The film The cook and the customs officerStarring French actors Édouard Baer and Julie Le Breton, the film is currently filming in Quebec until mid-October. The cast of this comedy also includes several local actors, including Sylvain Marcel, who makes a kind of dream come true with his participation in this feature film.
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Sylvain met him at the unveiling of this project, shot entirely in Quebec, in Montérégie, and immediately confesses that he is an admirer of Édouard Baer. “It’s not a big character that I play, he’s not very present, but I’m giving myself a gift by taking part in this film because I’ve been a big fan of Édouard Baer for a long time. Of course, I saw him in “Asterix” (the actor played the role of the scribe in “Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra” in 2002 and that of Asterix in “Asterix and Obelix: In the Service of Her Majesty” in 2012), but he also did Le Grand Restaurant, a French series. When I was filming “Aline” in 2019, I bought a ticket and attended her show in Paris at the Antoine Theater called “The Lies of a Man Suddenly Struck by Grace.” I loved it, it was really very good! So when I was approached to be in this film and I knew I would get the opportunity to work with him, I immediately said yes.”
Photo: Daniel Daignault / TVA Publications
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A pleasant meeting
Sylvain says his first meeting with the French actor was very pleasant. “We shook hands and clicked quickly. He had seen Aline and knew a little about my work. I told him I was a fan and he replied, “Me too!” In this production, Sylvain will play the owner of the local grocery store, which is located near the border crossing where the character works. by Julie Le Breton, which it is said is not very popular in the village.
About his scenes with Édouard Baer, he admits: “It’s the great classic of the encounter between Quebec and France, we have very interesting scenes to shoot together, he and I.” There is one, among other things, where we can both improvise a little .” Sylvain already had the opportunity to go on tour with Julie Le Breton 20 years ago! “It was a long time ago, she played my sister in the series Men in Quarantine directed by Stéphane Lapointe.”
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Between drama and comedy
In parallel with this film, Sylvain will film the second season of About Antoine in Quebec City, notably with Cathleen Rouleau and Claude Legault. “This is another great gift. There has been a lot of talk about this series, in which the young Antoine Parent-Bédard plays himself. It’s a great experience and I admit that I enjoy doing comedy. It feels good because I have had to do a lot of drama in the last few years.”
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In addition, the film “Happy Days” by director and screenwriter Chloé Robichaud will be released on October 20th, a highly anticipated production in which Sophie Desmarais can be seen in the role of a young, very talented conductor. “I play Patrick, Sophie’s character’s father, who is also her manager. He is a narcissistic pervert, an extremely suffering man, and he is making his daughter and her family pay for it. It was a complex role, he’s a real villain and it was a lot of fun.”
The kind of character moviegoers would love to hate? “I think so. We like to hate the villains, but we feel their pain and dismay. I think people will still enjoy it. There are many layers to this character. If you visit him, maybe you won’t be able to hate him,” he adds with a laugh.
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The actor says he enjoyed filming with Sophie Desmarais; It was the first time they had the opportunity to work together. “She liked my humor and vice versa, and she and I had a lot of fun working with Maude (Guérin), who plays the role of my wife. Just because we do drama doesn’t mean we can’t joke around or have fun between takes. We had lots of fun. And the director Chloé Robichaud did a great job, she directed us well. Sometimes a simple look is a monologue in itself, it really is a beautiful film and there is a beautiful musical development that is moving. This film is also a journey through music. We had a team visit and everyone was very happy.”
Sylvain talks about a moment he describes as great that happened between two scenes during filming. “Sophie was touring with the real Orchester Métropolitain and at one point, between scenes, she was practicing with the baton, gestures and everything, and the orchestra played following her rhythm for a few seconds. She froze, paused, and all the musicians started tapping their feet to show their appreciation and say Bravo! It was great, it was a beautiful, touching moment.”
This year we saw Sylvain on the big screen in the film Twilight for a Killer and of course in 2019 in Aline, in which he played the role of Guy Claude (!). Did this production have an impact on Sylvain’s career, did he receive offers from producers? “Pantout! There was no precipitation. I have an agent in France, but you really have to be there, you have to have a base and go to auditions,” he emphasizes clearly.
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The dangers of the job
The fact is that Sylvain has a lot coming up next year. “Nothing that is confirmed and that we can announce at the moment,” he said, “but these are great projects.” This is nothing new, but the actor admits that he is having a little difficulty dealing with the uncertainty, that his job entails. “Yes, we make money, but it can be financially stressful if you don’t work the following year. The year 2023 is quiet, while last year I had about four series at the same time: L’Échappée, IXE-13, About Antoine and Bon Matin Chuck, in addition to filming the film Les jours happy. This year I’m going to start working more.”
In 2024 we will be able to see Sylvain in the series IXE-13, which stars Marc-André Grondin in the title role, as well as Julie Le Breton and Vincent Leclerc. “I can’t predict the future but in my opinion this series will win several trophies. I play a villain, I have a lot of scenes with Martin Dubreuil. I went to the post-sync, saw pictures and can tell you that we have never seen this in a historical series. It’s fantastic, great; The sets and costumes are also of high quality.”
Happy Days hits theaters on October 20th.
series IXE-13 will be presented at Club illico next year.
The film by Manon Briand, The cook and the customs officerwill be published in summer 2024.