MEMRAMCOOK, N.B. -- When filmmaker Daniel Leger stopped in to the Artisan Workshop in Memramcook, N.B., he had no idea he would be meeting the stars of his next movie.
“I stopped there one day and I thought, well maybe there’s something here. And there was. I met 13 great people,” said Leger.
Those 13 great people became the unforgettable characters of his new film, The Artisans, a movie chronicling the day-to-day lives of people with special needs and the work that they do.
The workshop has been providing employment opportunities for more than 35 years, and became the center piece of the film.
“I thought this was a great opportunity for these people. I mean they're wonderful and for everybody to get to see how great they are, I think it's amazing,” said the Artisan workshop general director, Audrey Beaudoin,
Leger spent 18 months slowly integrating himself and his crew into the group’s daily routine to get an authentic feel of the stars.
“They're beautiful characters and Daniel's perspective just in the way that he shoots people, he makes them comfortable it's a very, very good experience to watch this film,” said Domnique Leger, FICA head of programming
The Artisans will premiere at the Francophone film festival next month in Moncton, along with about 90 films from all over the world. It will then spend the year travelling to theatres throughout Atlantic Canada, before one final screening in Memramcook.
“It's the first time they're going to see themselves on TV, on the big screen and it's going to be a special occasion, it's going to be a red carpet, it's going to be like Hollywood for them,” Leger said.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Jonathan MacInnis
