Laughing in the Face of Dying Young,  in “Cherry” - video Dailymotion

The New Yorker

In Laurence Gagné-Frégeau’s short documentary, the actor Marie-Lise Chouinard faces her terminal cancer diagnosis with grace and comedy.

Transcript

00:00You're going to capote.

00:07First step, report his presence.

00:16That's it.

00:21Everyone, it's starting.

00:27Are you okay?

00:29Let's go.

00:31Second step, embark on the Bessig.

00:38Okay.

00:40Yesterday, a nurse came to our house,

00:43and it was a gift from someone, I don't know, look, hello?

00:46It's there.

00:47So yeah, that's it.

00:48A nurse came to our house this morning,

00:51yesterday,

00:52it's a gift, basically, from a friend.

00:55She said, you know, it could be so beautiful at the end of your life,

00:59with someone who's always there, in your house,

01:02you know, four hours a day.

01:04What is she going to do, four hours a day?

01:07Not that you made pasta with meat, you made moulet, you know.

01:10I don't know what to do with you anymore.

01:12One time, she made reiki.

01:13She can play with me in the chakras in the afternoon,

01:15if she wants to.

01:17Now I have to go out,

01:20she's going to kidnap me at our house,

01:22at the end of my life, you know.

01:25So, anyway,

01:27the woman came yesterday to talk to me,

01:31and she said, you know, what are your needs, and all that.

01:34I said, me,

01:36when I'm in bed,

01:38you massage my feet all day long.

01:41It's going to be really good.

01:43She was like, you have a lot of humor.

01:45I was like, well, yeah, we can say that.

01:48She said, you know, you take it well,

01:50because 36 years old is still young.

01:53I said, yeah, but it's young.

01:55It depends on who.

01:57I mean, in medieval times, 36 years old,

01:59that's a long time, you know.

02:01No.

02:03She said, you know,

02:05your friend who made me come

02:07said you're in denial.

02:09I'm like, in denial?

02:12In denial of what?

02:14That I'm going to die?

02:16I was like,

02:18everyone's in denial.

02:20Everyone's going to kill me.

02:22I'm the one who's lucid,

02:24and it's going to happen to me sooner or later.

02:26So, you know what?

02:28I'm enjoying life.

02:30It's like, Jany, I'm live, man.

02:32I'm a live stream.

02:34We're live.

02:3624 hours a day.

02:38I'm just in the moment.

02:40My life is big as it is.

02:42I used to eat sweets,

02:44I used to dream of dreams.

02:46She used to dream live.

02:48She used to dream of her death.

02:50Right now, she's in,

02:52what do you call it,

02:54when people laugh at death?

02:56She's in near-death experience right now.

02:58She's going to tell us all about it.

03:00What she saw.

03:02I'm coming back.

03:04I'm coming back.

03:06God.

03:08I saw the tunnel.

03:10You didn't go far.

03:12That's what I thought.

03:14No?

03:16Very small.

03:18Who's face is that?

03:20I'm sure it's a clown.

03:22Nice!

03:24Bring me a spag.

03:26What I wanted was to make people laugh.

03:28That's the goal.

03:30And it worked.

03:34I'm always with comedians,

03:36with comedians,

03:38with cool people.

03:40I saw the life of Jules César,

03:42of Rasputin,

03:44of John F. Kennedy.

03:46Anything that crossed my mind,

03:48there were always

03:504, 5, 10 comedians

03:52who were like,

03:54I want to do that.

03:56Yes, we're going to make

03:58the Victorian era with coffee filters.

04:00Everywhere.

04:02You know, 100$ for a coffee filter.

04:04A bunch of cabs on stage.

04:06A bunch of cabs on stage.

04:08A bunch of cabs on stage.

04:10Everyone laughs, everyone trips.

04:14I didn't wait for anything

04:16to do my thing.

04:18I did everything I wanted.

04:22I'm good.

04:24I'm always good.

04:26I'm not denying it.

04:28It's not because we're good with death

04:30that we don't believe it.

04:32It's...

04:34It's fun.

