Léolo
Encyclopedia
Léolo is a 1992 film by Quebec
ois director Jean-Claude Lauzon
.
The film tells the story of Léo Lauzon (Maxime Collin), a young boy living in a Montreal
tenement with his dysfunctional family
. He uses his active fantasy life and the book L'avalée des avalés by Québécois novelist Réjean Ducharme
to escape the reality of his life. After deciding that his mother (Ginette Reno
) was impregnated not by his father, but by an Italian
tomato
, he rechristens himself Léolo, and begins to have sexual fantasies about his neighbour Bianca (Giuditta del Vecchio).
Gilbert Sicotte
, as the adult Léolo, narrates the film. The cast also includes Pierre Bourgault
, Andrée Lachapelle
, Denys Arcand
, Julien Guiomar
and Germain Houde
.
It was Lauzon's final film; he died in a plane crash in 1997 while working on his next project.
.
In 2005, TIME named Léolo one of Time's All-TIME 100 Movies.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
ois director Jean-Claude Lauzon
Jean-Claude Lauzon
Jean-Claude Lauzon was a Canadian filmmaker. Born to a humble family in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Lauzon worked a variety of odd jobs after dropping out of high school. He went on to study film at the Université du Québec à Montréal at the behest of Andre Petrowski, a member of the National Film...
.
The film tells the story of Léo Lauzon (Maxime Collin), a young boy living in a Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
tenement with his dysfunctional family
Dysfunctional family
A dysfunctional family is a family in which conflict, misbehavior, and often abuse on the part of individual members occur continually and regularly, leading other members to accommodate such actions. Children sometimes grow up in such families with the understanding that such an arrangement is...
. He uses his active fantasy life and the book L'avalée des avalés by Québécois novelist Réjean Ducharme
Réjean Ducharme
Réjean Ducharme is a Quebec novelist and playwright who currently resides in Montreal. He is extremely reclusive and has not appeared at any public functions since his first successful book was published in 1966...
to escape the reality of his life. After deciding that his mother (Ginette Reno
Ginette Reno
Ginette Reno, OC, CQ is a French-Canadian author, composer, singer, and actress. She is known by the nickname .Born as Ginette Reynault in Montreal, Quebec, she played the role of Maria Barberini in the independent film Mambo Italiano and played the mother in Léolo.She has recorded in both...
) was impregnated not by his father, but by an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
, he rechristens himself Léolo, and begins to have sexual fantasies about his neighbour Bianca (Giuditta del Vecchio).
Gilbert Sicotte
Gilbert Sicotte
Gilbert Sicotte is a Canadian actor. He has been nominated three times for a Genie Award. His first two nominations were in the category of Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his performances in Cap Tourmente and Les Pots Cassés. He is currently nominated for Best Actor in a...
, as the adult Léolo, narrates the film. The cast also includes Pierre Bourgault
Pierre Bourgault
Pierre Bourgault was a French Canadian politician and essayist of Breton origin, as well as an actor and journalist from Quebec, Canada. He is most famous as a public speaker who advocated sovereignty for Quebec from Canada.- Profile :Bourgault was born in East Angus in the Estrie region of Quebec...
, Andrée Lachapelle
Andrée Lachapelle
Andrée Lachapelle, OC, CQ is a French Canadian actress.She had roles in the films Léolo and Don't Let the Angels Fall....
, Denys Arcand
Denys Arcand
Georges-Henri Denys Arcand, is a Canadian film director, screenwriter and producer. He has won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 2004 for The Barbarian Invasions...
, Julien Guiomar
Julien Guiomar
Julien Guiomar , was a French film actor...
and Germain Houde
Germain Houde
Germain Houde is a Quebec Genie Award-winning actor. He has won two Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for his roles in Les bons débarras and Un Zoo la Nuit.- External links :...
.
It was Lauzon's final film; he died in a plane crash in 1997 while working on his next project.
Cast
- Gilbert SicotteGilbert SicotteGilbert Sicotte is a Canadian actor. He has been nominated three times for a Genie Award. His first two nominations were in the category of Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his performances in Cap Tourmente and Les Pots Cassés. He is currently nominated for Best Actor in a...
- Narrator (voice) - Maxime Collin - Leolo
- Ginette RenoGinette RenoGinette Reno, OC, CQ is a French-Canadian author, composer, singer, and actress. She is known by the nickname .Born as Ginette Reynault in Montreal, Quebec, she played the role of Maria Barberini in the independent film Mambo Italiano and played the mother in Léolo.She has recorded in both...
- Mother - Julien GuiomarJulien GuiomarJulien Guiomar , was a French film actor...
- Grandfather - Pierre BourgaultPierre BourgaultPierre Bourgault was a French Canadian politician and essayist of Breton origin, as well as an actor and journalist from Quebec, Canada. He is most famous as a public speaker who advocated sovereignty for Quebec from Canada.- Profile :Bourgault was born in East Angus in the Estrie region of Quebec...
- Word Tamer - Giuditta Del Vecchio - Bianca
- Andrée LachapelleAndrée LachapelleAndrée Lachapelle, OC, CQ is a French Canadian actress.She had roles in the films Léolo and Don't Let the Angels Fall....
- Psychiatrist - Denys ArcandDenys ArcandGeorges-Henri Denys Arcand, is a Canadian film director, screenwriter and producer. He has won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 2004 for The Barbarian Invasions...
- Director - Germain HoudeGermain HoudeGermain Houde is a Quebec Genie Award-winning actor. He has won two Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for his roles in Les bons débarras and Un Zoo la Nuit.- External links :...
- Teacher - Yves Montmarquette - Fernand
- Lorne Brass - Fernand's Enemy
- Roland Blouin - Father
- Geneviève Samson - Rita
- Marie-Hélène Montpetit - Nanette
- Francis St-Onge - Leolo, age 6
Awards
The film was entered into the 1992 Cannes Film Festival1992 Cannes Film Festival
- Jury :*Gérard Depardieu *John Boorman *Carlo Di Palma *Jamie Lee Curtis *Joële Van Effenterre *Lester James Peries *Nana Djordjadze *Pedro Almodóvar *René Cleitman...
.
In 2005, TIME named Léolo one of Time's All-TIME 100 Movies.