Madeleine is a 2023 Canadian short animated film, directed by Raquel Sancinetti. Based on Sancinetti's own real-life friendship with Madeleine, a centenarian woman, the film blends documentary and fictional elements, and both live-action and puppet animation, to depict a story about her taking Madeleine on a road trip.Pat Mullen, "Documentaries Stand Tallest at Regard – Saguenay Short Film Festival". Point of View, April 4, 2023.
According to Sancinetti, Madeleine was a woman she first met in 2017 through a friend who taught fitness classes at the retirement home where Madeleine lived, whom she built a friendship with and began to visit regularly; however, being of advanced age, Madeleine was reluctant to leave the home as she needed to conserve her limited energy for regular daily life activities, so Sancinetti decided to take her friend on one last life adventure through animation.Raquel Sancinetti, "The Wisdom of Living in the Present, According to My 107-Year-Old Best Friend". The New York Times, November 14, 2023.
The film premiered at the 2023 Saguenay International Short Film Festival. It was later added to Op-Docs, the film streaming platform of The New York Times.
The film was named to the Toronto International Film Festival's annual Canada's Top Ten list for 2023.Pat Mullen, "TIFF’s Canada’s Top Ten Includes BlackBerry, Solo, Humanist Vampire" . That Shelf, December 6, 2023.
Awards Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Saguenay International Short Film FestivalMarch 27, 2023FIPRESCI Prize Raquel SancinettiConstance Cazzaniga, "Regard se poursuit en ligne et dévoile les films gagnants". Métro, March 27, 2023. Sommets du cinéma d'animation May 16, 2023Public Prize "Les 21es Sommets du cinéma d’animation décernent leurs prix". Lien Multimédia, May 16, 2023.Best PerformanceGimli Film FestivalAugust 11, 2023Best Canadian Short FilmMadeleineLes PercéidesAugust 22, 2023Best Quebec Short Film"Record de cinéphiles aux Percéides". Gaspésie Nouvelles, August 22, 2023.Edmonton International Film FestivalOctober 1, 2023Best Short DocumentaryUppsala International Short Film FestivalOctober 28, 2023Best International Film"Vinnarna korade på Uppsala kortfilmsfestival". Helsingborgs Dagblad, October 28, 2023.Audience Award, International CompetitionPrix IrisDecember 10, 2023Best Animated Short Film Raquel SancinettiFlorence Morin-Martel, "«Viking» triomphe au Gala Artisans Québec Cinéma". Le Devoir, December 7, 2023. Prix collégial du cinéma québécois April 5, 2024 Best Short Film Marie-France-Lou Lemay, "Les films Les chambres rouges et Madeleine récompensés". La Presse, April 6, 2024. Canadian Screen Awards May 2024 Best Short Documentary Connie Thiessen, "Canadian Screen Awards winners: Cinematic Arts" . Broadcast Dialogue, May 30, 2024.
References
External links
Madeleine on Vimeo