Lothaire Bluteau has led an atypical career for 40 years that has taken him to all corners of the world. The Jesus of Montreal actor, who is very rare on film sets in Quebec, was in Quebec last week to defend one of the main roles in the film Melting Ice alongside Christine Beaulieu and Marc Béland.
Lothaire Bluteau was already back in New York – where he has lived for thirty years – when Le Journal spoke to him last week. The 65-year-old actor had just spent a few days in Montreal and Sorel to take part in the first block of shooting for director François Péloquin’s (The Noise of Trees) second feature film, Melting Ice, co-written with Sarah Lévesque.
In the film, Bluteau plays a former murderer trying to get back on track with the help of a probation officer in charge of an experimental rehabilitation unit.
“It’s an issue [la réhabilitation des criminels] not often tackled in cinemas and treated boldly here, Lothaire confides in Bluteau, saying he was seduced by the scenario. I like people who take risks. I also like it when you learn something by watching a movie.”
The scenes shot last week will be used to build up the final part of the film, set in the summer. Next February, François Péloquin will reunite with his trio of actors to shoot most of the feature film. He feels privileged to have Lothaire Bluteau as a central character in his film.
“What a gift!” says the filmmaker. He really is an exceptional actor. When he plays he is totally real and invested. You can feel the emotions in his eyes, in his throat. We also feel the life that shaped him. It is very nice. He’s a very special being.”
The reputation of Europe
Lothaire Bluteau had not acted in a Quebec film for months. His last major role in Quebec cinema was in 1995 in Robert Lepage’s Le Confessionnal. Not that he avoids his home province, quite the opposite. All the actor says is that he hasn’t had many offers from Quebec in recent years: “I’ve worked more in Europe because I’ve gotten more offers there,” he explains simply.
“In Montreal, people didn’t approach me. I know it wasn’t out of spite and I’m not complaining because it has allowed me to do a lot of interesting things elsewhere. But I think people in Quebec thought I wouldn’t accept because I’m doing big films abroad. However, I did a lot of short films elsewhere because I was interested in the script. I don’t do this job for money or to be successful.
risk appetite
From the beginning of his career, Lothaire Bluteau has always been driven by the desire to “go somewhere else”. In 1989, the international success of Jesus of Montreal (by Denys Arcand) opened several doors for him abroad. The actor then did not hesitate to embark on an international career that has led him to roles as diverse as an Emperor of West Francia in the series Vikings, a terrorist in the action series 24 or a French ambassador in the historical series Les Tudors.
“I don’t think we have the career of our talent,” notes the actor. We prefer to have the career of our desires and our personality. If there are things that interest you in life, you will, without realizing it, make choices that lead you to explore those areas of interest. I wanted to make films about WWII because I never understood it. I did it, then it made me want to do another one, then another one…”
Those long months of filming, often spent far from home and away from his friends and family, weren’t always easy.
“It’s hard in Criss, doing my job the way I did, running from town to town and being all alone all the time,” he admits. When I started there was no internet. When I wanted to shoot in Russia for three months, nobody came to me. It was tough, but I was lucky because it allowed me to make films that I still think are beautiful. And even if it didn’t work out with the audience, I didn’t feel ashamed because I dared and tried something I thought risky and rich. I don’t mind freaking out when I’m taking a risk. It’s always honorable to take a risk.”
Filming of the film Melting Ice will resume in Montreal in February.