VICTORIA
71', color, 16:9, surround 5.1, English, BE, 2020
directed and edited by Sofie Benoot, Liesbeth De Ceulaer, Isabelle Tollenaere
starring Lashay T. Warren
photography Isabelle Tollenaere
sound recording Liesbeth De Ceulaer
sound design Kwinten Van Laethem
produced by Caviar
with the support of The Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), Canvas, Belgian Tax Shelter
Victoria was pitched at Visions du Réel, Nyon (CH) - Selection Pitching du Réel 2014 and at Camden FF (US) – Selection Points North Fellowship 2016
THE FRUIT TREE
15’, color, 16:9, surround 5.1, English, BE, 2022
directed and edited by Isabelle Tollenaere
with Sharleece Bourne, Alexis Bolden
image Isabelle Tollenaere, Grimm Vandekerckhove
sound recording Liesbeth De Ceulaer
sound design Kwinten Van Laethem
music Hendrik Lasure
produced by Bo De Group & Hans Everaert - Menuetto Film
with the support of The Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), Belgian Tax Shelter
PUBLICATIONS
Article in BusinessDocEurope
Article in KnackFocus
Review in Cineuropa
Interview with Cineuropa
Article in Filmdienst
Article in Vertigo
Interview with Filmmagie
Interview with Knack Focus
Essay by Jordan Rowe
Review in Humo
Interview and review in De Standaard
Review in De Morgen
Review in Knack Focus
Interview with Cinevox
Interview with Bruzz
Interview with Klara
Interview with Radio 1
interview with Sabzian
Review in Rekto Verso
“Documentaries tend to capture a certain reality. With VICTORIA by Sofie Benoot, Liesbeth de Ceulaer and Isabelle Tollenaere, it’s different. There’s more. There’s dreams, thoughts, stories, and fantasies, there’s an exploration of an imaginary space: a turtle race, the beauty of water fountains in a dry land, black holes that lead to other galaxies, a past that may be somewhat shady, a future that might hold a promise. The film captures the everyday comings and goings of Lashay T. Warren, a young Black man from Los Angeles who has moved to California City, a huge, albeit decrepit place in the desert. At the same time, it immerses into Lashay’s ideas, dreams and reflections, renders them palpable, sharing authorship with him. While moving through the arid scenery, the film evokes the history of the European settlers in America in a casual manner, and it also alludes to film history with all its quests for a better life and its frontier mythology – and again, it does so in a very subtle fashion. The result is a rich and multilayered film, a perfect blend of humbleness, complexity and beauty.”
(jury statement Indie Lisboa 2020)
THE FRUIT TREE
15’, color, 16:9, surround 5.1, English, BE, 2022
directed and edited by Isabelle Tollenaere
with Sharleece Bourne, Alexis Bolden
image Isabelle Tollenaere, Grimm Vandekerckhove
sound recording Liesbeth De Ceulaer
sound design Kwinten Van Laethem
music Hendrik Lasure
produced by Bo De Group & Hans Everaert - Menuetto Film
with the support of The Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), Belgian Tax Shelter
In The Fruit Tree a young woman, Sharleece, wanders through a house that is available to rent in the sleepy desert town where she lives, California City. Looking out of the window evokes unexpected memories of her childhood home in Los Angeles.
