When hearing the story of how Christian Larouche joined the film business, it’s impossible not to think of the words ‘humble beginnings.’

When Larouche was six years old, he was watching TV one day when he declared to his mother that some day she’d see his name on television. She laughed.

Larouche knew at a young age that he’d leave his native Quebec town of Lac-Saint-Jean, because ‘most of the people were lumberjacks, and I didn’t want to do that.’

So off he went to the big city of Montreal in 1973, at the tender age of 19. He called the one person he knew in Montreal – his cousin – and found out that the company she worked for, Cinepix, was looking for a driver.

Little did he know that it was a successful film company run by now-legendary Canadian producers and distributors André Link and John Dunning, inaugural inductees into Playback’s Canadian Film and Television Hall of Fame.

Link still recalls an ‘extremely eager young’ Larouche showing up, ready to do anything.

The only job opening involved driving a delivery truck, and when asked if he knew the streets of Montreal, Larouche fibbed, saying that he did.

‘After the delivery,’ Link says with a laugh, ‘it took Christian all day to get back to our offices. He didn’t know Montreal at all!’

But Link says he recognized a driven person in Larouche, right from day one.

‘Christian was always extremely efficient and totally reliable,’ Link says. ‘He had such strong determination and was very clever.’

And upon learning that Larouche has been named Playback’s producer of the year by the Playback editorial board, Link says: ‘Frankly, John and I are very proud. He got his start with us.’

Pride would be in order, as 2007 marked an exceptional winning streak for Larouche.

Aside from his successful distribution interests (more on that later), Larouche stepped up his production activities this year, producing two hits that his Christal Films distributed; coproducing two upcoming international features (Afterwards and Mr. Nobody); and launching into television series production with the romantic comedy Miss Météo (set to air January 2008) following a 2005 hit TV movie of the same name.

Larouche coproduced the hit Les 3 p’tits cochons (The Three Little Pigs) with producer Pierre Gendron (Jesus of Montreal) through Gendron’s company Zoofilms, originally incorporated in 1984 for Night Zoo. At press time, Cochons had made $4.5 million at the box office after 14 weeks in theaters.

Larouche and Gendron took a chance putting popular Quebec actor Patrick Huard (Bon Cop, Bad Cop) in the director’s chair for Cochons, and not all of the directors in Quebec were so wild about the choice, believing the thesp had not paid his helming dues. But the move paid off: the dramedy about three adulterous brothers is the leading contender for the 2007 Golden Reel Award for biggest box office for a homegrown film, and stands to have a stellar life in DVD and other windows.

Larouche also coproduced (with Gaëa Films) the teen comedy ¿ vos marques…Party! (see story page 22), which grossed over $2 million and has ignited plans for a sequel.

On a roll, Larouche reunited with Gendron for another Zoofilms production, this time with Huard back in front of the camera in the dark comedy Cadavres, the eagerly anticipated next movie by Erik Canuel (the director behind blockbuster Bon Cop, Bad Cop), which is currently in post-production and due in cinemas in 2008.

When peers, friends and mentors were asked about the key to Larouche’s success as a producer, they pointed to his background in distribution as one reason; the other is instinct.

‘He had the nose,’ Link says of Larouche’s canny gut feelings about movies.

‘He always had drive, going from driver to projectionist to booker to salesman,’ Link continues. ‘But instinct is something you can’t buy or develop – you either have it or you don’t. And he had it. That’s why in the ’80s I suggested he go to France for us, as a buyer.’

One of Larouche’s biggest success stories for Cinepix was acquiring 1991 Oscar-winner Cyrano de Bergerac.

Larouche’s role kept growing as the company expanded and merged – going from Cinepix to CFP (when it combined with Famous Players) to Lions Gate (he became a VP and was eventually made a partner). Christal Films was formed in 2001, and ties with Lionsgate and Maple Pictures were dissolved in May 2007.

Over the years, Larouche has honed his skills, distributing a mix of films he’s produced and managing to acquire strong international films for local sales, such as March of the Penguins. He’s now looking to break into the English-Canadian market, having opened a Toronto office last year.

Gendron says that Larouche’s pedigree in distribution has meant ‘that he knows what will fly and won’t fly. He has a strong sense of public taste. He dreams about how to connect with the public.’

Luc Déry, producer at Montreal’s micro_scope, has worked with Larouche since 2002, when Christal distributed the Gary Burns film A Problem with Fear, which Déry coproduced.

‘Christian is an incredibly supportive person, something you don’t always find in the industry,’ Déry says. ‘He’s big on personal relationships. I’ve always found him someone I could trust. Since then, Christal has distributed all of our films, including Congorama and Continental, un film sans fusil,’ the latter winning TIFF’s best Canadian first feature this year for director Stéphane Lafleur.

A scan of Larouche’s filmography makes the man appear to have a split personality. On the one hand, he seems entirely comfortable with the hugely successful Les Boys franchise (produced by Richard Goudreau), while on the other, he champions debutant directors and critical faves such as the Canadian/French/Belgian copro Congorama.

Yet that’s exactly what makes Larouche so pivotal at this juncture in the history of Quebec cinema: he does both.

‘He’s definitely a bridge between these two worlds,’ says Déry. ‘He knows some films aren’t necessarily going to be blockbusters. But he still trusts the filmmaker’s voice.’

‘Christian is the distributor of Les Boys,’ says Gendron, ‘but he’s also a huge supporter of the cinema d’auteur. He has an ability to talk to all of these people without judgment. He understands that not all things are mainstream. He can go everywhere – he likes and appreciates all kinds of films. Intellectually and professionally, he’s ambidextrous.’

Adds mentor Link: ‘I think it’s very commendable that Christian takes risks on filmmakers who are dealing with more difficult subjects. This is a very risky business.

‘I liken producing a film with heading down a steep hill in a truck with no working brakes, just the steering,’ Link explains. ‘Christian manages the truck well – most of the time he’s right. He’s only started producing in the past decade or so, but already he’s shaping the future of Quebec cinema.’

With files from Patricia Bailey