Travel log

By Gaëtan Vaudry
Photo: Héliotrope Editions

At just 31 years of age, his name is already on everyone's lips. Born in Montreal, but a Chicoutimi adoptee by choice, Kevin Lambert is a prolific author collecting the most prestigious awards.

His mantelpiece is already overflowing with numerous accolades, including the best thesis in Arts and Humanities from the University of Montreal, the Pierre L'Hérault Emerging Critic Award, the Discovery Award at the Saguenay−Lac-Saint-Jean Book Fair, the Sade Prize, the CALQ (Quebec Council of Arts and Letters) Prize, the Ringuet Prize, the December Prize, and the 2023 Médicis Prize... to name a few!

Graduating from the University of Montreal with a master's and a doctorate, the writer published his first novel You Will Love What You Have Killed in 2017. In this story set in an unhealthy and morbid Chicoutimi, Kevin Lambert uses hatred as a literary tone and sharply criticizes the xenophobia and homophobia that still prevails in Quebec. The young man already managed to turn many heads, mainly those in the Quebec literary scene. This success set the stage for his second novel, Querelle of Roberval, published a year later. This work - renamed Querelle by his French publisher - narrating the struggle of the workers at the Roberval sawmill against their employer, received a multitude of awards and acknowledgements, propelling Kevin Lambert's name beyond our borders.

Many will remember that in July 2023, Kevin Lambert did not appreciate Quebec's Prime Minister, François Legault, highlighting his latest work Let Our Joy Remain on Twitter. The author fiercely replied to the CAQ leader's literary critique on social media: "Mr. Legault, in the midst of a housing crisis, while your government works to undermine the last bastions protecting us from extreme gentrification in Montreal, promoting my book is pitiful (...) What bothered me was not so much the fact that he reads books that are far from his political ideas or echo chamber, but the interpretation he made of my book in the context of the housing crisis." The two men would subsequently exchange a few messages.

Openly gay, Kevin Lambert, in an interview with La Presse and director René-Richard Cyr in 2021, asserts his desire to contribute to the homosexual affirmation movement in his works: "I like being part of the LGBTQ category," he emphasizes. According to him, the cultural industry imposes changes, adjustments: "Categories don't bother me at all. It's a big machine, the cultural industry, it takes time to move, but it moves.

On November 9, 2023, Kevin Lambert received the Médicis Prize for Let Our Joy Remain, a French literary award established in 1958, intended to honor a novel, a narrative, a collection of short stories, by an author who is beginning or does not yet have a reputation corresponding to their talent. The Médicis comes with a prize of 1000 euros, roughly less than 1500 dollars.

Early one morning in early May, over coffee at Adorable Chocolat in Shediac, Acadia, his hometown, Julien Cadieux agrees to share a portion of his already extensive experience as a filmmaker, screenwriter, director, and editor.

Quickly, the issue of inclusion arises and almost becomes the central point of this interview. Because for him, that's what motivates his work as a filmmaker: giving voice and exposing the experiences of people who face issues related to their identity, origins, sexuality, interactions with institutions and organizations, social justice, among others.

 
Since 2008, after studying film at Concordia University in Montreal, he has taken on numerous projects and productions, some of which have been awarded and have been highly successful among various communities. "Cinema in Acadia has a real impact on the community. People need to see themselves in cinema. That's what drives me first in my productions," he assures.

He has personally scripted, edited, and directed a dozen productions, most related to Acadian subjects, the best known of which are Y'a une étoile (2023), Daniel Le Tisserand (2023), Farlaques (2021), Métisser une rivière (2020). In Quebec, his documentary Guilda: elle est bien dans ma peau (2014) about this famous Montreal transformist artist of French origin, a true pioneer of sexual diversity for sixty years.

 
Many of these films have been awarded at film festivals here and elsewhere, in Quebec, Canada, and even in France and the United States. It is particularly his queer-themed films that receive greater visibility and recognition. Precisely because they give voice to or highlight specific situations related to members of various LGBT communities.
Julien Cadieux has also contributed to the editing and scripting of about twenty other film or video productions since 2006.

