The competitor of Annecy’s main comoetition “Death Donts does not exist” is a political film. And the director of Quebec, Félix Dufour-Laperrière is not afraid to admit it.
“There is an urgency to redistribute wealth. Variety About his latest animated feature.
“The film comes from all these contradictions. It is crucial to take care of what you like, but it is not enough when we have a collective responsibility towards the world. It is a tragic story on violence, but also on commitment, convictions, loyalty and connections.”
In “Death DOES NOT EXIT” – which was presented at first in the fortnight of Directors of Cannes – an idealistic girl, Hélène, fled to the forest after an armed attack built against an Uber -Riche family. Her comrades have disappeared, but the visions of one of them, Manon, continue to haunt her. Just like his personal and political choices.
“I wanted to focus on his paradoxical loyalty to his moral beliefs, his friendship and his love. And show direct consequences of violence: for those who suffer from it and for those who commit it, ”notes Dufour-Laperrière.
While Hélène ventures more and more deeply in the wilderness, a bit like “The Zone” by Tarkovsky – “Stalker” is one of my favorite films ” – she makes a” Faustian pact “with Manon.
“It’s very dense at first and very dense at the end, and there is a more reflexive moment in the middle. In my eyes, there is a reality even if it is dreamlike. They testify to their desires come to life. Conscious, like political and social upheavals, but also an unconscious desire to start something new. ”
He adds: “In the field of animation, everything is real.”
“It has already been said: the form is political. The way you look at things and people, it’s political. A motionless drawing works, but it is obvious: a moving image is unstable and evolves. I like the idea that in animation, you can embody concepts and feelings, but everything is in motion. You can only grasp part.”
Her protagonist, although he is not exactly your usual hero and fueled by “tragic courage”, can face some of the people he rallied.
“Visually, they share the same context, the same color. But they also share certain truths. I have mixed feelings towards what these children do, but that said something about their convictions and their beliefs. I certainly do not encourage acts of violence or excuse them, but those who confiscate themselves. In addition, speech is confiscated – by a minority. And those who confiscate cannot be satisfied. ”.
At first, his film was much darker.
“It was a very, very fatalistic story. Later, I tried to open it a little to give more space to life, to connections. I tried to be honest with my own experiences and beliefs by writing it. I am a pessimistic guy, but I like life, ”he admits.
In 2021, Dufour-Laperrière was rewarded in Annecy for “Archipelago”. But with his political flair, “death does not exist” was not exactly an easy sale.
“We are fortunate to have fairly strong public funding in Quebec and Canada. And once it is funded, we are going to everything. This is the reason why I produced it myself, with my brother Nicolas [for Embuscade Films]. Having production means putting all the money on the screen. »»
Emmanuel-Alain Raynal (Miyu Productions) and Pierre Bausson (Miyu distribution) are also on board, alongside the best friend Forever and UFO Distribution.
“With our partners, we all know that we will not become rich by selling this film. But it will be a funny driving.”
Fun and serious, he underlines.
“In adult animation, we are all adults – we should be able to talk about the world and the things that move us. Being an adult is also trying to name the depth of our experience and our shared films, in my opinion, should also do it. When my children ask why I do them, I say:” It’s a way of living my life. “It’s a great way,” he says.
“Without wanting to seem pretentious, for me, art is a serious matter.”
