Third edition of The Shortest Day - A treat for Quebec families, kids and movie-lovers of all ages

Free screenings of Canada's best short films, including Nevermind by Quebec filmmaker Jean-Marc E. Roy, featuring actress and Shortest Day spokesperson Sophie Cadieux

MONTREAL, Dec. 2, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - The Shortest Day returns for a third year across the country, from December 18 to 21, 2015, with an outstanding program of new, classic and award-winning shorts by some of Quebec and Canada's most talented filmmakers. Actress Sophie Cadieux is the event's ambassador in Quebec. Totally free, The Shortest Day is a fun way for families and movie-lovers to celebrate the lead-up to the winter solstice on December 21, the shortest day of the year, and usher in the holiday season. This year, 28 shorts are being presented, organized into four thematic programs: Kids (under 8, 61 minutes), Family (56 minutes), Musical (16+, 74 minutes) and Dramas and Comedies (16+, 91 minutes).

Shorts from Quebec-based filmmakers this year include Blue Thunder [Bleu Tonnerre] (Musical program), directed by Jean-Marc E. Roy and Philippe David Gagné. Blue Thunder screened at the Directors' Fortnight at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. Films by the two partners, who have worked together since 2008, have been screened around the world, winning several prizes. In 2012, they won a Gémeaux award for their series Pick-up: à la rencontre d'un bout du monde. Each of the two filmmakers has just directed documentary shorts for the National Film Board of Canada and are currently working on individual feature film projects—a narrative feature for Gagné and a documentary for Roy—as well as together on a documentary Web series.

"It may be the shortest day, but the day still has 24 hours in it," said Jean-Marc E. Roy. "And it works out well this year because the event lasts four days! Whether we shoot films in the regions or in a big city, with a crew or with friends, with all kinds of different budgets—these are all innovative, small "big" movies that come to life before an audience. The projector's rolling and we're going on a wonderful trip. So come aboard!"

Coming to a venue near you
The free screenings, which spotlight animated and live-action shorts, will be held in more than 80 venues across the country. Screenings will be held not just in movie theatres but in cultural centres, community spaces, schools, coffee shops, shopping malls, hospitals and public libraries, making the event accessible to as many cinemagoers as possible.

In Quebec, Shortest Day screenings will be held in such venues as Cinéma Aylmer in Gatineau; Cinéma Paramount in Rouyn-Noranda; Cinéma du Rift in Ville-Marie; Cinéma Beaubien in Montreal; Cinéma Cartier and the École de cinéma et de télévision de Québec, in Quebec City; Cinéma Lido in Rimouski; Cinéma RGFM in Joliette; Cinéma RGFM in Drummondville; Cinéma St-Laurent in Sorel-Tracy; Cinéma Biermans in Shawinigan; the Centre Multifonctionnel CLIFFS in Fermont; the Centre culturel de Paspébiac; the Cinétoile in Carleton-sur-Mer; the Centre régional d'animation du patrimoine oral in Saint-Jean-de-Matha; as well as the Ciné-Club in Jonquière, where Jean-Marc E. Roy will be in attendance on December 21 to present the Musical program.

The following are also among the not-to-be-missed shorts from Quebec in the Shortest Day program:

• Home Run [Circuit] (Family program), directed by Olaf Svenson, who has been directing and editing films for more than 10 years. After directing several television and Web shows, Svenson returned to his first love, film, in 2008. He directed a few shorts, among them Nun with a Gun, Rodéo and Lilly et l'étranger, which were presented at various festivals in Quebec and abroad. In 2015, he completed his sixth film, Circuit, and began work on his seventh, Don't Fear the Reaper.
• Overpass [Viaduc] (Dramas and Comedies program) from Patrice Laliberté, who has directed Web series and narrative shorts. Patrice graduated from UQAM's Communications program, specializing in film. Overpass, his latest work, won the Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Film at TIFF 2015. La boîte à malle, an interactive Web series shown on sympatico.ca and ztele.com, was nominated for both an Olivier and a Gémeaux award. As well, his short Le cycle des moteurs was screened at several festivals in addition to being nominated for the Uppsala Grand Prix, awarded in memory of Ingmar Bergman.

The Shortest Day was started in 2011 by France's Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC). Presented in more than 50 countries, the event is sponsored in Canada by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), Société de développement des entreprises culturelles du Québec (SODEC) and Telefilm Canada.

To learn more about The Shortest Day
The microsite (www.theshortestday.ca) includes the campaign trailer, as well as lists the films in the each of the programs, along with their synopses and screening details at venues across the country.

You can also get real-time Twitter updates on the event via the hashtag #ShortestDay.

The Shortest Day is made possible in part through the financial support of the Talent Fund.

About the NFB
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB)—it's 75 years of innovation and leadership in social-issue documentaries, auteur animation, and most recently, ground-breaking interactive works. The NFB has produced over 13,000 productions and won over 5,000 awards, including 10 Webbys, 9 Canadian Screen Awards, 12 Oscars and more than 90 Genies. To access acclaimed NFB content, visit NFB.ca or download its apps for smartphones, tablets and connected TV.

About the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles
SODEC is a government corporation overseen by Quebec's Minister of Culture and Communications. It supports the creation and growth of cultural enterprises throughout the province. SODEC brings together the passion of artistic creation with the power of economic development and provides cultural enterprises with a range of solutions designed to nurture Quebec creators and promote the production, distribution and exportation of their work. SODEC is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Follow SODEC on Facebook and Twitter and visit it at www.sodec.gouv.qc.ca.

About Telefilm Canada—Inspired by talent. Viewed everywhere.
Created in 1967, Telefilm is dedicated to the cultural, commercial and industrial success of Canada's audiovisual industry. Through its various funding and promotion programs, Telefilm supports dynamic companies and creative talent here at home and around the world. Telefilm also makes recommendations regarding the certification of audiovisual treaty coproductions to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, and administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund and the Talent Fund, a private donation initiative. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/telefilm_canada and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/telefilmcanada.

SOURCE NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA

Image with caption: "Jean-Marc E. Roy (photo: Philippe David Gagné) (CNW Group/NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151202_C1946_PHOTO_EN_556814.jpg

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