Documentary Project

Any large-scale project like “Le Monaco d’Amérique | Mémoires de circuits” presents its share of challenges”.

1. Archive processing: Handling and editing thousands of photos and hours of archive footage is a major technical and creative task. Our long-standing expertise in video production ensures that we can manage this volume and extract the essence for the film. When it comes to clearing the rights to use archives, it’s quite possible that monetary choices will have to be made. The use of archives on various platforms, particularly digital and international, requires extensive rights, which in turn increases costs.

2. The urgency of the interviews: Louis-Nicolas and Jacques’ long-established professional network has given them direct access to key players in motorsport around the world (drivers, families, founders, volunteers, enthusiasts). Many of them are advancing in age, and their precarious health makes filming more urgent. Some important testimonials have already slipped through our fingers. It’s essential to collect their memories before they disappear. Although their availability may vary, the strength of our network and our consistency remain precious assets in this context.

3. Logistics and costs: Approximately 10 original interviews are planned, ideally in the USA, Italy and France. These shoots are costly, since they require air travel for three team members each time, as well as accommodation and food. The decision to produce 2 versions of the film (French and English) enables us to reach a wider international audience, but also generates additional costs for translation, dubbing and subtitling. As the team and director are bilingual, it makes it easier to work in both languages.

4. Rewards: Offering physical rewards, such as signed photographic paintings and books, requires complex logistics: production, quality control and distribution. In addition to ensuring that the material is signed on time and shipped damage-free, we need to identify affordable printing suppliers to keep as much money as possible for the project.

The goal is to offer affordable counterparts that appeal internationally, without blowing the budget on postage.

These elements have been integrated into our planning, and we will adjust costs and deadlines as funding levels are reached.

5. International distribution: The global reach of the target audience poses distribution challenges. To meet these challenges, we plan to distribute the film in two formats: firstly, in Trois-Rivières, and secondly, digitally.

Team expertise: Our team brings together experienced professionals from the documentary and motorsport worlds. Jacques Deshaies, a well-known sports journalist and promoter both in Trois-Rivières and internationally, brings valuable, authentic expertise to the project, as well as a wide network of contacts. The enthusiasm for this film is genuine, both among fans and among our partners, including the Grand Prix 3R, with whom we have a strong bond. 

Your contribution is essential to bring this project to life and preserve this unique memory that wants to be seen around the world.

What is the documentary’s format and style?

This historical documentary is scheduled to run 90 minutes. Two versions are available: the original French version and an English dubbed version. The film adopts a stylistic approach combining photographs, in-depth interviews with key players and exclusive use of archival footage. This blend aims to capture the history, heritage, thrill and passion of the event.

 Who’s behind the project?

The film is directed by Louis-Nicolas Thiffault, a video production professional with 27 years’ experience. His father, Jean Thiffault, was one of the founding members of the C.A.M., which created the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières. For this project, he has surrounded himself with Jacques Deshaies, an experienced producer, renowned sports journalist and former driver, as well as a team of collaborators specialized in history and motor sport.

 Why is this project important to the world of motor sport?

This project is of particular importance to the world of motorsport, as it contributes to the preservation of an essential part of its history in Quebec. By retracing almost a century of significant events and emblematic figures, this documentary plays an active part in passing on this collective memory to future generations. It is also part of a current trend that values historical narratives and nostalgia. Driven by a personal and authentic approach, the film also draws on its director’s own family archives and memories, lending the whole a singular human depth and emotional impact.

How did the idea for this project come about? 

The idea for this documentary took root in 1997, when Louis-Nicolas Thiffault discovered an impressive archive following the death of his father Jean Thiffault: several thousand photos, reels of 8mm and 16mm film, and rare documents relating to the early days of the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières.

Discussions with his uncle Louis, Jean’s brother, led to the desire to keep this heritage alive. Driven by a long-standing passion for motorsport and his father’s community involvement, Louis-Nicolas began a film project. Initially focused on his father’s friend Gilles Villeneuve, the project evolved in 2020 to refocus on a unique and deeply rooted story: that of the GP3R, at the crossroads of family memory, collective history and Quebec’s influence in motorsport.

Why a documentary in addition to the Youtube channel?

Launched in September 2022 with a vignette for the Freddie Hunt special on RDS, the project’s YouTube channel quickly became a central lever of development. Since 2023, it has been broadcasting interviews, tributes, historical vignettes and archive races, attracting an engaged community.

With almost 100,000 views and an average of 160 views per day, it confirms the public’s interest in this motorsport memoir. The transition to a feature-length film was thus a natural step, to structure and deepen this content into a lasting, coherent work.