Chants des lacs et du vent (Songs of the Lakes and Wind)

In Northwestern Ontario, Francophone communities are spread across a vast territory. Yet they share many realities: the desire to live in French, build connections, and give voice to a Francophonie that is sometimes not very visible in the public sphere.

Through Chants des lacs et du vent (Songs of the Lakes and Wind), eight communities and 50 participants transformed the distances between them into the starting point for a shared creation. Youth, families, volunteers, and artists were invited to share their daily experiences, their relationship with the French language, and their sense of belonging.

Their contributions gave rise to Est-ce que tu l’entends ?, an original song that brings together the voices, expressions, and landscapes of Northwestern Ontario in an audio recording accompanied by a music video.

 A Northern Artist Listening to Communities

Originally from Timmins, singer-songwriter Céleste Lévis is familiar with the realities of Francophone communities in Northern Ontario. Through virtual workshops, she created a space where each participant could contribute their experiences, their words, and their own level of confidence in French.

The discussions brought forward images, memories, and reflections on life as a linguistic minority. Some participants spoke about their attachment to their community, while others discussed the need to be heard or the place they wished to occupy as Francophones in their region.

Céleste Lévis guided the group in transforming this material into lyrics and music. The accents, expressions, and different ways of speaking French remained at the heart of the song, giving it a character deeply rooted in Northwestern Ontario.

When Talents Come Together

The creative process then moved from computer screens to microphones and instruments. Artists from across the region took part in performing and recording the song.

For some participants, this was their first studio experience. For others, the project offered an opportunity to collaborate with professional artists or discover talent from elsewhere in the region.

People of different ages and backgrounds, who did not necessarily take part in the same community activities, came together around a shared work. The ideas exchanged during the workshops became voices, harmonies, and a collective musical production.

The Land Takes the Screen

Once the song had been recorded, the next step was to show the places and people it gave voice to. A shared storyboard and production guidelines enabled communities to capture footage within their own environments.

Brought together in the music video, these sequences take viewers on a journey from Red Lake to Manitouwadge. The faces, landscapes, and everyday settings provide a tangible connection to the song and reveal a Francophonie that takes different forms from one community to another.

The music video thus becomes a journey across Northwestern Ontario, carried by the people who create there, gather there, and continue to keep French alive there.