October 7, 2020 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada
The short documentary Moments of Life, directed by Samuel-A. Caron and France Gallant, will be available for free streaming at NFB.ca as of Thursday, October 15, marking Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. A heartfelt conversation-starter, Moments of Life shines a light on this universal, delicate, and frequently misunderstood subject. Grieving parents often find themselves feeling isolated and without access to resources, even though in Canada, one pregnancy in four ends in perinatal death. How many people have lived through this experience or seen others go through it without knowing how to act?
Shot in Edmundston, and in Quebec City with a groundbreaking support group called Les Perséides de Québec, this documentary follows a group of bereaved parents as they organize to offer support in their primarily francophone region, navigating a context in which different provinces have different support systems and resources are difficult to find. Motivated by a desire to bring comfort to mothers and fathers living through this painful ordeal, they help people overcome isolation and silence, in a society where people often simply do not understand what they’re going through. Moments of Life brings hope and inspiration—because grief endures, but sorrow can be shared.
World premiere on the big screen in Edmundston
The film will have its world premiere—by invitation only, due to the pandemic—on Wednesday, October 14, at 7:30 p.m., at Cinéma V in Edmundston. Both filmmakers, who are from the region, will be present, along with the film crew and a few of the documentary’s protagonists, including Anik Marchand, Tina Émond, Claude Lacenaire, and Joanne Leblanc.
About the film
Moments of Life by Samuel-A. Caron and France Gallant (20 min)
Co-produced by Productions Appalaches (France Gallant) and the NFB’s Canadian Francophonie Studio in Moncton (Christine Aubé and Jac Gautreau).
Press kit (synopsis, biographies, images and credits: mediaspace.nfb.ca/moments-of-life
About filmmakers France Gallant and Samuel-A. Caron
A co-founder of the New Brunswick film co-op Cinémarévie, France Gallant produced seven documentaries and directed her first film, Je danse ma vie (2002), before co-founding Productions Appalaches. She has focused her talent on creating hard-hitting films that stand out, including Marie Hélène Allain en dialogue avec la pierre (2008), co-produced with the National Film Board of Canada. As a director and producer, she enjoys being able to share a diversity of voices and points of view, hearing the voices of others, and paying close attention to people and the world around her.
Filmmaker, videographer and screenwriter Samuel-A. Caron has directed numerous projects since his short film debut, Le doute de Thomas (2003), and was named rising star of the year at the 2007 Prix Éloizes for his feature Au bout du chemin. Whether working in drama, documentary, or on web-based projects, his approach remains consistent: exploring the subtleties of subjects that are often over-simplified, while focusing on capturing issues, genuine emotion, and universal truths.
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Associated Links
Cinéma V
Productions Appalaches
French version here | Version française ici.