Pascal Plante
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June 3, 2020 12.40 pm
Updated at 23h35
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“It’s like a bomb”: Pascal Plante selected at Cannes for Nadia, Butterfly
Eric Moreault
The Sun
Nadia, Butterfly, directed by Pascal Plante, is part of the official selection of the 73rd Cannes film Festival, cancelled by the pandemic. The only film from quebec, a canadian even, retained for this edition, phantom 2020 have been projected to the sides of the long feature films of Wes Anderson, François Ozon, Noami Kawase, Steve McQueen, not once, but twice, Thomas Vinterberg, Maïwenn, Lucas Belvaux, Emmanuel Mouret…
“It is shot by a man, but one has the feeling that one lives with this woman from the beginning to the end. And it is just wonderful,” said the general delegate, Thierry Frémaux, unveiling the list of the films selected.
Pascal Plante has learned only late Tuesday, while he was returning jogger, as Nadia, a Butterfly was selected. “It’s like a bomb”, says in a telephone interview with the film director hailing from Québec. Wednesday, at 5: 30, the young man was standing “as excited as a chip” to strengthen a pre-trailer, long meetings, interviews, etc
This selection prestigious the height even if it’s not arpentera not the Croisette. “It is that good. It is a real selection and we know it to pave the ground for full of beautiful things will follow. We are still confident to present in room 2020 — subject to change. […] That is the good news that comes at a funny moment.”
Ardent cinephile and biberonné to the films of Cannes, “there is a seal that is second to none. We dream all. But you can’t be disappointed not to be chosen. That’s my philosophy.” The filmmaker had at least received an e-mail of the Fortnight, stating his film was considered for this section. “No one believed in it more that much [for the official selection], but, at the same time, it was not refused… I take it with great humility.”
That said, Pascal Plante is hoping to project Nadia, a Butterfly on the big screen sooner than later. “This can only be virtual. I need the contact of people and we can’t wait to show it off.” The olympian swimmer Katerine Savard, who plays the lead role, and the rest of the team had not even seen it yet! “Even my family.”
Katerine Savard in Nadia, Butterfly.
House 4:3
May-be at the prestigious Festival of Toronto (TIFF) that, for the moment, should proceed as planned in September, just as Venice in late August, and many others. “It will give wings to the film.”
Shot in the summer of 2019, it tells the journey of Nadia (Savard) up to the Tokyo olympic Games (carried over in 2021 due to the pandemic of COVID-19), his last competition before retirement.
Nadia, Butterfly evokes its blunders, its doubts, but also a friendship story between the main protagonist and Marie-Pierre (Ariane Mainville), another swimmer.
Pascal Plante has been noted with The fake tattoos, his first fiction feature film, Grand prize winner of the Focus Québec/Canada, the FNC in Montreal
2017, and was selected for the Berlinale 2018.
The Cannes film Festival unveiled
Wednesday a list of 56 films which constitute its “official selection”, which will benefit from this appellation in the absence of the festival this year, cancelled due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
