Patrick Dorneval, Dany Boudreault
Canada
2022
In French with English subtitles
Sexually suggestive scene
Featured in:
VIFF Short Forum: Program 2
Fear, doubt, and loneliness give way to pleasure, empowerment, and reclamation—or, is it the other way around?
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary, and Special Jury Prize Winner, Sundance, 2025, this exposé shot by a Russian primary teacher shows how the Putin propaganda machine works to militarize children.
The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes
A beautiful portrait of E.J. Hughes, who quietly helped reshape the artistic landscape of British Columbia in the 20th century. This extraordinary documentary explores Hughes’s legacy not only as an artist, but as a devoted, humble human being.
All That's Left of You
Jordan's submission for the Academy Awards, All That's Left of You makes the most of its epic format to chronicle seven decades of Palestinian history while tracking the psychological impact of cycles of exile and oppression on three generations.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Mixing documentary and reenactment, this film powerfully evokes the desperate attempts of the Red Crescent to rescue a six year old child trapped in a car under Israeli military fire. Oscar nominee: Best International Film
2026 Oscar® Shorts (Documentary)
Don't come to the program of Oscar®-nominated documentary shorts for escapism. But let's talk about the Canadian contender, Perfectly a Strangeness, featuring an abandoned observatory and three donkeys. More of this, please.
The Secret Agent
Having run afoul of an influential bureaucrat in Brazil’s military dictatorship circa 1977, Marcelo decamps to Recife to live under an assumed name — but he’ll soon come to understand precisely how rampant the country’s corruption has become.
Credits
Producer
Nellie Carrier
Screenwriter
Gabrielle Demers
Cinematography
Chloé Ellegé
Editor
Mathieu Bouchard Malo, Charlie Boisvert
Original Music
Alexis Elina
Art Director
Valérie-Jeanne Mathieu
Director
Gabrielle Demers
Gabrielle Demers is a Montreal-based filmmaker. Her short film Iris (2017) was selected by several film festivals, including Slamdance. Her next film, The Pornographer (2018), was screened at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. She is currently working on the film adaptation of the novel Querelle de Roberval, written by Kevin Lambert.


