Director Stephen Williams and writer Stefani Robinson joined TheWrap and Shutterstock’s Interview and Portrait Studio at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival to discuss their new film “Chevalier,” a period drama about a Black 18th century classical composer who faced constant racism even as his music won the favor of Marie Antoinette.
Played by “Luce” star Kelvin Harrison Jr. in the film, Chevalier de Saint-Georges — born Joseph Bologne in Guadeloupe in 1745 — was the child of a white French plantation owner and an African slave. Taken to Paris at an early age for his education, Saint-Georges became a prodigy both as a fencer and a violin player.
His skills earned him a spot in the court of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, but they only got him so far: The racism of French high society cost him the chance to become the director of the Paris Opera. Prejudice and bigotry had a major impact on Saint-Georges, especially after the French Revolution turned Paris on its head.
“We’ve just scratched the surface with an introduction to this guy,” Robinson told TheWrap’s senior film reporter Brian Welk. “He was an incredibly virtuosic violinist, composer and fencer. He was very politically active in the latter half of his life…He was sort of a cultural icon of the time.”
Williams said he was drawn to Robinson’s script because of Chevalier’s parallels to his own life, namely his Caribbean origins and creation of a new identity for himself after leaving home at a young age. When it came to casting the virtuoso, he said hiring Kelvin Harrison Jr. was a “no-brainer.”
“His previous work speaks for itself, with the level of commitment and dedication and focus he brings to any role,” Williams said. “It’s a very demanding role, and to find a way to not only find a version of this character that not only felt rooted in its time and place but was also contemporary…that was going to require someone who was going to roll up their sleeves and commit to portraying that character.”
Watch the full interview in the clip above.
Studio sponsors include GreenSlate, Moët & Chandon, PEX and Vancouver Film School.
