The turtles, by David Lambert | Little cheerful historiography of old married couples

In Turtleshis fourth feature film, Belgian filmmaker David Lambert stars Olivier Gourmet, favorite actor of the Dardenne brothers, and comedian Dave Johns, moving in I, Daniel Blake, by Ken Loach. The two actors play a couple on the verge of breaking up after 35 years of living together.

As a teenager, David Lambert was on the lookout for the all too rare films featuring gay characters. A native of the Belgian Ardennes, he remembers taking a two-hour train ride to see My Own Private Idaho (1991), by Gus Van Sant, in Brussels. At that time, a film like Turtlespresenting a gay couple, married moreover, in their sixties, would have been unthinkable.

“It’s a funny feeling both for me and for my characters, because in 35 years of living together, they go through a gay historiography, a whole series of struggles for their rights and their representation. It’s true that there are many more films with gay characters, but with a lot of clichés: shirtless young people, coming out stories. »confides the director reached at home by videoconference.

Furthermore, David Lambert points out that on the French poster of Turtles, the characters face each other, whereas in the original poster, they kiss. According to him, even if the couple had been heterosexual, they would have suffered the same fate. As if sentimental comedies could only concern youth: “It’s not because we are over 60 that we are infinitely wise and have understood everything about love. »

For 35 years, Henri (Olivier Gourmet) and Thom (Dave Johns) have lived in the house left to them by a friend, probably dead of AIDS, to whom they promised to watch over his turtles, Topsy and Turvy – according to the expression topsy-turvy meaning upside down. Like many couples, gay or not, this one is going through a zone of turbulence. So, on the first day of his retirement, Henri registered on a dating site. Distraught, Thom files for divorce in the hope of rekindling the flame.

“I always wanted to talk about love, romantic feelings and being together with gay, queer or homo characters. Above all, I allowed myself to talk about love. The film is mainly about being an old couple over time, about what it tells us to want to seal this durability through an institution called marriage. »

Besides their desires, there are the universes from which they come which are completely polar opposites. Henri is a retired police officer, and Thom, an ex-drag queen turned second-hand dealer.

“In one version of the script, I included flashbacks. 35 years ago, Henri was forced to chase away homosexuals in banned gay bars. That’s how he met Thom who he had to stop. What’s interesting is that 35 years later, Henri took a 180-degree turn in addressing complaints against homophobia. Thanks to the turtles and the objects in the house, I told myself that the story in the present is so strong that we didn’t need to go back to the past. Plus, it was too complicated to find young actors. »

This choice allowed him to give more screen time to Gourmet and Johns: “I had a real pleasure working with two sacred monsters of cinema who have cinema baggage inside their bodies. I also liked this meta side; I was well aware that Ken Loach met the Dardenne brothers, who produced I, Daniel Blake. I didn’t do it for that, but I knew my effect. Plus, Dave comes from stand-up, he’s a kind of dancing dragonfly, and Olivier, a kind of anchored bear. This is the kind of couple I love to see on screen; my relationship is like that too. »

Between Belgium and Quebec

As in his previous films, Outside the walls (2012), I’m yours (2014) and Third marriages (2018), David Lambert, himself in a relationship with an English-speaking man, implicitly deals with immigration and language barriers in Turtles.

“It’s something that was close to my heart. In terms of body and looks, it nourished the acting. It reflects Belgian society; in Brussels, there are a lot of migratory movements. I like to portray people who are foreign to a world with which they have to deal; it helps to work on the duality of the character. »

Since his first short film Live a little longer… (2009), for which Jacques Matte, president of the International Cinema Festival in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, “fought like a lion” to invite him to come and present it in Rouyn-Noranda, David Lambert adopted Quebec. And vice versa, since all his films are co-produced between Belgium and Quebecer Daniel Morin (Imaginary lovers, by Xavier Dolan). It is therefore no surprise that we find, after Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin and Monia Chokri, a local actress in Turtles.

“The character played by Brigitte Poupart is very important in the story. She’s the caring girl next door who watches the action and gives advice, almost like an ancient choir. What I like about Turtles, is that all the characters have damaged destinies. We feel that Jenny was broken and found herself in Brussels as an expat. I believe very strongly in friendship; in the scene with the little birthday cake, which I am very proud of, Thom realizes thanks to Jenny that there are other possible relationships than romantic relationships. »

In theaters May 24