Projects
The Splendour of Life
During a scorching summer, four young women will be transformed by a significant encounter.
During a hot summer in Quebec’s countryside, a recently settled couple struggles. Marie (35), a sound artist in lack of inspiration doubts her relationship with her partner. The arrival of Noée (25), a young French traveler who mourns her father, will destabilise the status quo and trouble their neighbour Yan (30), a solitary farmer, by awakening new desires. In Montreal, Eva (15), a teenage Filipina who recently moved to Canada, tries to find new roots in the city. Since her arrival, she suffers from insomnia, often interrupted by strange dreams of her hometown in the Philippines. Jeanne (25) is having trouble finishing her thesis on the work of Marie, the artist in the countryside. As Eva tries to anchor herself, Jeanne plans to leave everything. The Splendour of Life is a sensual film that explores how we relate to each other in a changing world that transcends us - an invitation to live to the fullest.
As a Canadian Filipina, my mixed cultural identity has often driven me towards stories of displacement and belonging. I’ve always been inspired by the opposition in my parents’ lives. My mother immigrated at 18 from the Philippines and my father was a Quebecer with an improbable life path. These different perspectives have shaped the way I look at things. The genesis of The Splendour of Life is inspired by a strong paradox felt by my generation. On one hand, we feel the need to get closer to nature and to decrease consumerism. On the other hand, we want to embrace the movement and diversity of cities, by creating community bounds. It is difficult to reconcile these two positions at a time of environmental and migratory crises. Our relation to places is at the heart of the story and reminds us of our commitment: to leave or to stay. Through the point of view of four women, the film explores the intangible connections between people and the splendours held in everyday life.
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