SCREENINGS
2022 Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica (IT)
2022 Vancouver International Film Festival (CA)
2022 Film Fest Gent (BE)
2022 FRONTDOC - International Documentary Festival (IT)
2022 Uppsala Short Film Festival (SE)
2022 International Kurzfilmtage Winterthur (CH)
2022 Tertio Millennio Film Fest (IT)
2022 Rio de Janeiro ISFF – Curta Cinema (BR) - Grand Prix
2022 Leuven International Short Film Festival (BE) - Jury Award
2023 Nomination De Ensors – Best Short Film 2023
2023 KINO Athens - Independent Film Festival of Athens (GR)
2023 Vilnius International Film Festival - Kino Pavasaris (LT)
2023 Glasgow Short Film Festival (UK)
2023 Tegenstroom - Nederlands Vlaams Filmfestival (BE/NL)
2023 Go Short – International Short Film Festival (NL)
2023 Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival (US)
2023 MurMurs – artist series, Arts+Archives, Los Angeles (US)
2023 Play-Doc International Film Festival (ES)
2023 IndieLisboa International Film Festival (PT)
2023 Cosquín International Film Festival (AT)
2023 'Best of compilation' - Sphinx Cinema, Ghent + Cinema Zed, Leuven (BE)
2023 SYNCRO International Short Film Festival of Buenos Aires (AT) - Best Short Film Parallel Universe Competition
2023 Short Waves Festival (PL)
2023 Cinemancia Metropolitan Film Festival (CO)
2023 i-Fest International Film Festival (IT)
2023 CUT TO: GENT (BE)
2023 Jeonju International Short Film Festival (KR)
2023 Tirana International Film Festival (AL)
2023 Encounters Festival (UK)
2023 Heart of Gold International Film Festival (AU)
2023 Belo Horizonte International Short Film Festival - FestCurtasBH (BR)
2023 First Crossings (IT/SI)
2023 20minmax International Short Film Festival (DE) – Best Art Film
2023 Kassel Documentary Film & Video Festival (DE) – Nomination Golden Key
2023 Tramway Film Festival (PL) – Best Film Cineverso category
2023 London Short Film Festival (UK)
PUBLICATIONS
Article in Cineuropa
Article in Fantomas
Article in Kortfilm.be
PUBLICATIONS
Article in BusinessDocEurope
Article in KnackFocus
Review in Cineuropa
Interview with Cineuropa
Article in Filmdienst
Article in Vertigo
Interview with Filmmagie
Interview with Knack Focus
Essay by Jordan Rowe
Review in Humo
Interview and review in De Standaard
Review in De Morgen
Review in Knack Focus
Interview with Cinevox
Interview with Bruzz
Interview with Klara
Interview with Radio 1
interview with Sabzian
Review in Rekto Verso
In The Fruit Tree a young woman, Sharleece, wanders through a house that is available to rent in the sleepy desert town where she lives, California City. Looking out of the window evokes unexpected memories of her childhood home in Los Angeles.
SCREENINGS
2022 La Biennale di Venezia, Orrizonti Short Film Competition (IT)
2022 Vancouver International Film Festival (CA)
2022 Film Fest Gent (BE)
2022 FRONTDOC - International Documentary Festival (IT)
2022 Uppsala Short Film Festival (SE)
2022 International Kurzfilmtage Winterthur (CH)
2022 Tertio Millennio Film Fest (IT)
2022 Rio de Janeiro ISFF – Curta Cinema (BR) - Grand Prix
2022 Leuven International Short Film Festival (BE) - Jury Award
2023 Nomination De Ensors – Best Short Film 2023
2023 KINO Athens - Independent Film Festival of Athens (GR)
2023 Vilnius International Film Festival - Kino Pavasaris (LT)
2023 Glasgow Short Film Festival (UK)
2023 Tegenstroom - Nederlands Vlaams Filmfestival (BE/NL)
2023 Go Short – International Short Film Festival (NL)
2023 Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival (US)
2023 MurMurs – artist series, Arts+Archives, Los Angeles (US)
2023 Play-Doc International Film Festival (ES)
2023 IndieLisboa International Film Festival (PT)
2023 Cosquín International Film Festival (AT)
2023 'Best of compilation' - Sphinx Cinema, Ghent + Cinema Zed, Leuven (BE)
2023 SYNCRO International Short Film Festival of Buenos Aires (AT) - Best Short Film Parallel Universe Competition
2023 Short Waves Festival (PL)
2023 Cinemancia Metropolitan Film Festival (CO)
2023 i-Fest International Film Festival (IT)
2023 CUT TO: GENT (BE)
2023 Jeonju International Short Film Festival (KR)
2023 Tirana International Film Festival (AL)
2023 Encounters Festival (UK)
2023 Heart of Gold International Film Festival (AU)
2023 Belo Horizonte International Short Film Festival - FestCurtasBH (BR)
2023 First Crossings (IT/SI)
2023 20minmax International Short Film Festival (DE) – Best Art Film
2023 Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival (DE) – Nomination Golden Key
2023 Tramway Film Festival (PL) – Best Film Cineverso category
2023 London Short Film Festival (UK)
PUBLICATIONS
Article in Cineuropa
Article in Fantomas
Article in Kortfilm.be