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Soap Box film image; man in blue helmet

Soap Box

Boîte à savon

VIFF Short Forum

A group of young people gather to compete in the annual soapbox race on the slopes of the highest peak near their village. Hubert, 10, wants to win the race to impress Anouk, an opponent who makes his heart beat faster. Soap Box is a thrilling, wildly fun sports comedy that pays tribute to the transformative imagination of children.

 

Supported by

    

Community Partner

Director
Cast

Joey Bélanger, Valexia Boulianne, Lily-Rose Loyer, Rosemay Lefebvre, Elie Maréchal, Maguerite Laurence

Credits
Country of Origin

Canada

Year

2024

Language

In French with English subtitles

Film Contact
G

Open to youth!

17 min
Action Comedy Shorts

Credits & Director

Producer

Sonia Despars, André Kadi, Marc Biron

Screenwriter

Jimmy G. Pettigrew

Cinematography

Yannick Nolin

Editor

Jimmy G. Pettigrew

Original Music

Antoine Binette Mercier

Art Director

David Pleau

Jimmy G. Pettigrew headshot; Soap Box director

Jimmy G. Pettigrew

Jimmy G. Pettigrew graduated from film school and quickly began producing, writing, directing and editing silly short clips for the web. Since then, he’s been producing and directing short films and other fiction essays that mix live action, puppetry and animation. He mixes shadow and light, truth and lies, magic and pathos, cartoons and real people.

 

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