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Last Summers of the Raspberries to compete at Series Mania

By Victoria Ahearn
February 22, 2022
The French-language series from Montreal's Trio Orange and Quebecor Content is up for three prizes at the film festival in northern France.

A fter its recent premiere at the Berlin Film Festival (Berlinale), the French-language Canadian series Last Summers of the Raspberries (Le temps des framboises) is set to screen in competition at Series Mania.

The dramedy is directed by Montreal filmmaker Philippe Falardeau (Oscar-nominated Monsieur Lazhar) and written by Florence Longpré (Can You Hear Me?) and Suzie Bouchard (Pillow Talk). It’s produced by Trio Orange president Carlos Soldevila and partners Julia Langlois and Annie Sirois, in collaboration with Quebecor Content.

At the Series Mania international film festival running March 18 to 25 in northern France, Last Summers of the Raspberries will compete alongside 11 other International Panorama films for one of three awards: Best Series, Jury Prize and the Student Jury Best Series.

Two juries will oversee the competition — one comprising professionals, the other of students.

Last Summers of the Raspberries follows a widow and mother of two teenage sons as she tries to manage a family farm she inherited after the sudden death of her husband. Along the way she encounters trouble from her in-laws and gets help from seasonal workers. Sandrine Bisson, Edison Ruiz, Micheline Lanctôt, Elijah Patrice and Paul Doucet are among the stars of the 10 x 44-minute episode series, which was shot in summer 2021.

Last Summers of the Raspberries will be available on Videotron’s subscription streaming service, Club illico, starting April 14. It was the second Quebec-based drama to world premiere at Berlinale, after Radio-Canada’s Ici.Tou.TV Extra series Happily Married (C’est comme ça que je t’aime) had its world premiere in 2020.

“First the Berlinale, now Series Mania! We’re spoiled! I hope the Quebec audience enjoys it in April; that’s what counts,” says Falardeau, in a statement.

“The fact that Last Summers of the Raspberries was selected for a second renowned international festival demonstrates once again a growing interest in Quebec productions and a recognition of our local creators,” adds Yann Paquet, VP of strategy and international business at Quebecor Content.