Alumnus Antoine Bourges
BIO:
Antoine Bourges is a Toronto-based filmmaker originating from Paris, France. His shorts WOMAN WAITING (2010) and William in White Shirt (2014), along with his mid-length film East Hastings Pharmacy (2012), have screened in festivals across North America and Europe, including the Berlin International Film Festival, the Viennale and TIFF. Bourges has a diploma in Film Production from the University of British Columbia. FAIL TO APPEAR (2017) is his first narrative feature and premieres at the VIFF on September 29.
ANTOINE ON HIS TIME AT UBC:
“Having just completed a bachelor degree in business, I started the UBC film program with no real practical or academic experience in anything artistic, and I felt a bit unsure about the new direction I was taking. I was not only looking for a place to learn filmmaking but an environment in which I could build confidence in myself as a filmmaker. UBC has definitely been that place. The general mindstate of the program was one of encouragement and support. With its access to equipment and industry professionals, it offered the practical knowledge and independence that prepare me for the years of small-budget filmmaking that followed.“
ABOUT FAIL TO APPEAR:
While working on a previous film in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside, Bourges became interested in the relationships between residents and their caseworkers, particularly the worker’s role as an intermediary in order to help people connect with a society from which they’ve been marginalized.
He spoke with caseworkers and clients, and was able to observe the complexity of these relationships. Deeply personal issues such as mental health or addiction require the building of a rapport and a foundation of trust between the worker and the client. Explains Bourges, “I became curious about this human element and what remains of these interactions afterward.”
Bourges met many of the performers at support centres in Toronto while researching the film. Throughout his films, he has opted to work with performers familiar with the subject matter. This casting also informed the style of the film, using long takes in order to give performers the time to lose themselves in the role while exploring the situations in which the characters find themselves.
SYNOPSIS:
Isolde, a young caseworker in a low-income neighbourhood of Toronto, trains for her job: helping people in need while following protocols. When she takes on the case of Eric, a man held in custody for a small crime, Isolde begins to navigate the mental health legal system and witnesses his court hearing. As she gets closer to him, her sympathy for Eric develops but she struggles to make a connection.
Actors: Deragh Campbell, Nathan Roder, Martine Clements, Taya Mathias
Written and Directed by Antoine Bourges
Produced by Karen Harnisch & Daniel Montgomery
Cinematography by Nikolay Michaylov
Production Designer: Alicia Harris
Sound Recordist: Alex Henessay & James Lazarenko
Edited by Ajla Odobašić & Antoine Bourges
September 29 at 7:00pm, The Cinematheque
Monday, October 2, 2017 at 4:30 PM, International Village 8
International Village 8
https://www.viff.org/Online/article/f27538-fail-to-appear
