Far Beyond the Pasturelands
The mission of the Centre d'art et essai de la Cinémathèque québécoise (CAECQ) is to primary program Quebec-made documentaries and independent fiction, as well as international documentaries, animated and foreign films, while encouraging opportunities for meetings between the public and the artists. Its programming is presented in conjunction with the Cinémathèque québécoise’s under the label New releases.
The December 11 screening will be followed by a discussion with the filmmakers, in collaboration with the World Press Photo Montreal exhibition.
In a remote himalayan region, the villagers of Maikot are preparing for the harvest of a mysterious aphrodisiac caterpillar-mushroom worth more than gold. Lalita, a young mother, had to let go of her dreams after getting married because of the social pressures of her community. As the whole village departs to the mountains, she joins the journey to the high-altitude pasturelands in hope of providing a better life for her family through the hazardous harvest of the rare mushroom. Set against the backdrop of stunning mountainous landscapes, the film presents an intimate and humane portrait of characters that put everything on the line for a chance to ascend to greener pastures. Will the harvest be good this year?
Maude Plante-Husaruk
Maude Plante-Husaruk is a Canadian documentary photographer and filmmaker whose work focuses on marginalized populations and inspiring humanistic stories of resilience and dignity, eager to show the common denominators that bring us together. Her first co-directed short film The Botanist has been screened at Hot Docs, TIFF Top Ten, AFI Docs and has won numerous awards including Best Short Film at RIDM (Montreal’s international Documentary Festival).
Maxime Lacoste-Lebuis
Maxime Lacoste-Lebuis is a Canadian composer and documentary filmmaker. His first co-directed short film The Botanist has been screened at Hot Docs, TIFF Top Ten, AFI Docs and has won numerous awards including Best Short Film at RIDM (Montreal’s international Documentary Festival).
