Le Steak

“It all began with a project for a short fiction film by Manon based on a story by London, A piece of steak. It is the story of an ageing and tired boxer who faces a young challenger in the ring… The boxer doesn’t have a “cenne”. He dreams of eating a steak to regain his strength before the match… The reader follows the struggle in the old man’s head : his youth, misery, hopes and life. He surprises the young boxer and takes the lead thanks to his experience. But when the moment of victory is at hand, he has no force left because of the cursed steak he had been unable to eat. The young man recovers and knocks him cold… Since all this takes place inside the old boxer’s head, I suggested that Manon choose Gaetan Hart, a retired boxer as actor. An experienced boxer with technique and personality… As always, reality returns through the backdoor and slaps us in the face. Six years after retiring, Gaetan Hart decides to get back into the ring. His opponent – a young rising star, Michel Galaneau. Manon and I decided to plunge and make the film. “Ouate de phoque. To drop fiction and make a documentary. Come what may.” (Pierre Falardeau)