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5 Shorts Project - Québec

5 Shorts Project - Québec

Discover films from the very first edition of the 5 Shorts Project! This initiative, launched by the National Film Board of Canada and produced in conjunction with Quebec artist-run centers, brings forth short documentaries entirely shot in digital 4K.

Innovative, surprising and thought-provoking, this first edition introduces us to work of 5 talented independent filmmakers.

Between 3 and 6 minutes in length, the films were produced by Nathalie Cloutier (NFB) and Catherine Benoît of Spirafilm, a Quebec cooperative dedicated to independent cinema.

Involvement with regional artist-run centers is a primordial aspect of the 5 Shorts Project. Active production hubs, these centers share the NFB's goal of fostering quality independent filmmaking while bringing together skilled artists from various disciplines.

Enjoy!

  • At the Beach
    2015|5 min

    In this short documentary, burn victims get to enjoy a family day at the beach thanks to an outing organized by the Association des grands brûlés. Enduring the curious stares of strangers isn't easy, but the desire to lead a full life, especially on such a beautiful summer day, is simply too strong. By sharing the inspiring stories of these men and women, Jeremy Peter Allen's At the Beach invites us to embrace our differences.

  • Hey Lou!
    2015|5 min

    This short documentary is an exploration of life, from the first breath to the last. Footsteps in a rocky desert. Human shadows cast upon the ground. A bedridden woman suffering in the twilight of her life. A feverish birth in a delivery room. In just a few modest shots, the film's unexpected intertwining of life and death - stark contrasts between shadow and light, moaning and breathing - poignantly reveal and record the essence of our humanity.

  • Hell Runs on Gasoline!
    2015|7 min

    This short documentary transports us to the Saint-Félicien racetrack, where engines are running hot and excitement has reached a fever pitch. With its thunderous soundtrack, jarring backfires and choking clouds of smoke, Martin Bureau's Hell Runs on Gasoline! takes us deep inside a chaotic battle to the finish. Race cars hit the track, accidents pile up and the flames of burning engines wreak havoc - an infernal vision that soon dissipates into an eerily silent cemetery of abandoned carcasses.

  • World of Passage
    2015|7 min

    In this short documentary, massive ships harking from all four corners of the world majestically glide by on the St. Lawrence River as riverside residents watch. But they know nothing of the secrets hidden in these floating leviathans laden with colourful containers - except for a select few who get to briefly join their voyage when they guide the ocean-crossing ships safely into harbour.

    Nadine Beaudet's World of Passage captures poetic fragments of life on board as sailors perform their endless tasks.

  • Interview with a Free Man
    2015|6 min

    In this documentary short, several men go through a job interview eager to get a fresh start in life. With each question that's asked, we glimpse tiny snippets of their lives along with their hopes and fears. Nicolas Lévesque's Interview with a Free Man cleverly toys with viewers through its oblique narration, constantly upending our expectations.