On the Verge of a Fever

An adaptation of Dany Laferrière's novel Dining with the Dictator (Le Goût des jeunes filles), the film is set in Haiti over the weekend in 1971 when François Duvalier died and was succeeded as president of Haiti by his son Jean-Claude Duvalier.

It centres on Fanfan, a fifteen-year-old boy who is hiding from the Tonton Macoute after being drawn into trouble by his friend Gégé, and who loses his virginity to Miki, the young woman sheltering him at her home.{{cite news |date=2005-01-21 |title=Growing up fast |newspaper=Montreal Gazette}}

Fanfan is a character who frequently recurs in Laferrière's work,{{cite news |last=Jaggi |first=Maya |date=2013-02-01 |title=Dany Laferrière: a life in books |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/feb/01/dany-laferriere-life-in-books |newspaper=The Guardian}} including the concurrent film How to Conquer America in One Night (Comment conquérir l'Amérique en une nuit), which was Laferrière's own directorial debut.{{cite web |last=Ramond |first=Charles-Henri |date=2008-12-28 |title=Comment conquérir l'Amérique en une nuit – Film de Dany Laferrière |trans-title=How to Conquer America in One Night – Film by Dany Laferrière |url=https://www.filmsquebec.com/films/comment-conquerir-amerique-nuit-laferriere/ |website=Films du Québec |language=fr}}

• Lansana Kourouma as Fanfan
• Uly Darly as Gégé
• Koumba Ball as Miki
• Néhémie Dumas as Marie-Erna
• Maita Lavole as Pasqualine
• Daphnee Desravines as Choupette
• Mireille Métellus as Fanfan's mother
• Luck Mervil
• Maka Kotto as Papa
• Dany Laferrière as narration
• Daniela Akerblom as reporter
• Dan Bigras as photographer

The film, which Laferrière expected to be produced in 2002, had originally been given the working title Goût des jeunes filles douces.{{cite news |last=Lepage |first=Jocelyn |date=2002-08-30 |title=Dany Laferrière revient à Montréal |trans-title=Dany Laferrière returns to Montreal |url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2195215 |newspaper=La Presse |via=BAnQ |page=C3 |language=fr |access-date=2024-05-03}}

Although set in Haiti, the film was shot primarily in Guadeloupe due to the political instability of Haiti at the time.{{cite book |last=Bessette |first=Lee Skallerup |date=2014 |chapter=7: Becoming a Gwo Nèg in 1970s Haiti: Dany Laferrièr’s Coming-of-Age Film Le Goût des Jeunes Filles (On the Verge of Fever) |editor-last1=Nandi |editor-first1=Swaralipi |editor-last2=Chatterjee |editor-first2=Esha |title=Spectacles of Blood: A Study of Masculinity and Violence in Postcolonial Films |publisher=Zubaan Books |isbn=9789383074136}} L'Écuyer's budget for the film was not enough to pay for insurance to film in Port-au-Prince, so the film was largely shot in Pointe-à-Pitre.{{cite news |last=Tremblay |first=Odile |date=2005-01-15 |title=Avec peu d'argent, mais beaucoup de coeur |trans-title=With little money, but lots of heart |url=https://www.ledevoir.com/culture/cinema/72545/avec-peu-d-argent-mais-beaucoup-de-coeur? |newspaper=Le Devoir |access-date=2024-05-03 |language=fr}} During filming, the crew encountered problems with equipment operation in the {{cvt|35|C}} weather.

The film premiered at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival.{{cite news |date=2004-09-10 |title=African cinema's moment in the sun; Continent better represented at fest than ever: Pioneering movie in Zulu among noteworthy flicks |newspaper=Toronto Star}}

The premiere performance in the United States occurred when the film was screened at the San Francisco Black Film Festival on 8 June 2005.{{cite news |date=2005-06-07 |title=Local Events |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/462651235/ |url-access=subscription |newspaper=San Francisco Examiner |via=Newspapers.com |volume=140 |issue=247 |page=21 |access-date=2024-05-03}}

When Miami Dade College screened the film in December 2006, the filmmakers were present afterward for a question and answer session.{{cite news |last=Arias-Polo |first=Arturo |date=2006-12-14 |title=Haití, una mirada diferente |trans-title=Haiti, a different view |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/654771406/ |url-access=subscription |newspaper=El Nuevo Herald |via=Newspapers.com |page=D12 |access-date=2024-05-03 |language=es}}

Le Devoir's review after the conclusion of the 2004 TIFF was mixed: while the review praised L’Écuyer's understanding of Haiti in the 1970s and his familiarity with Laferrière's works, it was disappointed with the acting.{{cite news |last=Bilodeau |first=Martin |date=2004-10-09 |title=En prélude à un excitant casse-tête |url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2814306 |newspaper=Le Devoir |via=BAnQ |access-date=2024-05-03 |page=E8 |language=fr}}

