In Praise of Shadows
The Prix RÉALS aim to recognize ARRQ members who have demonstrated daring, originality, and/or taken creative and narrative risks in their work, or in a part of their work (such as a scene, title sequence, technological innovation, shot, etc.) that was broadcast over the past year.
In the presence of Catherine Martin & Pier-Philippe Chevigny
Preceded by Pier-Philippe Chevigny's short film, Mercenaire
Recently released from prison for a murder committed in unclear circumstances, David struggles to adapt to his new-found freedom. Reluctantly hired at a pig slaughterhouse thanks to a social reinsertion program, he desperately tries to find another job while struggling to adapt to his new work environment. When he witnesses the cruelty of his new colleagues, he must fight to repress the violence that boils within him.
Junichiro Tanizaki’s literary essay In Praise of Shadows, light and dark, and the origins of photography and cinema are among the strands interwoven in this “cinematic meditation” in three chapters. Fleeting shadows ebb and flow in a glistening half-light, an enchanted dreamlike state that reflects on our place in the world, the passage of time, and the very essence of life and its fragility.
Winner of the Prix RÉAL 2025 - Œuvre Art et essai
Catherine Martin
Catherine Martin is a Québec filmmaker. She writes and directs all her films, fictions as well as documentaries. Her films have been shown at numerous international festivals (Berlin, Toronto, Oberhausen, Nyon, Buenos Aires, Karlovy Vary, etc.) and won awards in Canada and abroad. Since 2017, she does her own camerawork, sound recordind and picture editing, acting as a producer and director of her documentary essays.
Présenté en collaboration avec
