Jonathan Plourde’s Curse. The Story of the Series Filmed in Ottawa

This six-episode miniseries was filmed entirely in Ottawa, and its production team was composed of people from Ontario. You can read more about the show’s history, plot, and locations on ottawa-trend.com.

Production

“The Curse of Jonathan Plourde” is a co-production between Ottawa-based Productions Slalom and its Montreal counterpart, Avenue Productions. Residents of Ottawa are well acquainted with the work of television production company Productions Slalom, founded in 2007 by Marie-Pierre Gariepy. The cultural company creates youth, documentary, and magazine series in French for the Canadian and international markets. It introduces innovation and brings together talented artists, offering high-quality content to its audience.

It is worth noting that Productions Slalom is a member of the Alliance of Francophone Producers of Canada. The organization’s main mission is to protect the interests of Canadian Francophone producers in minority environments.

The series was directed by Martin Cadotte from Ottawa, who managed to combine his passion for cinematic language with art and documentary filmmaking. The director also taught visual language and dramatic structure to students at INIS. The cast and crew appreciate the director for his talent and leadership qualities. Martin Cadotte can be described in three words: determination, rigour, sensitivity.

The series was filmed in 2018, with 1 season and 6 episodes. Each of them lasted an hour. The series aired in the fall of 2019 and immediately won the favour of viewers. The original idea was by director Stéphane Lapointe, the author of “The Prize of Wrongdoing,” “Knockout Theory,” and “Anxiety Masters.”

Lead Roles

The cast of the series includes many Quebec actors, as well as Franco-Ontarians. Let’s look at the actors who starred in all six episodes.

1. The main role of Jonathan Plourde was played by Félix-Antoine Duval. He is an actor from New Brunswick, Canada. In addition to this work, he is known for his roles in other films: “Midway” (2019), “Moonfall” (2022), “Bergers” (2024).
2. Simon Lacroix, who played the role of Nick in the series. He is not only an actor but also a screenwriter. Born in Ottawa, he later moved to Montreal. Simon Lacroix is known for his works: “Letting Go” (2017), “The Academy” (2017), “Stairway to Charm” (2022).
3. Kalinka Petrie, who played Jeanne. She is an actress from Montreal, known for such works as: “Letterkenny” (2016), “District 31” (2016), “When Calls the Heart” (2019).
4. Laetitia Isambert-Denis. The actress played Marianne. She is also known for other works: “The Great Laurel” (2003), “Without Her” (2006), “Patrick Sénécal Presents” (2021) and others.
5. Anie Richer, who played Nadine in the series. The Franco-Ontarian actress is known for the films “Gatshot,” “Makinium” (2021), and “The Hockey Gang” (2022).

Plot

A young man, Jonathan Plourde, falls in love. There is nothing strange about this at first glance, but then his beloved dies. He is 23 years old, a designer, with his whole life ahead of him. However, the situation repeats itself three more times. Then the young man decides that he is under a curse. Jonathan makes the difficult decision to give up love, but a new employee, Jeanne, makes his heart beat faster.

Despite Jonathan’s attempts to ignore his feelings, his friends Nick and Marianne (a fan of strange phenomena) help him find a way to overcome the curse.

Critics often classify this series as “Let’s give it a chance.”

Where was the filming?

1. A small apartment in the Rockcliffe neighbourhood in Ottawa. This area is known as one of the most prestigious and wealthy in Ottawa. The architecture and green space help create a cosy and intimate atmosphere.
2. Several scenes were filmed on the Sapper Bridge, just above the Rideau Canal. This bridge is located near Parliament Hill. It is part of the local infrastructure, and the bridge has an interesting history. This location adds an urban atmosphere to the series and at the same time reflects the everyday life of the city’s residents.
3. On the Plaza Bridge, where the series begins. The Plaza Bridge connects the National Arts Centre with the ByWard Market area. This is one of the central points of Ottawa. This location reflects the heart of the city and its dynamism and historical significance.
4. In New Edinburgh, an old, historic neighbourhood in Ottawa. It is known for its unique architecture and picturesque parks.
5. Lemieux Island is located in the middle of the Ottawa River. This location helps create an atmosphere of isolation, for example, from the urban hustle and bustle.
6. Lowertown (Bas-Ville) also became one of the locations for filming the series. This is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Ottawa, which combines the versatility and authenticity of Canada’s capital.
7. In Chinatown, Asian restaurants and shops are gathered. This place has a special atmosphere.

Many episodes of the series were filmed outdoors and in parks. Watching this series, you can feel Ottawa and the atmosphere of the city. The work contains elements of thriller and fantasy, so to emphasize the mystery, the filming took place at night. Check out our list of films shot in Canada’s capital.

Contest

You can find a considerable list of films shot in Ottawa. The miniseries “The Curse of Jonathan Plourde” also adds to this collection. It is also interesting that the series took part in the competition in the French-language category “Foreign Literature” at the 21st Fiction Festival in La Rochelle. The festival took place from September 11 to 15, 2019, and is a well-known, one of the main television events in France. It is worth noting that this event in the field of fiction is a leading event.

“The Curse of Jonathan Plourde” was nominated for the 2019 Gemini Award in the Best Dramatic Series and Best Cinematography categories. In 2019, the series won the “Gemini” award.

It is known that the series was nominated for three Prix Gémeaux awards.

Sequel

Those residents who were looking forward to a sequel can pay attention to the web series “Ottawa After Dark.” One of the main characters of “The Curse of Jonathan Plourde,” Marianne, explores haunted places in Ottawa in each episode. If you are interested in the topic of the mystery of Canada’s capital, then let’s go through these places:

• the first episode features the Bytown Museum building, one of the oldest in Ottawa. It is surrounded by artefacts and reflects the ancient history of Canada’s capital;
• the second episode immerses the viewer behind the scenes of Parliament. Marianne reveals secret stories that you won’t read in history textbooks;
• the third episode is the Hi-Ottawa Jail Hostel. A night in jail has never been so comfortable;
• in the fourth episode, viewers will travel to Beechwood National Cemetery to enlist the help of friendly spirits;
• in the fifth episode, Marianne goes into a shelter from city noise and nuclear bombs. We are talking about the Diefenbunker, which also protects against evil spirits;
• the sixth episode depicts the secrets of the Rideau Canal’s history. Its construction laid the foundation for the city of Ottawa, so it’s interesting to find out what is hidden under the calm waters;
• the seventh episode is Château Laurier. This is one of the most beautiful hotels in the country, but with a sad and amazing legend. To read about Ottawa’s star-studded actors, check out this article on Anne Murphy.
• the series concludes with the Mackenzie King estate. Marianne found many interesting and supernatural things, which she is happy to share in the episode.

This is the web series OTTAWA AFTER DARK. Bell Media expresses its gratitude to CMF for its financial contribution to this project.