Jean-Marie Lapointe continues his crusade against poverty with a second season of “End of the month”, at MOI ET CIE. Through the journey of ten families in difficult financial situations, he wishes to change the outlook on this reality experienced by many people, both in cities and regions.
Jean-Marie, did you keep the same concept for this second season?
Our approach is always the same. We want to shed light on people who have little or no income at all, in order to find out how they manage to get by and have a more or less normal life. There are some in the lot who have jobs, but whose wages are not much higher than a welfare check.
Do you have something new?
Exceptionally, we will have an eleventh episode, which will allow us to return to the protagonists of the first season to see, a year later, where they have reached. It is even possible that we will go see families that we filmed last fall for season 2, if their reality has changed.
photo-source position-absolute" itemprop="copyrightHolder"> COURTESY ME AND CIE
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What are their motivations for testifying with their face uncovered?
Almost all of our protagonists have told us that they want to show that it is possible to get out of this. They hope to donate tips and that their story can inspire others. There is a tremendous amount of generosity, compassion and kindness on their part.
Poverty is often associated with the city, but there is also poverty in the regions. Do you show this reality?
Poverty is sometimes even more difficult to experience in the regions, where it is often hidden. There are also fewer resources. In big cities, like Montreal or Quebec, there are a lot of options. Someone who is more financially strapped will be able to eat through food banks or meals served in shelters. In the regions, it is much more difficult. We therefore went into this context, because the face of poverty is multiple.
The containment and the pandemic have had dramatic economic consequences. Is this new paradigm present in the series?
Half the season was shot before we put the shoots on ice. When we started again, we continued with some protagonists with whom we had started. We therefore did not have the choice to include what the pandemic had as an effect on their lives. It is very difficult for people who were already financially tight. For some, there was a respite, because the creditors were also in confinement. But with deconfinement, the accounts come in and you have to pay them. For others, this has been surprisingly beneficial. Danielle, a woman in her 50s, worked a lot as an Uber driver during lockdown, because she did a lot more order deliveries. The series places great emphasis on the resilience, courage and fortitude of our protagonists.
Beginning of the second season of “End of the month”, this Wednesday, 8pm, at MOI ET CIE.
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