A Paper Wedding (1989)

Interesting facts

The Paper Wedding is a 1989 made for television Canadian film directed by Michel Brault. It was entered into the 40th Berlin International Film Festival.

Production

Screenwriter Jefferson Lewis heard about his sister's roommate, who married a Frenchman despite not knowing him in order to give him citizenship, but the two later fell into love. Lewis had not written a feature film and his experience was writing a few episodes of Mount Royal and documentaries about Henry Morgentaler and Wilder Penfield.

Aimée Danis, the founder and executive producer of Les Productions du Verseau, called Lewis to inquire if he had any ideas. Lewis "sent along two or three things, including this outline" and Danis supported it. Danièle Bussy, who had never produced a feature film, was selected to produce by Danis.

Geneviève Bujold, Lewis' first choice for the lead role, was paid $50,000, less than her normal pay, to appear in the film. Bujold recently starred in another Verseau film, L'Emprise, and said she would star in another one of their films if Michel Brault directed. Danis already retained the services of Claude Fournier to direct, but Bussy bought him out of the agreement.

They had difficulty casting Pablo, the role was left unfilled until a few weeks before production started, and Bussy contacted several Latin American organizations. In September 1988, Lewis saw Manuel Aránguiz introducing a Spanish-language TV documentary about El Salvador and sent the tape to Bussy. Aránguiz was paid $12,000.

Lewis wrote the first draft in English under the title Bye Bye, Love in a month. He wrote the second draft in French. In the first draft Claire's sister was having an affair with a Latin American immigrant and asked Claire to marry him, but Brault pushed for changes to simplify the plot.

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