8-year-old Billie leans on her vivid imagination, and her loyal best friend Sherry, to unravel the web of secrets shrouding her mother’s true identity. Believing that her mother is a ballerina icon, Billie stops at nothing to try to find her. As Billie delves deeper into the mysteries of her family’s past, she begins to question the true intentions of the ones closest to her — her grandma and dad. Billie must decide whether to embrace her imperfect family or continue living in the comfort of their secrets. "Neon Dreaming" is a Canadian narrative feature film directed by Marie-Claire Marcotte.
In "Neon Dreaming," Marie-Claire's Feature Film directorial debut, she showcases her transition from acting and writing to directing, discovering her true passion in 2019. Her journey in the film industry has been marked by success, with her short film “Petits corps pileux” earning a nomination for Best Film at the prestigious 2022 Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma. Not stopping there, her other short films and web series have garnered recognition at more than fifty film festivals worldwide, including a notable selection at Cannes (Telefilm’s Not short on Talent). Marie-Claire's work has been celebrated with six prizes and twelve nominations across various esteemed events such as the Los Angeles Film Awards, the Canadian Screen Awards, and the International Academy of Web Television.
"Neon Dreaming" originates from her theatrical work "Flush," which saw publication and successful staging in 2022, drawing sold-out crowds in Saskatoon and Toronto. The screenplay was crafted as part of the Élan initiative, backed by collaborators Netflix, Telefilm Canada, The Canada Media Fund, APFC, and Inis. In the film, the focus is on how children can withstand the truth. By employing camera techniques and framing that emphasize their perspective, along with visuals that immerse us in creative details, her aim was to combine the enthusiasm of youth, their curiosity, and the sadness that follows when deceptions are revealed.
Originally from Regina, Marie-Claire is now based in Toronto, where she continues to create compelling content in both French and English, showcasing her versatility and dedication to storytelling across different languages and cultures. "Neon Dreaming" is an award winner of the seasonal competition in the best first-time filmmaker category of Montreal Independent Film Festival. The film stars Maélya Boyd who was also selected as the best youth artist of the competition at Montreal Independent Film Festival.
Marie-Claire was delighted to discover two talented young actors from Montreal to feature in the movie. Both MAÉLYA BOYD (BILLIE) and MAÏNA-ROSE CAMÉUS (SHERRY, Best Friend) are eight years old and truly exceptional. Their ability to convey emotions at such a young age is remarkable, and their depth of performance is certain to pave the way for successful acting careers. She was also fortunate to have Martin Katz as the Executive Producer. Martin's impressive resume includes "Hotel Rwanda" (three Academy Awards nominations, three Golden Globe Awards), with over twenty years of experience producing movies alongside renowned director David Cronenberg, whose films have been featured at the Venice and Cannes Film Festivals.
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