In order to highlight part of the behind the scenes of creation, Jacques-Rémy Girerd, director of the film Folimage, answers our dreamlike questionnaire.
Discover the dreamlike universe of the directors, the imaginary worlds that influence them, the conscious or unconscious references underlying the films.
Jacques-Rémy Girerd est réalisateur et producteur de films d'animation, fondateur du studio de films d'animation Folimage (1981). Mondialement reconnu, le studio Folimage produit des séries télévisées, des courts et longs métrages, avec pour objectif de créer des films d'animation originaux et de qualité, soutenant avec force la création d'auteur. Jacques-Rémy Girerd est aussi à l'origine de la création de l'école de renommée mondiale : Poudrière.
Jacques-Rémy Girerd a notamment réalisé les trois merveilleux longs-métrages d'animation « La Prophétie des grenouilles » (2003), « Mia et le Migou » (2008) et « Tante Hilda » co-réalisé avec Benoît Chieux (2008), mais aussi de très belles séries télévisées d'animation comme « Le Cirque bonheur » (1988), « Le Bonheur de la vie » (1992), « Mine de rien » (1994), « Ma petite planète chérie » (1996), et plus récemment, la série éducative sur la santé et l'alimentation avec la voix de Jean-Pierre Coffe « C'est bon », co-réalisée avec Amandine Fredon et Serge Elissalde (2013).
« La Prophétie des grenouilles » fait partie de notre classement des meilleurs films d'animation pour enfants et nous sommes honorés et enchantés de pouvoir vous présenter un peu de l'univers onirique de Jacques-Rémy Girerd, les mondes imaginaires qui l'influencent.
1- The character who touched you the most?
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, (1719). Jean Valjean in Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, (1862). Elzéard Bouffier in The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono. And many, many more...
2- The character that scared you the most?
Generally speaking, in everyday life, few things scare me, I'm a big boy now. This is even more true in the field of fiction, in cinema or in literature, painting delights me, even when it is terrifying. I have to go back a long way, to the time of my early childhood, to remember a truly frightening character, perhaps the Ogre from Charles Perrault's Tom Thumb (1697).
3- The character you would most like to meet?
Of course Captain Haddock, created in 1941 by Hergé (Tintin Collection).
4- The character you would like to reincarnate as (^_^)?
Monsieur Hulot by Jacques Tati, in Mon Oncle (1958) or Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot (1953).
5- The world you would like to live in?
I much prefer the real world, with all its imperfections, its turpitudes and its suffering. If I were forced to live in a world, however wonderful it may be, where everything is necessarily false and scripted, I think I would get bored very quickly, it would become for me the worst of hell, the supreme horror. No, definitely never!
6- The world you wouldn't want to live in?
All without exception (see previous answer).
7- What role would you like to play in a work of fiction?
A role of villain of course, picturesque and whimsical, gruff and generous, excessive and good-natured, knowing how to love as well as to hate, without faith or law, but with a good background... acting as much for the good cause as to defend lost causes, a monster of muscles and beard, adventurous, impetuous and jovial, funny and striking, unpredictable and bluffing, an ideal character, which obviously remains to be invented.
8- Your earliest memory of fiction?
When I was little, my parents had the curious idea of dressing my room with a tapestry created by Joan Miró. I therefore lived a large part of my childhood in contact with the dreamlike universe of the famous Catalan painter. Each abstract element, each colored spot, each “dropping” ironically to its detractors, took on a particular meaning: chimerical character, fabulous animal, angel or demon… My evenings and my nights resonated with this infinite magical menagerie: a poetic universe which undoubtedly contributed to developing my imagination.
9- Your favorite word?
Honor and decorum forbid me from naming them here because they are all bad words.
10- Music you would like to listen to now?
The little music that often hums in my head. It is made of light wind that slips through the foliage, small distant cries, an aquatic hiss that sounds in the distance and a few violin or piano notes falling from the stars. For school teachers, more information on Jacques-Rémy Girerd and the Folimage studio: The Folimage studio, since its creation, in parallel with feature films and television series, has continually produced animated short films intended for young audiences. Since 2005, the studio has published and reissued DVDs and Blu-rays, with a rich film catalog of more than 50 short films. Many films are accompanied by educational tools. If, as parents or school teachers, you are looking for a book, an educational kit, an educational game to accompany a children's film, do not hesitate to consult the Folimage store, a real gold mine for kindergarten teachers. Discover numerous film extracts on the Folimage YouTube channel, but also go behind the scenes of film production with making ofs, interviews and even dialogue recording sessions such as that of Bernadette Lafont for the film "Une vie de Chat" (2008), that of Dany Boon who plays the voice of Migou for the film "Mia et le Migou" (2008). If you have not yet had the opportunity to show your children or students a film from the Folimage studio, we particularly recommend the wonderful short film: L'Enfant au grelot (1998). Duration: 26 min. Director: Jacques-Rémy Girerd Music: Serge Besset. Screenplay: Jacques-Rémy Girerd, Benoît Chieux, Damien Louche-Pélissier. Animation direction: Michael Dudok de Wit.
L'Enfant au grelot (1998)
Un jour d'hiver, Grand-Jacques, un facteur, sur le chemin de retour de sa tournée, découvre en pleine forêt, un bébé abandonné. Ce bébé, Charlie, semble accorder une importance particulière à son grelot et, en grandissant, il prend l'habitude de se confier à lui.
Quelques années plus tard, à la veille de Noël, Charlie accompagne le facteur qui doit apporter les lettres des enfants au père Noël. Mais Grand-Jacques se casse la jambe et Charlie décide de livrer lui-même les lettres au père Noël. Découvrira-t-il pourquoi son grelot était si important à ses yeux ?
Un film plein d'émotion et de poésie. Les personnages sont touchants, la quête d'identité de Charlie est très émouvante. Un chef-d'œuvre d'animation à voir absolument !
Parfait pour regarder à l'école maternelle ou primaire avant les fêtes de Noël.
Un DVD contenant le film et son making of, des dessins originaux et un autre dessin animé de 26 minutes (Patate et le jardin potager), un Kit pédagogique du film et un album édité par Casterman sont en vente sur le site de Folimage.
Durée : 26 min
Réalisation : Jacques-Rémy Girerd
Musique : Serge Besset
Scénario : Jacques-Rémy Girerd, Benoît Chieux, Damien Louche-Pélissier
Direction de l'animation : Michael Dudok de Wit