Published on 16/09/2024
To celebrate its 30th edition, CINEMANIA launched a call for submissions that was met with immense success, with hundreds of projects submitted. The festival is now unveiling the first of four competitions: the short films. The selected works will be screened during two festive events: The Great Quebec Short Film Evening on November 5 and The Great International Short Film Evening on November 13. These evenings will give the competing films the opportunity to win the awards for Best Quebec Short Film and Best International Short Film, awarded by a prestigious jury.
SEE JURY
THE GREAT QUEBEC SHORT FILM EVENING
THE GREAT INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM EVENING
For our Quebec and international short film festivals, the jury plays a central role in offering creators well-deserved and authentic recognition. Composed of prominent figures from the world of cinema and the arts, our jury embodies diversity, expertise, and a commitment to artistic creation.
This year, we are honored to have Chloé Robichaud as the jury president. A renowned director and screenwriter in Quebec, she brings a sharp and sensitive perspective to the works, shaped by her many years of experience behind the camera. Joining her is Lennikim, an actor and singer, whose dual role as performer and versatile artist will provide a unique perspective on performances and staging. Finally, Léa Clermont-Dion, filmmaker and author, will bring her engaged sensitivity and her eye as a talented filmmaker to judge the works with depth and fairness.
Together, this prestigious jury ensures the quality of this year’s selections and awards, celebrating the work of filmmakers and giving essential visibility to emerging talent.
The thirteen Quebec short films (including two out of competition) selected by programmer Jason Béliveau will all be unveiled as premieres in Montreal, offering a privileged view of the creativity and innovation of the local industry. This grand festive evening highlights CINEMANIA's role in promoting these works, celebrating the richness and dynamism of the Quebec short film world.
Directed by Alexandre Lefebvre
Realizing he won't be able to pay his mortgage, Pierre is faced with a heartbreaking decision: evict Micheline, his tenant and friend, who is behind on her payments. ⬆
Directed by Alexandre Isabelle
On the occasion of his hometown’s anniversary parade, Étienne attempts the impossible: to prove to the village the beauty of his family's cacophony.
Directed by Alexa Tremblay-Francoeur
On a wind-swept hill, in a place still young and devoid of life, an ancestral house builds itself. The dwelling comes to life, constructs itself, and illustrates its 150-year-long existence. Brick by brick, plank by plank, every small or large action becomes tangible. Through the ages, it allows us to perceive the passage of time, the transformations of its surroundings, and its vulnerability in the face of the unstoppable frenzy of urban expansion. The house quietly evolves in the heart of a growing, bustling city, which will ultimately bring about its demise.
Directed by Emmanuel Rioux
The housing crisis has many faces. Those of Jeannette and Frances take us into the difficult experience of eviction. Through long months of anxiety, fleeting hopes, and uprooting, Jeannette and Frances fight, both alone and supported, against an intensifying phenomenon: the forced loss of one’s home.
Directed by Rachel Accolas
Following a first-place podium finish, race car driver Jean-Philippe Bergeron prepares for the final race of the season. With his team, made up of family and friends, Jean-Philippe does everything he can to end the season on a high note. The Prolon team invites us into this family story, showing that everyone has a crucial role to play in the world of racing.
Directed by Laetitia Angba et Julie R. Lissouba
Lana, in the turmoil of adolescence, doesn't lead a life quite like others. Her father, Benjamin, is facing deportation from Canada, and the family deals daily with the anxiety of an impending separation. To protect her family, she creates a routine that allows her and her younger brother, Léo, to maintain a semblance of stability and normalcy. While a silent battle rages on, Lana must gather the courage to confront her father before his departure.
Directed by Julien Hardy-Cardinal
Charlotte is an alcoholic trying to complete her first year of sobriety. One night, when the urge to drink is so strong that she fears a relapse, Charlotte goes to her sponsor, Jeanne, who has been sober for over five years. However, upon arriving at Jeanne’s place, Charlotte finds her sponsor in a state of intoxication. With the roles of helper and helped now reversed, Charlotte decides to step in and support her sponsor.
Directed by Geneviève Boiteau
Chloé and Clara leave Montreal together for the cabin of their childhood. By the lake, they begin to explore a new understanding of themselves and time. The two women observe each other, talk, and shout in the forest: one trying to escape her body, the other trying to inhabit it.
