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
Joey Bélanger, Valexia Boulianne, Lily-Rose Loyer, Rosemay Lefebvre, Elie Maréchal, Maguerite Laurence
Canada
2024
In French with English subtitles
Open to youth!
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
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
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.
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.


