In the professional career of any filmmaker, there are films that mark a turning point; films of which we can say that there was a before and an after. In the filmography of Xavier Dolan, Mommy is such a film. Released 10 years ago, this phenomenon, which left Cannes with the Jury Prize after electrifying the festival and then won the César for best foreign film, is back on display almost everywhere in Quebec — including screenings special 35 mm. For the occasion, we discussed the legacy of the film with the filmmaker.
“The film marked a turning point, yes. It’s factual to say so,” opines Xavier Dolan during a typically open and frank interview.
Stroke of brilliance, stroke of genius, Mommy tells the fate of Diane, DIE for short (Anne Dorval), a widow who lives in Longueuil with her only son, Steve, a teenager afflicted with many behavioral disorders (Antoine-Olivier Pilon). Impulsive and violent one minute, Steve is generous and loving the next. Mother courage hiding her vulnerability behind formidable banter, Diane is at the end of her resources. Kyla, an almost mute neighbor (Suzanne Clément), will try for a time to resolve this toxic relationship.
« Mommyit’s the arrival in official competition at Cannes,” continues the filmmaker.
Previously, I killed my mother et Laurence Anyways had been presented in the Un certain regard section, winning the Regards Jeunes prize and the Palme queer respectively, while Imaginary loves had competed in the Filmmakers’ Fortnight: Repeat section for the Regards Jeunes prize. In Venice, Tom on the farmbased on a play by Michel Marc Bouchard, won the International Critics’ Prize. But all that was nothing compared to the tsunami Mommy.
“In Cannes, something really happened with Mommy. With the press, with the public. Then, it was my first real success in theaters, internationally… It was a film which allowed things to be crystallized, which allowed me to insert myself into a community of filmmakers in a more official way. »
This is the positive dimension of the adventure. Except that there is another which, without being strictly speaking negative, is more mixed.
« Mommyit is also the film which generated expectations towards the following films: a phenomenon whose extent I poorly measured over time, admits Xavier Dolan. Mommy set a precedent in my career and in my life. In my life, it has been extremely positive, but in my career, it has been… more complicated. Make films afterwards Mommy was more complicated. »
What exactly does he mean by that? “You don’t make the same film twice. In any case, neither me nor the filmmakers I admire. Each film varies in intensity, strength… Films can address similar themes, but be dissimilar: Matthias and Maxime is much more delicate, intimate, friendly and gentle than is Mommy. »
Mommy was the source of constant questioning without it being necessarily constructive, says Xavier Dolan.
“I was constantly wondering if I was going to be able to match or surpass Mommy… But there will be no other moments in my films where the character pushes aside the peripheries of the frame. I did it once, I won’t do it again. Except that afterwards, there are people who wait for that moment, or that emotional, creative intensity there. But every project is different. With each film, there are new learnings, new ways of doing things, which often find their source in mistakes made in previous films and which we try not to reproduce. My approach, my relationship with cinema, changes a little with each film. As a film buff, it pains me when I see a director relying on the same effects, settling into comfort…”
“Comfort” was not part of the equation at the time of Mommy. In fact, Xavier Dolan then continued filming at a breakneck pace. “I went to present Tom on the farm at the Mostra and, the next day, I came home to start filming Mommy », remembers the filmmaker. Which filming took place under the seal of friendship, with accomplices from previous projects in front of and behind the camera.
“I had no idea how successful the film would be or the consequences of this success. It was impossible to predict. But sometimes it feels like everything is aligning. Conversely, other times, we notice that certain elements do not align perfectly; we start something and, already, we spot weaknesses, risks, but not good risks. Lack of preparation, poor choice of casting…But we’re going for it anyway. MommyI could see that everything was aligning. »
Do not disavow anything
Does this mean that Xavier Dolan believes that his track record includes “misaligned” films?
“I feel proud of all my films. There are passages where I say to myself: “Hey, there, I did exactly what I wanted.” Or I remember that we found something along the way, and I never disavow these unexpected finds. Regardless of their success or lack of success, in theaters or with critics, I am not ashamed of any of my films. In fact, I’m rather ashamed of certain things that happened outside of my films: interviews that didn’t go so well, for example. That’s the kind of regret I have in my career. It’s not in relation to my films. »
Or in relation to his splendid series The night Laurier Gaudreau woke upbased on the play by Michel Marc Bouchard, published in 2022. Moreover, Xavier Dolan is concocting another series project, anthological this one, and which he hopes to produce after his next film.
Indeed, it was recently announced that after a five-year hiatus from the cinema, since Matthias and Maxime in 2019, Xavier Dolan was preparing a new film: a horror comedy set in 19th century Francee century.
“If I could have created something other than cinema, maybe I wouldn’t have felt the need to make a film next year. And yet, there remains uncertainty around whether or not it will be easy to finance it. We will be able to finance it, but will we have the necessary budget? There was a period when I was able to make films quickly and cheaply, but I am no longer that director; I wouldn’t know how to do it anymore. Poverty, lack of time, lack of resources, I have experienced it too much. The solution to compensate for the lack of budget would be to invest my fee in the film. Living for cinema without cinema making me live? Again ? At 35-36 years old, it starts to get tiring. It’s frustrating. »
Especially after having reaped so many laurels. In addition to those mentioned above, we will remember this Grand Prix in Cannes for Just the end of the worldfollowed by the César for directing. And the Iris Prizes, and the Canadian Screen Prizes, awarded to several of his films, and the Collegial Prize for Quebec Cinema to Laurence Anyways…
“I want to create beautiful things, which meet my standards, the same standards that people who have liked my work have appreciated in the past. I will not go below, I will not deviate from it. » For which we are grateful.
Explore and experiment
Whatever it was, he missed creation, itched him. “Making something with my hands, choosing fabric samples for costumes… Talking about lighting with [le directeur photo] André Turpin… Building a set, looking for filming locations, and above all, above all, rehearsing a story with actresses and actors that I love… I missed everything about creation. »
However, Xavier Dolan has not been inactive in recent years, between short film scripts and music video ideas remaining on the drawing board. However, there is one project that has come to an end: A friendship on filma magnificent book bringing together photos taken by Shayne Laverdière during the filming of Mommy.
“It’s been a long time since I started designing this book. I had put that aside, but with the film being 10 years old, it became obvious, to get the ball rolling. This book helped me find the artist I want to be. I hope that through this new film, I will still have the opportunity to explore and experiment. Because I still have things to try. I still have things to say. »
For locations and screening dates of Mommy : https://imminafilms.com/fr/films/mommy /