 With Dan Robichaud, from the film Daniel Le Tisserand

Is there a queer life outside of big cities? To this question, Julien Cadieux responds that it is possible, but that various constraints may discourage those who wish to continue their life in rural areas, for example in Acadia, where LGBT-friendly healthcare services are almost non-existent. Many therefore choose to leave the regions to live in urban areas, such as Moncton, even though not everything is easily accessible there. These are the kinds of issues he addresses in several of his documentaries.

The issue of inclusion particularly interests him. In this context, he is soon to undertake a film about an immigration project in the Cap-Pelé region where many temporary foreign workers from Mexico, Jamaica, and the Philippines, among others, face difficult inclusion situations. The case of LGBT individuals among them is also of concern, according to Julien Cadieux.

 
In his film "Y'a une étoile," we meet Samuel Leblanc, a young transgender musician, who embarks on a journey with his friends from the band Écarlate through the work of Acadian artist Angèle Arseneault. Originally from a small village, Samuel has long questioned his queer identity and cultural identity. Through his double minority and the journey of young people like him, we discover that despite the obstacles, "there is a star for each of us."

This film is a very frank evocation of what Julien Cadieux wishes to demonstrate and present in his documentary cinema, in connection with Acadia, queer identity, the reality of the arts that fascinates him, and the human encounters he makes throughout his journey.

It should be noted that Julien Cadieux was named "Artist of the Year in Media Arts," specifically for the film Y'a une étoile at the Les Éloizes 2024 ceremony, the annual gala of the Association acadienne des artistes professionnel.le.s du Nouveau-Brunswick, in Shediac last Sunday, May 12.

Julien Cadieux, filmmaker
Shediac, NB
facebook.com/julien.cadieux

According to many, Gérald Leblanc was a poet of youth and urbanity. On May 30, 2005, the artist succumbed to a long battle with cancer at the age of 59. Originally from Bouctouche, he influenced Acadian cultural life in numerous ways.

Acadia lost one of its most illustrious poets, for whom the search for personal roots served as a springboard for a fundamentally Acadian voice. His poetic language is that of "chiac," the dialect of southeastern New Brunswick, of which Leblanc was the undisputed champion. His poetic voice, rich and abundant, proudly asserts itself without seeking any external validation.

 

Author of an anthology of Acadian poetry, he stimulated other voices. His poetry poses the following question: "What is Acadian identity?" His literary work is immense, with multiple themes. In 1986, the author celebrated the absolute of love in "Lieux transitoires" and took the opportunity to affirm his homosexuality.

He led Éditions Perce-Neige in Moncton, a publishing house dedicated to new Acadian literature, from 1991 until his death. During this period, he organized numerous literary evenings and meetings. He was also one of the main lyricists for the group 1755, which made a splash in the 70s. He is credited with several Acadian song classics, some of which were covered by Marie-Jo Thériault.

This prolific and committed man of letters also shared on several occasions what inspired and shocked him. In a long correspondence (Lettres à mon ami américain 1967-2003) maintained with his cousin Joseph Olivier Roy, an American teacher of Acadian origin, comprising 161 letters written over 36 years, he shared his interest in literature and his personal evolution alongside that of Acadia over the years.

He also addresses elements that reveal much about his personality: "Alcoholics, whores, religious fanatics, homosexuals, etc. I have very, very vicious blood flowing through my veins; I have a heritage full of passion, hatred, debauchery, and sin (note that I do not say LOVE, finally, funny race)."

Leblanc states that he has "always loved writing letters" and that Roy was just one among his many correspondents of that time: " […] about fifteen people, ten 'Gay boys,' one lesbian, a few others of these 'normal' beings over the last ten years, if we collected all my correspondence, there would be enough to fill at least 2,000 volumes."

Rodrigue Jean's feature-length documentary "L’extrême frontière" (2006) at the NFB celebrates poet Gérald Leblanc. Combining wandering and belonging, this child of the Beat Generation lived far from all taboos and propelled Acadia into modernity. The film was released a year after the poet's death.

In 2020, at the initiative of two university professors, the City of Moncton inaugurated a park now bearing his name right in front of the city hall.