04:36It's fun to think

04:38that it was all a big game

04:40and we played it and had fun

04:42and now it's over.

04:46Good evening.

04:48My cousin.

04:50And me.

04:52How are you?

04:54Hello.

04:56My little girl.

04:58We're going to wait for him.

05:00What?

05:02We're going to wait for him in the tent.

05:08Ok.

05:10The warmest dress

05:12in history.

05:16I'm already...

05:18You can sweat a little.

05:24Good.

05:26Your mask, my mask.

05:28Is that what you use?

05:30Your slip.

05:32My what?

05:34Your slip.

05:36Ok.

05:38To make you comfortable.

05:48Mm-hm.

06:18I don't know.

06:20I don't know.

06:21They told me on Wednesday.

06:23What did they tell you?

06:26They told me...

06:29...that there was not enough...

06:32...that there was not enough soap in there.

06:35And what was the symptom?

06:37And another infection.

06:39Did you have it?

06:40No. Pneumonia.

06:48And what did the insufficiency do to you?

06:58It gave me energy.

07:01My belly was round.

07:03The lowest a belly can be.

07:06I didn't really think I would get out of my bed.

07:10I was like...

07:11And you don't tell me?

07:13I was too embarrassed.

07:17Who was aware?

07:19No one.

07:22Christine?

07:25I don't remember her name.

07:31Louise?

07:34I don't remember her name.

07:36What was her name?

07:38I don't remember her name.

07:46I don't remember her name.

07:58It's over.

08:01You can't do that.

08:05Yes, I started shaving right after.

08:08Excuse me?

08:09I started shaving right after.

08:11Yes.

08:13How much do you fill it with? Half a liter?

08:15500.

08:16500?

08:17And your height?

08:18Would you prefer more?

08:43Okay.

09:13Hey!

09:14Hey!

09:15Hey!

09:16Hey!

09:17Hey!

09:18Hey!

09:19Hey!

09:20Hey!

09:21Hey!

09:22Hey!

09:23Hey!

09:24Hey!

09:25Hey!

09:26Hey!

09:27Hey!

09:28Hey!

09:29Hey!

09:30Hey!

09:31Hey!

09:32Hey!

09:33Hey!

09:34Hey!

09:35Hey!

09:36Hey!

09:37Hey!

09:38Hey!

09:39Hey!

09:40Hey!

09:41Hey!

09:42Hey!

09:43Hey!

09:44Hey!

09:45Hey!

09:46Hey!

09:47Hey!

09:48Hey!

09:49One, two, three.

09:59Thank you.

10:01Are you okay?

10:11Are you okay?

10:13How are you?

10:15Not very well.

10:17Not very well.

10:19For now.

10:21Did you stay long at the hospital?

10:23No, but they stopped the treatment.

10:25They stopped the treatment?

10:27Uh-huh.

10:29I'm sorry, I'll never cry again.

10:31No, you have to cry.

10:33It touches me.

10:35It touches me to talk about it.

10:37But it's okay.

10:39I've taken care of everything.

10:41What do you mean?

10:43Well, my friends come home

10:45to sleep with me.

10:47That way, I won't have to

10:49go to the hospital.

10:51You know?

10:53Okay.

10:55Like that.

11:09You can't let go of my arm.

11:11Uh-huh.

11:15Uh-huh.

11:27Merci.

11:29Uh-huh.

11:31Oh, my God.

12:01Oui.

12:03Oui.

12:15De quoi?

12:17Oh, mon Dieu.

12:31Oh, mon Dieu.

13:01Oui.

13:03Oui.

13:07Oui.

13:11Mais oui, ça change tout.

13:17Pour vrai, quand ils ont dit,

13:19« Ah, on arrête les traitements »,

13:21il y avait une partie de moi qui était...

13:23Qui était contente.

13:25Oui.

13:27« Tant qu'à être malade,

13:29c'est pas grave. »

13:31Oui.

13:35Puis, d'un moment donné,

13:37je vois que, oh,

13:39ça file pas du tout,

13:41mais je peux aller dans une maison.

