In Michel Tremblay’s Backyard Theatre, the viewer is treated to a piece of Quebec culture through the observation of a group of housewives. During the short film, Tremblay makes the comment that he believes there are very few men in Quebec. He also makes the point that everyone in Quebec wants to be someone else. On their own, these ideas can be difficult to fully understand. However, by viewing other Quebec films such as Leolo and C.R.A.Z.Y, viewers unaccustomed to Quebec culture can begin to understand Tremblay’s views. On the first viewing, when Tremblay says that there are very few men in Quebec, it seemed almost like a passing comment. However, as was discussed in class, Tremblay is not simply talking about what percent of the population…show more content… From the very beginning of Leolo, it becomes apparent that Leolo wishes to be someone else. In one of the first scenes of the film, Leolo tells the story of how he believes he was created, which involves an Italian man masturbating into a crate of tomatoes, which accidentally artificially inseminates Leolo’s mother. He fantasizes of having Italian heritage and being in Italy with his love Bianca. His Italian dream allows him to disconnect from the life he lives, and I believe that it is not a coincidence that Leolo chooses an Italian heritage considering it is one of the most culturally rich countries in the world. It can also be argued that Fernand wants to be a different person after he is first beat up, yet the person he wants to be fits inside the constraints of the colonized Quebec men. Zac especially wants to be someone else, but he struggles with who that should be throughout the movie. On one hand, Zac wants the approval of his father so he tries to suppress who he really is. On the other hand, Zac want to be able to be who he is and love who he wants to love. This is shown in the bar scene, when Zac sees a figure reminiscent of his father. He is caught between being to different people, which leads him to be lost for almost all the movie, and in this
