Villeneuve and his partner, producer Tanya Lapointe, who wanted to help.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Denis Villeneuve and Tanya Lapointe
They were very touched. They said that's why they make movies. For the guy who wants to see a movie before he dies. It's like a consecration.
Josee Gagnon
It wasn't all over yet. Despite Denis Villeneuve's approval, a way to continue had to be found.
A film of this magnitude is strictly confidential. There are agreements and regulations that must be observed. With the Quebec director's team, Ms. Gagnon explored “all possibilities.”
“We tried to bring the man to Montreal but it was impossible. He was at the end of his life. “It was a race against time,” she sums up.
Time passed. The man could die any day. Then one morning, an assistant to Denis Villeneuve arrived at the palliative care home with the director's computer.
“We gave away our cell phones, signed waivers and closed the curtains,” said Josée Gagnon in a publication that went viral on social networks.
“The man was so weak that we thought he was going to die while watching the film. He didn't have the strength to listen to everything. It didn’t matter,” she continues.
After the inspection, the assistant left by plane. The man died a few days later.
“There was something grandiose about it. It was all still epic. And it really touched him to see everyone coming together to make one of his dreams come true,” Ms. Gagnon recalls.
“It's nice to see that people still want to give, help and make others dream. And seeing the enthusiasm it generates proves that people want to have hope for humanity,” she concludes.