This year again, despite a global pandemic, the team at the Sommets du cinéma d’animation set out to hold a quality edition by bringing together the best of animated films.
Several programs will take place at the Cinémathèque Québécois: International, Canadian, student competitions, very short screenings and a screening due to the pandemic: films “made in confinement” and a few other surprises. The opportunity to watch a total of 150 films,including 122 premieres, from 20 countries. Of course, the theatrical portion will take place if the Government of Quebec allows the opening of cinemas in December. If the venues remain closed, the festival plans to postpone screenings until the time when conditions permit, so that the public can live the experience to the fullest.
The competition will take place regardless of what is going on in Montreal, and the prizes will be awarded on December 6 by two juries: one for international and Canadian competition, and the second for student short films. Finally, the professional component of this 19th edition, usually featuring roundtables, film lessons, discussions, etc., will take place online. Details will be released next week.
COMPETITIONS
Coming from 20 countries, including Norway, France, Brazil and Romania, the INTERNATIONAL COMPÉTITION features 28 films – many premiering – including four shorts from here. World premieres include Claude Cloutier’s Mauvaises herbes, produced by the NFB and Unité Centrale, and Anna Berezowsky and Laura Stewart’s Catcalls. Also, two other Quebec nuggets: Eleonore Goldberg’s La saison des hibiscus and Arash Akhgari’s The Other.
Other selected works include those by Arjan Brentjes, Sad Beauty (Netherlands), a dystopia recounting the onset of a pandemic, leading to climatic upheavals and the disappearance of living species. Note that the film was made in 2019, long before COVID-19 changed our lives. Amazing science fiction! It is also worth mentioning Souvenir, souvenir, by Bastien Dubois, just awarded the Prix Émile-Reynaud, one of the most important awards in France for animated short film. The film depicts the director’s attempts to get his grandfather to talk about his involvement in the Algerian war. A short that is both intimate and touching, brilliantly crafted.
Les Sommets will also present several capsules with the filmmakers of the films in competition, an original way to learn more about the creators. Watch the event’s Facebook page for more information!
THE JURY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
- Benoit Berthe Siward – France; The Animation Showcase
- Philippe Brach – Quebec; singer-songwriter
- Samantha Leriche-Gionet (Boum) – Quebec; comic artist and illustrator
The jury will also decide on the Best Canadian Film chosen from the various programs, with the exception of the Student Competition.
As every year, the INTERNATIONAL STUDENT COMPÉTITION brings together schools and universities from around the world – such as Rubika Animation (France), Polish National Film School in Ledz, La Poudrière (France), Tokyo University for the Arts (Japan), and Concordia University. For this edition, 14 films have been selected and will show the talents of tomorrow including, I’m here by Julia Orlik (Poland), a disturbing film, which depicts the last moments of an old woman paralyzed and bedridden. A work of great humanity and undeniable audacity. Also worth mentioning is the hilarious Disparus, a co-production of France, 3D animation; a satire of reality TV featuring a star imbued with herself and incredible cynicism!
THE JURY OF THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT COMPETITION
- Mikael Daout – Concordia University
- Florence Panneton – UQAM
- Lysandre Chartrand – University of Montreal
With a duration of 2 minutes and 28 seconds, Zane Zheng’s Light Collector is the longest short film in the COMPÉTITION INTERNATIONALE DE FILMS TRÈS COURTS presented by La Fabrique Culture and Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue. The shortest? Next Stop: Door Gag #1, a 38-second animated (and screwed-up!) music video by Canadian Brad Gibson. It is impossible to get bored when viewing these 38 works.
The international very short film competition will be available for free on lafabriqueculturelle.tv as of December 1.
LES PROJECTIONS
A program of circumstance, to emphasize the creativity of the artists of animation: LES FILMS EN CONFINEMENT. Films exclusively based on reflections on the world’s new daily life linked to Coronavirus. From Egypt to Australia via a Parisian apartment, humor and touching moments in 19 short films.
One of the leading festivals in animation cinema, the Annecy Festival was also held virtually: Annecy 2020 Online. Nevertheless, the quality selection made it possible again this year to offer a BEST OF ANNECY programme. Among the works which won awards, the public will be able to discover the jury’s honorable mention in Genius Loci by Adrien Merigeau, the Jury Prize winner Homeless Home by Alberto Vazquez, and of course Physique de la tristesse by Theodore Ushev, honored with the Crystal of Annecy.
Find all the films from the official selection 2020 at the sommetsanimation.com
Not to miss out on the Animation Film Summits: #Sommets2020
