Canada (Québec) / 2021 / 35 min / o.v. English with French subtitles
The medium-length 2021 Canada (Quebec) s.t. English | 35 min
Experimental Arts | Family | Portrait
In filmmaker Sonya Stefan’s hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, a truss arch bridge straddles the St. Marys River, linking Canada to the United States. But underneath the bridge, a kind of liminal space exists where the notion of borders is blurred. With a wild yet carefully controlled energy, this deconstructed work transports us to the curious site where, it seems, anything is possible. Somewhere between an autobiographical piece, a heartfelt tribute to an immigrant mother whose fate is out of her hands, and a dance film rich in poetry and symbolism, this ode to freedom bubbles with reflections and experimentations – all set against the imposing backdrop of factory chimneys.
| Réalisation : Sonya Stefan Direction photo /DoP: Olivier Gossot (16mm film) Archive Footage: Salvatore Stefan and Sonya Stefan Son/Sound : Kurt Waizmann Montage/Editing : Sonya Stefan Musique/Music: Jackie Gallant Production : Sonya Stefan Distribution: La Distributrice de films 2021 RIDM BEST NATIONAL SHORT OR MEDIUM-LENGTH FILM presented by Télé-Québec and SLA Location “For the playful energy with which it shakes off all restraints; for the power of a daughter’s questioning about aging, identity and freedom; and for the fearlessness at its core that reminds us to find joy within our bodies.” The jury for the short and medium-length competitions was composed of Mira Burt-Wintonick (filmmaker and radio producer), Halima Elkhatabi (director of short films and documentary podcasts), and Oksana Karpovych, (screenwriter, filmmaker and photographer). 2022 RVCQ MEILLEURE OEUVRE D’ART ET EXPÉRIMENTATION Présenté par PRIM Une exploration de l’identité, de la politique et de la culture féminines qui résume certaines des angoisses éprouvées par deux générations de femmes. Jury : Sarianne Cormier, réalisatrice et comédienne – Omar Elhamy, réalisateur et monteur – Ariane Louis-Seize, scénariste et réalisatrice 2022 Gala Cinema QUEBEC Nomination for MEILLEUR COURT MÉTRAGE | DOCUMENTAIRE 2023 61st Ann Arbor Film Festival Competition Category |
Sonya Stefan 