A native of Lyon in France, Serge Bruyère fell in love with the city of Québec from his very first visit in 1976. He immigrated to its province during the Montréal Olympic Games, working at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel before moving to Québec city. Prior to leaving his native country, he had undergone his training in the kitchens of l’Auberge du Tunnel in Auvergne with Paul Bocuse and the Troisgros brothers. He first worked at the Hilton before becoming executive chef at the Éperlan restaurant. One year later, he founded the Marie-Clarisse restaurant near the Breakneck Stairs (l’Escalier Casse-cou) with another partner. In 1980, he undertook a new adventure at the Maison Livernois on Saint-Jean Street, this time on his own: Serge Bruyère’s restaurant À La Table was created. He was among the very first chefs to work closely with local craftsmen in order to obtain high quality products for his menu. Serge Bruyère died prematurely in 1994 at the age of 33. His heritage is considered enormous: he introduced an updated version of haute cuisine, laying the foundations of a gastronomy concerned with great quality and based on a relationship of proximity with his suppliers. Throughout the 14 years of existence of À La Table, Bruyère devoted time and energy in training dozens of competent chefs like Daniel Vézina, Jean Soulard and Marie-Chantale Lepage, who to this day remain inspired by his culinary philosophy.

His passion for gastronomy as well as his devotion to the recognition of the trade were immense. He knew how to transmit his enthusiasm and the importance of working with precision, and also to respect clients and producers. Bruyère is one of only two Québec chefs to be included in the Larousse gastronomique lexicon, and was the first to introduce new cuisine to the city.

He was a humble, sympathetic and respected chef. His passion for quality produce and his unfailing technique and hard work, along with the sharing of his knowledge were of utmost importance to him. The Fondation Serge Bruyère, which is dedicated to the encouragement of Québec’s new culinary talent, serves to perpetuate his legacy.

By Gaëtan Vaudry
Photo: Facebook

Summer 2024 will see the release of " The Chef and the Customs Officer ", the new film by Baie-Comeau filmmaker Manon Briand. It will have been 10 years since her last work, " Liverpool ", released in 2012. In an interview with journalist Maxime Demers of the Journal de Montréal, Manon Briand explains that this is the fifth script she has worked on over the past decade and it’s the one that finally led to filming.

The new film by the director of "La Turbulences des Fluides" tells the story of a fame-seeking French chef who tries to help a child win a culinary contest. However, he must face the hostility of an entire village towards the child's mother, the uncompromising local customs officer. The lead role in this comedy was given to French actor Édouard Baer, known for his role as Astérix in "Astérix and Obélix: God Save Britannia". He is well supported by Julie Le Breton, Sylvain Girard, Normand Chouinard, Michèle Deslauriers, and Dominic Paquet: "I treated myself. I included everyone I love", notes the director in the interview.

In 2003, Manon Briand received 4 nominations at the Jutra Awards (now the Iris Awards), including Best Screenplay, for her masterpiece "La Turbulences des Fluides". A decade later, she won the Women in Film and Television Artistic Merit Award at the Vancouver festival, for her feature film "Liverpool".

Sexual Ambiguity

A graduate of Concordia University in Fine Arts, majoring in film, Manon Briand captures the pulse of her generation of trendy urban gays, lesbians, bisexuals – and even heterosexuals – for whom sexual identity is a matter of the heart, in her first work "Les Sauf-Conduits" in 1991, a short film starring Luc Picard and Patrick Goyette. With her first feature film "2 Seconds", the filmmaker presents a deftly crafted melodrama about a washed-up lesbian cyclist who thrives as a bike courier in the worn streets of Montreal. Charlotte Laurier, Dino Tavarone, Yves P. Pelletier, and Suzanne Clément star in this 1998 film.

In the early 2000s, "Heart—The Marilyn Bell Story", an English-language television biography about Toronto marathon swimmer Marilyn Bell, starring Caroline Dhavernas, allowed Briand to hone her directing skills, as well as to further explore her interest in female bodies, athletic challenges, and sexual ambiguity.

Needless to say, the free encyclopedia Wikipedia categorizes Baie-Comeau's Briand in the category "Canadian female directors whose work is marked by LGBTQ themes".

