Valérie Lemercier prefers to refer to
The Man Who Killed Liberty Valance
, by John Ford, rather than giving in to anger.
"When the legend goes beyond reality, we print the legend,"
she replied to the Quebec daily
La Presse
, which questioned her about the indignation of Celine Dion's brother and sister, Michel and Claudette Dion, about the fake biopic
Aline
.
The feature film, released on November 26 in Quebec and directed by the French actress, was not at all to the taste of those close to the Montreal diva.
Read also
Aline
: the incredible metamorphosis of Valérie Lemercier in Celine Dion
Guests on November 23 on the set of "La Semaine des 4 Julie", a Canadian program hosted by Julie Snyder, the two members of the Dion family attacked in a virulent way certain details of the film, which they consider to be a parody. reality.
“My mother never spoke like that to René, and Céline never wanted for anything
, storms the artist's sister.
We pass for a gang of Bougon
[a famous Quebec series,
Editor's note
].
I'm sorry, but in Charlemagne
[the singer's birthplace in Quebec],
we didn't have a cabin, ”
Claudette Dion continued. Before emphasizing:
“It was always clean in the house.
We always say that we have never known misery because mum knew how to do everything and dad had three jobs.
[In
Aline
], I don't recognize the language, I don't recognize the family, I don't recognize our roots.
Valérie Lemercier took a nasty trip on the back of Celine's life. ”
"It's cinema, not a documentary"
Faced with the severity of the judgment, the response - dry - of the director was not long in coming.
“I don't want to apologize for making this film because I like it, this film
, lashes Lemercier with
La Presse
.
We were so careful. I didn't want to spoil this family, these characters. We took great care to present them as heroes, which they are to me, in any case. ”
She also wants to put things in their context:
“It's cinema. It's not a documentary; it is a fiction. It is said at the beginning of the film: there are things which are not true, which are of the order of the imagination of Brigitte Buc and I, who wrote the scenario. "
To read also "We pass for a gang of Bougon": the family of Céline Dion furious against "Aline", the film of Valérie Lemercier
She recognizes that some elements may have been added to the story, just as others were left out.
“Yes, it's true, we didn't ask for [Celine Dion] by putting a diamond ring in her ice cream in Italy, but it's a pretty story.
Céline had 15 houses, but we only see three.
And I concentrated all the brothers into one because you can't have 25 main characters in a movie.
Making a film is also making choices, ”
she explained.
Valérie Lemercier nevertheless takes on the tone of humor the attacks to which her film was the subject:
“I heard it said
[that Claudette and Michel Dion]
had found the house dirty. But I took so much care to keep it looking tidy and clean. The cinematographer shed the best light possible so that everyone was beautiful… even I, who am ugly! ”
, exclaims the actress, before criticizing the position of the two members of Celine Dion's siblings. Which has a total of 14 brothers and sisters, the singer included.
"I know that there are other people in the family who have not spoken publicly and who really liked the film
," continued Valérie Lemercier.
The family is big.
You can't please everyone. ”
"
Create the buzz
"
Recalling that she
"does not force anyone to go see this film"
, the director was astonished at the reaction provoked by
Aline
, while
"there are so many imitators who do such nasty things on Celine at the television, on the radio… ”
Before adding, ironically:
“ Imitators who call René-Charles defrosted, that doesn't shock anyone, but my film does.
It's funny that it creates a controversy when there have been so many gratuitous and nasty teasing that have been said about Celine, about her relationship, over the years. "
Read also
Aline:
cracked fairy tale
She was also indignant at the process used by the journalist of the show, Julie Snyder, whom she accuses of having wanted to
"create the buzz"
by presenting a segment that denigrated
Aline
.
“Julie, the first time she saw the movie, she loved it, she cried. Knowing that she knows her subject very well, it made me happy when I learned that… ”
remembers the director who does not understand this sudden turnaround. Her disappointment pushed her to cancel her interview with the journalist, which she was to record just before the premiere of
Aline on
Tuesday, November 23 in Montreal. Valérie Lemercier explains her choice:
“I never type my name in Google. I forbid myself because it doesThere are only blows to take.
[…]
I have to protect myself. Because if you want to create something, you have to have a little self-confidence. I didn't want to spoil the beautiful Tuesday evening
, ”she explained.
Also joined by
La Presse
, producer and host Julie Snyder expressed her disappointment at the withdrawal of Valérie Lemercier.
“I find it unfortunate that the very legitimate freedom of expression of Claudette and Michel Dion has irritated someone who claims to respect Celine Dion and her family.
Basically, Madame Lemercier is canceling her presence on our show because members of the Dion family have spoken, for the very first time, on her film,
the journalist said.
All of Quebec, France and the Francophonie were eager to know what members of the Dion family think of a film pasticating their sister's life and theirs. "