Directed by Romane Lepage
Aurélie returns from a long trip and reunites with her friends and ex-boyfriend at a cabin filled with memories. Her abrupt departure left a mark on their relationship, which was already strained by the aftermath of their participation in protests. Following a non-linear structure where pieces of the puzzle are revealed through the protagonist’s emotions, User, Burn, Flee portrays young adults grappling with the consequences of their reckless actions and the complexity of reconnecting with loved ones.
Directed by Ève Saint-Louis
In 2001, on a winter evening, the siblings of two families gather to go sledding. Cléo, fifteen years old, is going through a tough time and feeling lost. During this outing, she will encounter Jules, who abruptly ended their friendship a year earlier. The group will quickly fall back into their old routines, but as the evening progresses, tensions will rise until an inexplicable event occurs, turning everything upside down.
Directed by Nicolas Krief
Around a family Shabbat meal, a quarrel breaks out as Nico and his sister Rachel clash over their father's Sephardic heritage.
Directed by Lévi Doré
Auguste, passionate about astronomy, discovers the meteorite he has been waiting for over the past three years. On the scene is Pénélope.
Directed by Félix-Antoine Bénard
Dysfunctional parents remain blind to the impact they have on their young daughter.
Join us at the Cinémathèque Québécoise on Wednesday, November 13, to discover a captivating selection of international short films. In collaboration with the Regard Festival, CINEMANIA presents works from across the Francophonie: Belgium, France, Lebanon, Switzerland, Ivory Coast... Don’t miss this opportunity to dive into the fascinating world of international short films.
In collaboration with
Directed by Chloé Jouannet - France
Alex accompanies his daughter Jade to a twirling competition. Very quickly, this single father is faced with a situation he never thought he would have to handle before...
Directed by Nathalie Giraud, France
Tomorrow, Romy has an important game to play: the French Basketball Championship qualifiers. But as she returns home, the young girl must once again face Gabrielle, her mother, who is being consumed by her invisible enemy.
Directed by Mathilde Bédouet, France
The eternal August 15th picnic on Callot Island. But this year, Paul, his family, and their friends find themselves trapped by the tide. Paul, overwhelmed and caught between the world of adults and that of children, becomes aware of his individuality.
Directed by Elie Chapuis, Suisse
Vladimir and Olga raise ducks on a small, isolated farm in the countryside. They are hoping for the arrival of a child, but this wait will soon turn into a nightmare.
Directed by Alma Jodorowsky - France
At 12 years old, Ana discovers that her body is suddenly changing. While she is disturbed by this transformation, a mysterious letter reveals a family secret, intensifying her anxiety.
Directed by Cynthia Calvi, France
From the troubled little mermaid to the confident woman she is today, Gigi shares her transition journey with humor and sensitivity.
Directed by Raphaël Jouzeau, France
A month after their breakup, Gaspard meets Leïla in a crowded bar. Overwhelmed by emotions, he hides under the tablecloth, seeking refuge away from prying eyes and closer to memories.
Directed by Joana Hadjithomas et Khalil Joreige, Liban
Today, in Lebanon, power outages are no longer an event but a new normal. Even the museum is sometimes plunged into darkness. Yet, the visitors still want to see, despite everything. Now armed with their phones, they come to observe the remnants of past civilizations as their own world collapses. In the darkness, shadows emerge, and things take shape differently, strangely...
Directed by Paul Vincent de Lestrade, France
One night, Zélie, a 7-year-old girl, sees her young aunt Clara arrive at the family home. Clara is sad, stays in her room, and has bandages on her wrists. Faced with the mystery of this closed door, Zélie understands that to help her aunt out of her melancholy, all she needs to do is assist her in dispelling the clouds in her mind...
Directed by Maky Margaridis et Tristan Feres - Côte d'Ivoire
Faced with an imminent farewell, two friends meet on their childhood football field. Sol Béni captures this poignant moment.
Directed by Guillaume Noura - France (La Réunion)
While swimming in the river, 14-year-old Lise-May discovers that a young boy with supernatural abilities lives at the bottom of the water. The predators he claims to be fleeing don't seem so different from those who are about to target Lise-May.
Directed by Paul Vincent de Lestrade, France
Maxime is 16 years old. A talented swimmer, he is preparing to enter sports studies. One afternoon, the police arrive during training to question his coach, accused of sexual abuse by one of the children at the club. These accusations will crack the shell of silence that Max built to survive the abuse he himself suffered years earlier.
Directed by Arnaud Dufeys, Belgique
One summer evening, Clément, 16 years old, lies about his age for a dating app. But he discovers another body which upsets his impatience.