Two Canadian Shorts Chosen As Official Selections At Cannes
Telefilm Canada is pleased to announce that Ce n’est rien, by Nicolas Roy, and Big Muddy, by Jefferson Moneo, will be presented as Official Selections at the 64th edition of the Cannes Festival, which runs from May 12 to 22, 2011. In addition, the film At Night, They Dance (La Nuit, elles dansent), by Isabelle Lavigne and Stéphane Thibault, will be screened during the 43rd Directors’ Fortnight, a section held in parallel to the Festival.
“The Cannes Festival’s Official Selection is a mark of international recognition,” said Carolle Brabant, Executive Director of Telefilm Canada. “It also serves as a major springboard for the careers of the films and their creators. Congratulations to Nicolas Roy and Jefferson Moneo.”
“In addition, each year the Directors’ Fortnight highlights a number of innovative, original works worthy of our attention,” added Brabant. “We are therefore very proud that the talents of Isabelle Lavigne and Stéphane Thibault have been recognized.”
In a news release issued today, the Official Selection announced that nine short films would be presented in official competition, among them the Quebec short Ce n’est rien, directed by Nicolas Roy and produced by Voyous Films. The jury awarding the Palme d’Or for best short film will be chaired by French filmmaker Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind).
In addition, Cinéfondation, part of the Official Selection at the Cannes Festival, will this year present 16 works from graduating students at film schools in 11 countries, chosen from 1,589 works submitted. Among the selected films is Big Muddy, directed by Saskatchewan filmmaker Jefferson Moneo, who studied at Columbia University in New York. The film was produced by Prowler Pictures. Michel Gondry will also award the three Cinéfondation prizes.
Shot in Cairo, At Night, They Dance is a feature documentary that takes viewers into the heart of a clan of women among whom the art of dance has been passed down from mother to daughter for generations. In official competition at the 2010 RIDM (Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal), the film received a Mention from the jury of the Kino Pen Award. The film also earned a rave review from Variety.
Directors: Isabelle Lavigne and Stéphane Thibault
Producer: Les Films du Tricycle
Distributor: Les Films du 3 mars
International sales: Autlook Films
Telefilm Canada is proud to have participated in the funding of this film through the Theatrical Documentary Program.
