Fred Pellerin at Saint-Ely-de-Caxton: more discreet, but always there

Narrator Fred Pellerin perseveres and signals: he will no longer reconsider his decision not to cooperate directly with the municipality of Saint-Ely-de-Caxton, but he promises to continue in his hometown.

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“For me, it’s settled. I don’t come straight back to the village to work, he said in a recent telephone interview. Once I dipped my toe in the hot water I understood how it works.

This is the controversy surrounding the Ferrie de Noel a few years ago, a collaboration between Fred Pellerin and the municipal administration of Saint-Elys-de-Caxton. As part of this celebration, every year during the holidays, the artist’s voice is heard on sleigh rides through the village. However, for the 2018-2019 edition, the municipality made changes to the recording, notably by taking on the voice of another person who disagreed with the narrator. Frustrated, Fred Pellerin decided to disassociate himself from the project surrounding Ferrie de Noel.

“There is no bitterness and at the moment I am on good terms with everyone, he assured. Instead of going straight back to the municipal bath, I will be in the happy zone.

The artist, who has always been very attached to the village of Marisi, which he somehow put on the map, added in the same breath that the elected officials will respect his decision.

Although he rubs shoulders with Mayor Gina Lemire on a daily basis, Fred Pellerin said he would deny her request.

“I put my heart out there for 20 years and the way it ended hurt me a lot. I will be involved in a different way so that I have more control, contracts are clear and we are not at the mercy of politics.

In the interview, he also told us that his involvement in the village’s community life has never slowed down, but that it is less visible on the ground.

Invest differently

Fred Pellerin owned a house in Saint-Ely-de-Caxton which he lent out to artists. Painter Annie Boulanger settled there for six weeks last spring to create Small boat race with local school children. The exhibition was displayed in the church all summer.

“I made the connections between Annie Boulanger and the organization [à but non] Profitable Development Saint-Ely as well as the village school”, he noted that he also used his contacts so that Development Saint-Ely could obtain the film’s broadcast rights. A tooth pullerIt is displayed in the village’s center of attraction, the Garage de la Culture.

Fred Pellerin will launch a new storytelling show based on the Saint-Ely-de-Caxton character in September. Apart from this, he is busy completing the filming of a documentary series on the forest. Also, he received an order for an upcoming movie script.

“My fall will be a lot about touring and writing the next film. For me, hitting the road with a new show is like playing with my new little tractor. I am really having fun”, states the man who wants to write for the theater one day too.