13:43C'est une belle maison,

13:45c'est full artistique.

13:47Ils font des massages,

13:49des cours de musique.

13:51Je peux aller habiter là.

13:53Il y a des médecins,

13:55des infirmières.

13:57Ça prend du quoi pour être administré?

14:01Faut que le médecin dise

14:03qu'il reste trois mois.

14:05Oui.

14:11Mais ils t'ont pas dit six ans, là.

14:13Ils m'ont dit six.

14:21Oh, mon Dieu,

14:23c'était relaxant, ça.

14:27Oh.

14:29Sweet.

14:31Tickle.

14:49Comme dans mes rêves.

14:51Hein? Comme dans mes rêves.

14:53Pour vrai? Oui.

14:57Une autre des choses

14:59que je veux essayer,

15:01c'est d'aller au Ritz.

15:03Au Ritz? Ritz Carlton.

15:05C'est quoi, ça?

15:07C'est genre le restaurant

15:09le plus chic du monde.

15:11C'est le meilleur cuisinier

15:13de la ville.

15:15Bon, ça coûte 16 piastres

15:17ou des patates, mais...

15:19Combien?

15:2116 piastres.

15:2316 piastres, c'est quoi,

15:25là?

15:31Ça, c'est pour quand tu vas

15:33manger au resto.

15:35À mon nom. Quoi?

15:37Tu vas te manger plein, plein de patates.

15:41Elle est belle, hein?

15:43Mais ça fait du bien de se réveiller le matin,

15:45pis t'sais, quand on est malade,

15:47au moins, tu te vois dans les rues,

15:49t'es comme... C'est ça.

15:51Pis c'est moi qui vais payer

15:53pour te donner tout mon cash.

15:55Non!

16:01Merci pour tout ce que tu m'as partagé.

16:03Ça me fait plaisir.

16:17D'où tu viens?

16:19Cherry.

16:21J'ai travaillé dans les cerises

16:23en Colombie-Britannique

16:25pendant plusieurs saisons.

16:27C'était vraiment cool.

16:29Chez Dendy's Orchard.

16:31Fait que là,

16:33on allait l'achat qui était trippé,

16:35faire du moche, chiller,

16:37boire de la bière, pis faire de l'argent.

16:39Pis on faisait de l'argent,

16:41pis je payais mes études

16:43de même, là, t'sais.

16:45Fait que ça, c'était cool.

16:47Fait que j'ai tellement travaillé

16:49dans les cerises, pis même le monde

16:51qui travaillait dans les cerises

16:53aussi avec moi, il m'appelait Cherry.

16:55Pis je sais pas pourquoi.

16:57Ça m'a comme virée de même.

16:59Fait que c'est pour ça que demain,

17:01tout le monde de mes amis...

17:03Pas tout le monde, mais ils s'en vont se faire

17:05tatouer une Cherry.

17:07T'sais, c'est drôle parce qu'il y a

17:09une infirmière à domicile

17:11qui est venue chez nous,

17:13pis elle dit, t'sais,

17:15c'est quoi ton entourage?

17:17Pis j'aurais été à 12,

17:19mais j'aurais pu continuer.

17:21T'sais, il y a beaucoup de monde,

17:23là. Beaucoup de monde

17:25qui m'aide, pis...

17:27Il y a du monde, là, que ça faisait

17:2910 ans qu'on avait pas joué ensemble,

17:31qu'on avait pas

17:33travaillé ensemble, qu'on s'était pas vus,

17:35t'sais, qui me disaient,

17:37t'sais, je vais venir

17:39te faire des petits plats,

17:41pis je m'en viens te chercher,

17:43pis il y en a un qui m'a acheté

17:45de l'électricité,

17:47de...

17:49T'sais, genre...

17:51Je sais pas.

17:53Tout le monde est tout le temps,

17:55là, genre, j'ai jamais de problème.

17:57T'sais, je suis jamais

17:59inquiète de...

18:01Ah, je vais être toute seule,

18:03ou t'sais...

18:05Il y a tout le temps plein de monde

18:07qui m'aide.

