The night Laurier Gaudreault woke up, Xavier Dolan’s series, adapted from the theatrical work of Michel Marc Bouchard, will be broadcast on Télé-Québec starting September 7. The author of the play made the announcement on Tuesday on a Facebook page, after seeing the news leak on the web.
Télé-Québec was to reveal the broadcast date on August 24, during the launch of its fall back-to-school programming. “Télé-Québec is very proud to broadcast this Quebec content in its original format, just as we broadcast Audrey returned last fall,” wrote the public broadcaster’s press secretary, Danielle Brassard.
Reached by La Presse, author Michel Marc Bouchard said he was very happy “that everyone in Quebec has access to this masterful work by Xavier [Dolan]”.
The appearance of Laurier Gaudreault in the new Télé-Québec grid, and not at TVA, is surprising. Because it was Quebecor Content that produced the Dolan series, in association with Canal, before launching it with great fanfare last November on Club Illico.
Since the announcement of the project in 2020, Pierre Karl Péladeau’s company has made no secret of having “great expectations” for this production, which has enjoyed very significant financial resources. “Thanks to The Night When Laurier Gaudreault Woke Up, a brilliant cast and a team of renowned creators will have the chance to shine both in Quebec and in foreign markets”, had said, among other things, the vice-president of original content of Quebecor Content, Denis Dubois, who retired last year.
About its broadcast on Télé-Québec, Michel Marc Bouchard replied: “I don’t have to decide. They are two excellent diffusers. On the other hand, I think it’s a very good move for TQ – and of course, like everyone else, I’m surprised that it’s not at TVA. »
Remember that last year, Quebecor also presented Audrey returned to Club illico, before leaving her first TV broadcast window to Télé-Québec.
The Night Laurier Gaudreault Woke up stars Anne Dorval, Julie Le Breton, Magalie Lépine-Blondeau, Éric Bruneau, Patrick Hivon and Xavier Dolan. The series of five episodes is inspired by the play of the same name, by Michel Marc Bouchard, created at the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde. The family and psychological thriller was also broadcast in France on Canal in January 2022.
This drama directed by Xavier Dolan was well received by critics in general, but did not shine as well in international markets – much to the chagrin of the young director, who has since announced his retirement from cinema.
“Xavier Dolan has put everything into his luxury Quebec series, played in joual, shot in close-ups and carried by a formidable cast”, wrote our columnist Hugo Dumas when it was released on Club Illico last November.
Moreover, The night where Laurier Gaudreault woke up was cited for a total of 12 prizes at the 38th edition of Gémeaux, in mid-September. The work is nominated, among others, in the category of best drama series; Xavier Dolan finds himself finalist for the best direction and the texts; and André Turpin, for the best photographic direction. Viewers will be able to watch episodes before the gala airs… on Radio-Canada on September 17.
