By purchasing Productions La Fête from the late producer Rock Demers, in 2015, Dominic James had a dream in mind: to revive the famous Contes pour tous brand, which brought joy to several generations of Quebecers during the 1980s and 1990s. Nine years later, the screenwriter and producer can say mission accomplished.
In addition to Coconut firm, released in 2023, and Miss Bottinea rereading of the classic Bach and Bottine which opens on Friday, Dominic James is preparing a batch of new Tales for All films which will appear on our screens in the coming years.
The next project to see the light of day will probably be the family film My mother-in-law is a witch, whose release is scheduled for Halloween 2025. But several other feature films are currently in development in the offices of Productions La Fête (see the list below).
If he has always believed in the relevance of continuing the work started by Rock Demers in the early 1980s, Dominic James notes these days that the Quebec public was thirsty for new Tales for All.
“With all the wonderful comments we receive by presenting Miss Bottine to the public, we realize that there was a need for this type of film, he observes.
“By buying Productions La Fête, I wanted to revive this brand [les Contes pour tous] and bring back inspiring and unifying cinema that appeals to young audiences but also to adults.”
The blessing of Rock Demers
Like most Quebecers his age (he is 48), Dominic James grew up watching The war of the tuques, Bach and Bottine and other Tales for everyone. So, when he heard that Rock Demers wanted to sell its production company about ten years ago, he did not hesitate to make an offer.
“Rock didn’t just want to sell. He wanted to sell to someone who was going to take over, specifies Dominic James.
“I know that several people were interested in his catalog of films. But I came with a different approach, seeing it as a little gold mine of intellectual property and a brand that has crazy recognition with the public. That was what was interesting to me. And that’s what attracted Rock. At the end of our meeting, he told me: it has to be you. I think he had a deep desire for it to come back to life.”
PHOTO PROVIDED BY IMMINA FILMS
The movie Miss Bottine is one of the first projects that Dominic James submitted to Rock Demers after buying his company. However, at the time, the veteran producer wanted nothing to do with this idea.
«Rock m’a dit: Bach and Bottinedon’t touch that, it’s a classic, says Dominic James. But since we are stubborn, we continued to write the script. After completing a first draft of 30 pages, I sent it to him to read. The next day, I found him at the café where we always met. He was turning the last page when I realized he was crying. He took my hand and said: you have to make this film. It was a key moment in the handover of Productions La Fête.”
Unfortunately, Rock Demers died in August 2021, at age 87, before being able to see the film.
“The last time I saw him before he left, he told me he would have liked to be at the premiere of Miss Bottine. I told him that he was going to be present in our hearts.”
- The movie Miss Bottine takes place on Friday.
Tales for everyone in preparation:
- My mother-in-law is a witchwritten by Christine Doyon and Dominic James, and directed by Joëlle Desjardins Paquette (Rodeo). Released on Halloween 2025.
- The little astronautadaptation of the comic strip of the same title by Jean-Paul Eid. In development.
- Rouge poison, adaptation of the children’s novel of the same title by Michèle Marineau. In development.
- Louise and the St. Lawrence Cowboysadaptation of the children’s novel by Victoria Lord. In development.
- The extraordinary Édouard Marleau. Original screenplay. In development.
