Maillardville will be gussying itself up and putting its best face forward for a popular francophone television show called La Petite Séduction.
The program, which is aired by Radio-Canada television and seen by 1.3 million people each week, is a kind of tourism promotion/reality television hybrid in which a community tries to seduce an artist by showing off its attributes.
In an episode to be filmed June 13 to 15, Maillardville will be attempting to capture the attention of comedian Daniel Lemire by appealing to all his interests. The scenes are secret, explained Joanne Dumas, whose Société francophone de Maillardville convinced the show's producers to shoot an episode here. But there will certainly be hockey flavour to the production because Lemire is a hockey fan and filming could take place during the Stanley Cup playoffs. Other events are planned to highlight Maillardville's culture and history, including a cycling tour of the area led by Coquitlam Coun. Selina Robinson.
Next Wednesday from 7:15 to 9 p.m., Lemire will be treated to a community barbecue on Laval Square in front of the historic Our Lady of Lourdes Church and the public is invited.
Dumas is hoping for a large crowd and if the Stanley Cup goes to a seventh game, she hopes the city will loan the society a large television screen to keep hockey fans happy. (Dumas suggested people visit the group's website www.maillardville.com or call 604-515-7070 in case there are any scheduling changes.)
La Petite Séduction is hosted by Dany Turcotte and is based on the Quebecois film Seducing Doctor Lewis, in which a tiny fishing village tries to lure a doctor to take up full-time residency.
Dumas said the 2003 film was extremely popular and the TV show started shooting soon after, featuring mostly Quebecois villages, but later extending to the Maritimes. In each episode, an artist visits a community and is treated to a variety of experiences, giving the audiences a glimpse of life in other places.
This foray to the west cost - the show is also filming in Victoria - is new for the production and Dumas hopes Maillardville will put on a good show.
"This is the first time they'll be coming to a community that's a city, that's an urban setting - it's a big first," Dumas said.
The film crew will arrive in Maillardville on Monday to shoot a few scenes and Lemire is expected be feted on Tuesday and Wednesday; the show is scheduled to air July 13 on Radio-Canada television July 13. For more information, visit www.radio-canada.ca/television or email [email protected].