By Gaëtan Vaudry

On November 24th, Montreal's gay scene lost one of its pioneers. Armand Monroe - born Armand Larrivée - passed away in his sleep at St-Raphael's Palliative Care Home. His death sent shockwaves through those who admired him, a standard-bearer for numerous struggles for gay and lesbian rights over the years. These included the right for men to dance together at a time when homosexuality was criminalized in Canada, as well as the very first gay pride parade and much more.

Born in Saint-Henri in 1935, young Armand left his family home at 18 to move to the bustling downtown of Montreal, fully aware of the difficulty (and even the shame) of being gay at that time. However, he refused to hide his true self, stating that he never needed to come out of the closet because he had never been in it. Rejected by his mother, he created a new family with his gay friends, becoming an emblematic figure of the homosexual scene.

For ages, everyone affectionately nicknamed him La Monroe for his boundless admiration for actress Marilyn Monroe, especially since the release of the hit movie "How to Marry a Millionaire." It wasn't until 1957 that he was offered a job as a host at the Tropical Room on Peel Street. The venue would become Quebec's first exclusively homosexual establishment, where La Monroe introduced bingo, drag queen shows, and Mister Muscle contests. Notably, for his 23rd birthday, he persuaded the owner to allow men to dance together, which was, of course, forbidden at the time.

Growing in fame, Armand Monroe worked in several establishments including the Hawaiian Lounge, Quartier Latin, and Café Beaver. At the PJ's cabaret, he entertained with his role as the "flamboyant liberated fool," achieving immense success. In 1974, still at PJ's, La Monroe hosted the New York Dolls, opening the door of Montreal's underground to glam rock, and later to punk with the band Les 222. In 1980, he hosted the National Day celebrations at Carré Dominion, drawing many curious to discover who he was. In 1983, he produced a mega drag show at Vieux St-Vincent in Laval and, years later, appeared in the historic show Vice & Virtue, presented by Les 7 Doigts de la Main.

In March 2017, Armand Monroe confided to Hugo Lavoie, during the Gravel le matin radio show on ICI Radio-Canada Première, stating: "I thank all the homosexuals from 1957 to 1969 who, at the risk of losing their freedom, came to support me. They are the real pioneers."

This August 24, 2022, marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of René Lévesque, former Premier of Quebec, undoubtedly the most prominent figure in contemporary Quebec history and the most eminent son of Gaspésie.

 
Among the significant reforms of his government, the LGBT community owes him a great deal for making a major step when sexual orientation was added as a prohibited ground for discrimination to the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms in 1977, a commitment of his party when it was in opposition at the time of its adoption in 1975. Quebec then became the 2nd legislature in the world to ban this discrimination, and this advancement would pave the way for access to equality and make Quebec one of the most welcoming nations in the world for LGBT people.

Born in Campbellton on August 24, 1922, René Lévesque grew up in New Carlisle before continuing his studies in Gaspé and Quebec City. When he dropped out of law school, he turned to radio. Bilingual, he was recruited as a war correspondent by the American army in 1944-45, an experience that deeply impacted him as one of the first correspondents to discover the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps. He then distinguished himself as a journalist in the 1950s, notably for his work on the program "Point de mire". Elected as a Liberal deputy in 1960, he became one of the main architects of the Quiet Revolution.
He was entrusted with the portfolios of Public Works, Hydraulic Resources, and then Natural Resources. He used this position to pilot the electricity nationalization issue at the heart of the 1962 elections. After leaving the Liberal Party, he founded the Sovereignty-Association Movement, and then the Parti Québécois (PQ) in 1968, seeing the political sovereignty of the Quebec people as the natural culmination of the Quiet Revolution. After two defeats in 1970 and 1973, the victory of November 15, 1976, allowed him to form the first PQ government.
A year after rejecting his sovereignty-association project in May 1980, Quebecers returned René Lévesque and the PQ to power in April 1981. He left active politics in 1985. The interest in his memoirs and the reactions to his death in 1987 reflect his unique place in contemporary Quebec history.

Throughout 2022-2023, various events will highlight the centenary of René Lévesque. Those who wish to learn about or remember the unique journey of this significant Premier in Quebec's history should not miss visiting the René-Lévesque Space in his native village of New Carlisle.