Young movie stars in Eastern Townships get glamour, glitz and a red carpet
A cowboy, a lumberjack, a mouse and a king all go on a quest, looking for a lost princess.
That was the plot kindergarten students at Waterloo Elementary School in the Eastern Townships played out in what had to have been, for most, their first role in a motion picture.
The aspiring young actors, aged 5 and 6, experienced firsthand what it takes to make a feature film, even walking the red carpet on Tuesday evening when their masterpiece, The Adventure, was screened for their families.
"We had such a good turnout," said their teacher, Nathalie Barr, who came up with the idea for the movie as she was walking in the woods one day, picturing it as a backdrop for her pupils.
"I thought, 'Why not write a story about them with their own little personalities?'" Barr recounted on the day of the big premiere.
Concerned the young stars could get anxious or forget their lines during a live theatre performance, Barr decided to buy her first smartphone to film the movie.
The princess in the lead role, played by Milly Roy-Beauregard, embraced the intrigue her teacher imagined for her and her friends.
"[My favourite part] was when I was lost in the woods," said Princess Milly, as she was being pampered and polished for her grand entrance at Waterloo's Maison de la Culture.
Asked what he enjoyed the most, actor Édouard Grand broke with the tradition of not giving away a film's key moments.
"The wedding at the end," said the 6-year-old, who portrays a lonesome cowboy.
Learning experience
Barr, the writer, producer and director, said she was very proud to see her students work hard on costumes, set design and ticket sales.
"We were really working together as a team. They went beyond what I expected," Barr said.
The students perfected their knots by tying ribbons for the big night and practiced their math skills, counting the box office sales.
The stars' families were also brought in on the creative process and helped the young actors rehearse lines.
"It showed them the importance of reading, because each actor had to take their script home with them," she said.
Rumours of a sequel to The Adventure are looming, but only time will tell.
"One adventure at a time," Barr said.
