Quebec short film festival Plein(s) Écran(s), a broadcasting organization focused on promoting Quebec short films across Canada and internationally, returns January 22 to 31 for its 10th edition. It'll be streaming 39 films for free on its website, with four films going live each day and remaining available for 24 hours, all with English subtitles.
The festival has built its reputation on a straightforward model: making Quebec short filmmaking accessible to anyone with an internet connection, no tickets required. This year's program pulls from documentary, fiction, and experimental work, with selections ranging from dialogue-free sensory pieces to sharp social comedies.
Among the films drawing early attention is Perfectly a Strangeness, Alison McAlpine's documentary about three donkeys who wander into an abandoned astronomical observatory in the desert. It's currently shortlisted for an Oscar in the Documentary Short Film category and screens opening day, January 22.
The rest of the highlighted lineup covers considerable ground. Who Loves the Sun (January 24), from director Arshia Shakiba and producer Zaynê Akyol, follows a man navigating the makeshift oil refineries that have sprung up across war-torn northern Syria. The Bingo Sisters (January 25) goes surreal, depicting a sisterhood where leadership is determined by bingo—and one member's scheme to rig the game. Gender Reveal (January 28) puts a trans throuple at their boss's gender reveal party, where things get uncomfortable fast.
Finally of note, Hello, My Name is Beaver (January 29) follows an art student whose thesis documentary on a local DIY scene Newfoundlander-Montrealer Beaver Sheppard legend turns into something more unsettling than expected.
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