Elvis Gratton : le king des kings + Speak White
If Julien Poulin was aware that he would forever be associated with Elvis Gratton, he nonetheless demonstrated versatility, sensitivity, and quiet strength, showcasing the full range of his talent in every production he contributed to, from comedy to drama. The Cinémathèque Québécoise invites you to rediscover this remarkable actor, who passed away in January, through a selection of his works, from Elvis Gratton, le king des kings to Camion, including the short film Speak White, which he co-directed with his longtime collaborator Pierre Falardeau. The screening of Camion will be accompanied by live commentary from Rafaël Ouellet.
In the presence of Manon Leriche & Denise Mercier, who played the legendary Linda
A collage of archival photographs composes the visuals of this free adaptation of Michèle Lalonde's famous poem, Speak White. The film speaks out against colonialism and imperialism.
Preserved in our collections
Elvis Gratton is possibly the greatest comic myth in the history of Quebec cinema, the archetype of the culturally colonized. Created in the short film directed by Falardeau and Poulin in 1981 (in the wake of the 1980 referendum), the character reappeared in Les vacances d'Elvis Gratton, completed in 1983. Elvis Gratton : le king des kings is a feature film made up of these first two short films and a third part shot for the occasion.
Pierre Falardeau
Pierre Falardeau is a Québécois filmmaker, pamphleteer and Quebec independence activist. He directed his first short film, Continuons le combat, in 1971. During the 1970s, he collaborated with his firend and actor Julien Poulin to produce several documentaries: À mort (1972), Les Canadiens sont là (1973), Le magra (1975), À force de courage (1977), Pea Soup (1978), featuring the iconic "PFK Kid" scene, and Speak White (1980). Frustrated by the limited reach of documentaries in Québec, he transitioned to fiction, creating the now-iconic Elvis Gratton series. Combining three short films made between 1981 and 1985, Elvis Gratton : le king des kings became a cornerstone of Québec cinema. The titular character, an Elvis Presley superfan and a caricature of Québec’s federalist, colonized middle class, instantly became a cultural touchstone. The film later spawned two sequels: Elvis Gratton II: miracle à Memphis (1999) and Elvis Gratton XXX : la vengeance d'Elvis Wong (2004). Falardeau also directed dramatic feature films such as Le party (1989), Le steak (1992), Octobre (1994) et 15 février 1839 (2001).
Photo: Collections de la Cinémathèque québécoise
Julien Poulin
Julien Poulin is a Quebecois actor, director, screenwriter, editor, composer, and producer. At a young age, he enrolled in intensive drama courses and, in 1960, began landing small roles in various productions. He performed with a traveling theater company for young audiences in Montreal, directed by Paul Buissonneau, before co-founding Groupe de la Veillée in 1974 with other young actors, including Gabriel Arcand and Marie Eykel. He also worked as a theater director for numerous productions in the 1970s and 1980s. Julien Poulin made his film debut in 1973 in Denys Arcand’s Réjeanne Padovani. At the turn of the 1980s, he co-directed the political short films Pea Soup (1979) and Speak White (1980) with his friend Pierre Falardeau. Together, they created the iconic character Elvis Gratton, a biting caricature of a colonized federalist Quebecer, which Poulin played in the eponymous film, composed of three short films co-directed with Falardeau. Elvis Gratton: le king des kings spawned two sequels and inspired a television series. Throughout his career, Poulin acted in numerous films, both for Falardeau and other directors. In 2000, he won the Jutra Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Richard Ciupka’s Le dernier souffle, and in 2013, he was named Best Actor for his role in Rafaël Ouellet’s Camion. His final on-screen appearance was in 2022 in Arsenault & fils, also directed by Ouellet.
Photo: Collections de la Cinémathèque québécoise
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