18:09T'sais, ma cousine, elle m'aide

18:11de foule, pis t'sais, aussi

18:13dans le sens que, t'sais,

18:15elle arrive tout le temps

18:17de bonne humeur, t'sais,

18:19elle se plaint jamais, t'sais.

18:21Pis moi, ben, c'est plate,

18:23mais dans ma situation,

18:25je peux plus vraiment écouter

18:27le monde se plaindre, t'sais.

18:29Ben, je peux,

18:31mais...

18:33Il y en a une petite limite,

18:35même, là. Dans le fond, ils font.

18:37T'sais, j'en ai pas de problème,

18:39t'sais.

18:41Parce que j'ai un super bel appart,

18:43t'sais, avec le beau jardin,

18:45toute la patente.

18:47T'sais, mes amis viennent tout le temps me voir.

18:49Je mange ce que je veux,

18:51j'ai pas de problème d'argent.

18:53Je pourrais pas demander mieux, là.

18:55Si j'étais pas tombée malade,

18:57j'aurais pas eu tout ça.

18:59J'aurais jamais eu tout ce monde-là

19:01qui revient dans ma vie

19:03pour s'occuper de moi.

19:05T'sais, j'ai la chance

19:07de savoir que je vais mourir,

19:09parce que moi, j'ai beaucoup d'imagination.

19:11C'est comme un peu ça,

19:13ma job, là, t'sais.

19:15Fait que, t'sais,

19:17je vois plein d'affaires

19:19vraiment belles,

19:21t'sais, comme quasiment trop belles.

19:25Fait que...

19:27Je sais pas, quand le monde,

19:29ils me disent,

19:31ah, pauvre toi, ou t'sais,

19:33des trucs comme ça,

19:35c'est parce qu'ils ont pas mon imagination,

19:37je pense.

19:39Ça va être tellement beau, t'sais.

19:41Pis si, en plus,

19:43je peux aider du monde

19:45sur la Terre

19:47pendant que moi,

19:49j'y suis pas,

19:51t'sais, ça serait la plus belle affaire

19:53au monde, là.

19:55C'est ça qu'il m'avait dit,

19:57de pas être en Italie, là.

19:59Il était comme...

20:01J'ai dit, pourquoi, dans le fond,

20:03il faut partir, là,

20:05là?

20:07Il m'avait dit, parce que...

20:09Il dit, Dieu, des fois,

20:11il veut que t'aides le monde sur Terre.

20:13Pis il dit, des fois, Dieu,

20:15il veut que t'aides le monde

20:17à côté de lui, au paradis.

20:19Pis j'étais comme,

20:21oh, ça, c'est une job qui m'intéresse.

20:23Ça serait trop nice.

20:27T'sais, d'avoir des anges,

20:29pis de pouvoir aider

20:31le monde de l'en haut,

20:33de se ressentir à la maison,

20:35de voir toutes les couleurs

20:37plus belles,

20:39d'être dans un univers

20:41comme ici, t'sais,

20:43mais tout le temps, t'sais.

20:45C'est sûr que quand je me couche

20:47le soir pis je pense à ça,

20:49c'est vraiment beau, là.

20:51C'est à ça que je pense plus.

20:53C'est comme...

20:55vivre dans cette vie-là de couleurs

20:57pis d'aider ceux

20:59qui en ont besoin.

21:01C'est à ça que je pense.

21:11Tout y est s'pense.

21:23I'm walking in the fall of Montreal

21:26It's four o'clock, already dark

21:32I don't know where to go

21:34I hate to be

21:36I hate to see

21:40That I won't go

21:44Cause I don't wanna be alone

21:49No, I won't go

21:53Cause I don't wanna be alone

21:58And in the nights of Montreal

22:01It's four o'clock, already dark

22:03And I saw God

22:07He had a really shiny beard

22:10He drank scotch

22:12And he smelled good

22:15So I could tell that he was God

22:20He drank scotch and he smelled good

22:28I hate to be

22:31I hate to see

Laughing in the Face of Dying Young, in “Cherry”

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