La Presse rated the film three stars, saying that L’Écuyer was able to capture the moments where beauty thumbs its nose at the violence and fear of Haiti's political climate in the wake of François Duvalier's death.{{cite news |last=Lussier |first=Marc-André |date=2004-10-17 |title=La Presse a vu |url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2200167 |via=BAnQ |language=fr |access-date=2024-05-03 |page=3}}

While Le Droit seemed impressed by L’Écuyer's ability to show the audience the tumultuous changes in an adolescent psyche – especially given the political environment, the reviewer also expressed disappointment in the acting. They felt the delivery of lines was too practiced, stating that the film "struggled" to give the characters "dimension".{{cite news |last=Carignan |first=Gilles |date=2005-03-19 |title=L'adolescent veut savoir |url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3749405 |newspaper=Le Droit |via=BAnQ |language=fr |page=A6}}

Le Canada français found the film to be an intriguing tale, giving Lansana Kourouma praise for his portrayal of Fanfan.{{cite news |last=Cloutier |first=Pascal |date=2005-06-15 |title=À Haïti, entre l'enfance et l'adolescence |trans-title=In Haiti, between childhood and adolescence |newspaper=La Canada Français |page=C7 |via=Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec |language=fr}}

Variety was less pleased with the film, stating that the coming-of-age tale was predictable and not unique, as well as being more consistent with an anecdote than with a dramatic piece. They were also put off by the climaxes of the story, stating that the sexual climax was "mildly discomforting".{{cite magazine |date=2004-10-12 |title=On The Verge Of A Fever |magazine=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2004/film/reviews/on-the-verge-of-a-fever-1200530271/}}

Film Threat had praise for every aspect of the production and the reviewer was particularly pleased with L’Écuyer's decision not to "force" events on the viewer, to allow the story to "seep" into the audience's awareness. Though they did point out there are moments where the film "sputters", they also made certain to note that the film would likely appeal to audiences around the world.{{cite web |last=Wegg |first=James |date=2005-05-17 |title=Le Goût des jeunes filles |url=https://filmthreat.com/uncategorized/le-gout-des-jeunes-filles/ |website=Film Threat |access-date=2024-05-03}}

The National Post rated the film three stars, commenting that the French title is illustrative of the way that the audience is given the interaction with the female characters, saying, "[T]hat's all you get of them: a taste." The reviewer does point out that there is a dichotomy in Fanfan's "delusion" that he's being pursued by the Tonton Macoute and the sexual fantasy he lives out.{{cite news |last=Nestruck |first=J. Kelly |date=2005-04-29 |title=Lust in a time of dictatorship |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/514410635/ |url-access=subscription |newspaper=National Post |via=Newspapers.com |volume=7 |issue=157 |page=PM4 |access-date=2024-05-03}}

The Atlanta Constitution gave a positive review, stating that L'Écuyer brings the chaos of 1971 Haiti and Fanfan's sexual awakening "smoothly", fluctuating between tension and humor and allowing characters other than Fanfan to "address the camera".{{cite news |last=Murray |first=Steve |date=2006-07-14 |title=Echoes of Africa |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/423036846 |url-access=subscription |newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution |via=Newspapers.com |volume=58 |issue=195 |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/image/423036950 E1], [https://www.newspapers.com/image/423036846 E10] |access-date=2024-05-03}}

The Los Angeles Times noted that the setting and opening of the film might lead viewers to expect something action-oriented, rather than the "more mellow path" of following Fanfan leaving his innocence behind over the course of a weekend. The reviewer commented that the story had a "certain sweetness".{{cite news |last=Crust |first=Kevin |date=2006-02-09 |title=Mystical and modern |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/192761806/ |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |via=Newspapers.com |page=E53 |access-date=2024-05-03}}

It was a Black Reel Award nominee for Outstanding Independent Film at the Black Reel Awards of 2006.{{cn|date=May 2024}}

The film also received Honorable Mention for the Best Feature Jury Award at the Pan African Film Festival in 2006.{{cite web |title=Filmmaker Awards Archives |url=https://www.paff.org/awards/archives/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20220110085201/https://www.paff.org/awards/archives/#1637642977007-db6f4050-5532 |archive-date=2022-01-10 |website=Pan African Film Festival |date=15 November 2021 |access-date=2024-05-04}} Though the site is currently active, the archive page is the only way to see the archive for 2006 as of the access date.

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|0424125}}
• {{Rotten Tomatoes|on-the-verge-of-a-fever-le-gout-des-jeunes-filles}}

{{John L'Ecuyer}}

Category:2004 films

Category:2004 drama films

Category:Canadian coming-of-age drama films

Category:Black Canadian films

Category:Films set in Haiti

Category:Films shot in Guadeloupe

Category:Films based on Canadian novels

Category:Films directed by John L'Ecuyer

Category:French-language Canadian films

Category:2000s Canadian films