This is a second collaboration for Martin Villeneuve and Robert Lepage, who previously worked together on Mars and April (2012), which Villeneuve directed and Lepage starred in. But, this time around, Lepage wasn't a hologram.
This movie about the Villeneuve family is based on real characters and facts. It was partly shot in the small village of Gentilly, Quebec, where Martin Villeneuve and his older brother Denis Villeneuve grew up. The main character of Imelda, played by Martin, is based on their paternal grandmother, and Jean, portrayed by Robert Lepage, was inspired by their father. Lynda Beaulieu interprets their mother Nicole, while Ginette Reno plays Simone, their maternal grandmother. Michel Barrette was cast as their uncle André, and Anne-Marie Cadieux as their aunt Diane. Antoine Bertrand plays their cousin Louis, while Marc-François Blondin portrays their brother Claude.
Imelda Films Inc., the production company founded by Martin Villeneuve in order to produce this movie, was incorporated by notary Jean Villeneuve, the director's father who inspired the character portrayed by Robert Lepage. Mr. Villeneuve has since retired, ending his long career spanning more than five decades as a notary, which is why Martin Villeneuve said in an interview that this film is, in a way, his "retirement gift" to his dad.
This movie was self-produced with no money over a nine-year stretch. Martin Villeneuve tried to finance it for five years, after the success of his award-winning short Imelda (2014). Canadian stars Robert Lepage and Ginette Reno, who had both appreciated the short film and endorsed the feature film screenplay, said yes to play the other two leading roles. However, the project failed to convince the Canadian funding agencies, SODEC and Telefilm Canada. Villeneuve decided to shoot his movie nonetheless, with the resources at hand, in 8 'chapters' chronicling Imelda's last 12 years. Villeneuve assembled an all-star cast, and the whole crew once again agreed to work for free. Upon its release, Les 12 travaux d'Imelda (2022) was a hit in Quebec, opening in 29 theaters and grossing $200,000 at the Box Office (numbers that the majority of productions financed by the Canadian funding agencies do not reach). In 2022, the movie won the Borsos Award for Best Editing at the Whistler Film Festival. Additionally, in 2023, Villeneuve won the Best Actor Award for his role of Imelda at the Festival du Film Canadien de Dieppe, France, and the Best Director Award at the Canada China International Film Festival.
This is a much anticipated return to cinema for Ginette Reno, who has not been seen on the big screen since A Family Secret (2006). Filmmaker Martin Villeneuve said he could not think of anyone else to play his maternal grandmother Simone, Imelda's lifelong adversary. "Not only does she look and sound the part," says Villeneuve, "but she was also my grandma's favorite singer." Because the real Simone used to sing at the church, it was a perfect opportunity to have Ginette Reno sing in this film.