Notes from the artist:

Filming began in the spring of 1988. I had received a production grant from the Conseil des Arts du Canada and for the first time, I experienced the precious sensation of being supported in my work, thanks to Françoise Picard and Christian Mondor. Also thanks to the indefatigable Arlette Dion from the Aide au Cinéma Indépendant section of the National Film Board.

Our small crew invaded a house, on the corner of Duluth and Coloniale, with offices, and a workshop and bedroom on every floor. My friends Dominique and Jean-Claude had made the trip from Paris to join us, even though the union had obliged them to occupy positions beneath their abilities. It was the third film I did with Marie-Hélène Montpetit and the first with Stéphanie Morgenstern (with whom I later shot Julie and Me). Our canteen was Achour’s place opposite.

After the shoot, I left for the Canadian Center For Advanced Film Studies (CFC). For months, I frequented train stations and took night trains between Toronto and Montreal, passing my weekends editing and my weekdays at the Center.

Slightly dazed from all of these trips, it was only after finishing the re-recording of the film that I decided to take out the direct sound of the dialogues of the three friends, which where too realistic in comparison with the fantasy of the rest of the film. I replaced them with bla-bla-blas that I did myself at the NFB’s vocal recording studio. After this session, and for many years to come, when I came across him in the corridor, the very serious recording technician favoured me with a huge grin.

Later, distributors Claude Forget and Richard Brouillette from Cinéma Libre warmly supported the film. - Jeanne Crépeau

Press:

Perreault, Luc. « Le chant désespéré de Jeanne Crépeau », La Presse, 26 octobre 1989.

Lafuste, France. « Le goût du risque », Le Devoir, 11 novembre 1989.

Boujut, Michel. « L'été des indiens », Les Cahiers du cinéma, no 426, décembre 1989.

Petrowski, Nathalie. « Jeanne, la tragi-comique », Châtelaine, mars 1991.

Lavigne, Lucie. « Têtes d'affiche », Clin d'oeil, hiver 1990.