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Festival Stop Motion Montréal runs September 10 to 19

This week marks the beginning of the 13^th edition of Festival Stop Motion Montréal, the first festival in the world entirely dedicated to stop-motion animation, which will be held online from September 10 to 19 via the Cinéma Public website, and accessible internationally.

Stop Motion in the Moonlight

Although the 2021 edition takes place mainly online, the Festival presents Stop Motion in the Moonlight, a free outdoor screening that will take place on Saturday, September 11 at 8 p.m. at 2320 rue des Carrières, in collaboration with Le Sémaphore collective. Whether you're a stop motion enthusiast or simply curious, all are invited to discover the art of stop motion, this unique style of animation. Short films of all genres will be presented to give a taste of the programming of this 13^th edition.

Featuring: 건전지 아빠 / Battery Daddy (South Korea), Günter Falls in Love (United Kingdom), Elevator Alone (Greece), Waiting for Harold (Germany), The Song of a Lost Boy (United Kingdom), El Gran Corelli / The Great Corelli (Spain), Quick Fix (Quebec), Dysphoria Ballet: A Morning Routine (United States), Grandma's Pancakes (Lithuania), Butterfly (Iran, Georgia), Divination Dave (United Kingdom) and Catcalls (Canada).

Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the screening will begin at 8:00 p.m. In case of rain, the event will be postponed to the following day, Sunday, September 12. To access the screening area, online registration is required in advance. Presentation of the vaccination passport will also be required on site.

Special presentation: Behind-the-scenes of the film Angakusajaujuq (The Shaman’s Apprentice)

Film buffs are invited to discover the production secrets of renowned Inuit director Zacharias Kunuk's first animated short. The director had offered the major critical success Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner in 2001.

A behind-the-scenes presentation about the film will take place on Friday, September 17 at 8 p.m. and will bring together animation director and director of photography Evan DeRushie, puppet designer Karen Valleau and lead animator Ghazal Tahernia. They will talk about their specific contributions to the film, supported by a collection of behind-the-scenes photos and videos explaining some of the unique technical processes used.

Tickets are now available: bit.ly/stopmodept

Angakusajaujuq (The Shaman’s Apprentice) is an adaptation of a traditional Inuit tale from the North Baffin region. The film brings to life the story of a young shaman in training who faces her first ordeal. The film won the FIPRESCI prize at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. It will be presented as a Quebec Premiere at the Festival in Program 7 - films in competition.

See also: Indigenous cinema

Festival goers are invited to participate in the Indigenous Stop Motion Productions - Voices and Images round table with Terril Calder (director), Melanie Jackson (director and producer), Zacharias Kunuk (director and producer) and Neil Christopher (producer), hosted by Jani Bellefleur-Kaltush (director).

Offered for free on Facebook Live, the discussion will take place on Saturday, September 18 at 1 p.m. EDT, presented in collaboration with Wapikoni.

VIP PASSES

The Festival VIP Pass, presented by TONIC DNA, offers 13 hours of the best film in stop motion cinema, including six regular short film competition programs, two family-friendly Youth Film programs, two TNT — Terrifying, Naked & Twisted programs (mature content), the Speak-Up program (documentaries), a special program showcasing films from Indigenous artists, and a short film competition program exclusive to Canada viewers.

Festival goers can purchase the VIP pass on presale until September 9 on Eventbrite for $46 (taxes included) or starting September 10 for $54 (taxes included).

The complete program is now available on www.stopmotionmontreal.com

13^th FESTIVAL STOP MOTION MONTRÉAL

Virtual edition—September 10–19, 2021

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To request interviews, media accreditation, or press material, please contact:

Caroline Rompré | pixelleX communications | 514-778-9294 | caroline@pixellex.ca