The Sapporo Project and Sophie Lavoie, two short films distributed by Vidéographe, will be presented at the 35th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, being held from September 9 to 19, 2010.

With their appearances at the festival, Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre, director of The Sapporo Project, and Anne Émond, director of Sophie Lavoie, confirm the special relationship they have with this prestigious event. They have each presented a film there in previous years: Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre’s Passages  in 2008 and Anne Émond’s Naissances  in 2009, earning them each a place in the respective Canada’s Top Ten film list prepared each year by TIFF.

The Sapporo Project grew out of an artist’s residency that Saint-Pierre spent in Japan. In it we discover the work of the calligrapher Gazanbou Higuchi. Using animation techniques, the filmmaker takes a humorous and poetic look at Japanese calligraphy techniques. The Sapporo Project will be screened in the Short Cuts Canada film program 6 on September 15, 2010 at 9:00 p.m. in the TIFF Bell Lightbox cinema 2 and on September 17 at 2:45 p.m. in Jackman Hall of the AGO.

In her film Sophie Lavoie, Anne Émond plunges us into a modern-day “No Exit” which becomes the scene of a personal failure, that of a modern young woman. In a realistic, restrained style, the film reveals moments of pure emotion which many of us will recognize. Two screenings will take place during TIFF, on September 10, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. and September 12 at 12 noon in the Jackman Hall of the AGO, in film program 2 of the Short Cuts Canada program.

The two filmmakers will be present at the festival.

For more information:
http://www.tiff.net

Consult Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre's author sheet+
Watch The Sapporo Project +(Access limited to professionals: broadcasters, distributors, programmers...)

Consult Anne Émond's author sheet+