FAUVE

The scouts

Two boys play around a mine until the mine plays back — the tonal pivot is so violent it'll knock the popcorn off your lap. Oscar-nommed and well-engineered, even if the gut-punch is signposted from minute four.

Comte's Quebec pit-mine nightmare executes one of the most precise tonal pivots in recent shorts, and the boys' performances are devastating. The Vimeo upload is live and the festival run speaks for itself.

Comte's tonal pivot from boyhood horseplay to nature-as-adversary is mirrored by a cinematography shift from handheld to locked-off - that's the cut that breaks you. Vimeo confirms 16:24, 741K views, Oscar nomination - the craft holds up.

Festivals

• * Special Jury Award - Sundance Film Festival 2018
• * Programmers Choice Award - Cleveland Film Festival 2018
• * Best Narrative Award - Minneapolis Saint Paul International Film Festival 2018
• * Jury Award for Live Action- Vienna Shorts 2018
• * Best International Short - Rincon International Film Festival, Puerto Rico, 2018
• * Jury Award, Public Award, Prix Ciné Tapis-Rouge - Festival Courts d’un soir, 2018
• * Best Directing, Public Student, Young Voters & Public Award - Longue vue sur le court, 2018
• * Premio SIGNIS MÉXICO - Guanajuato International Film Festival, 2018
• * Grand Jury Prize (Short Film) - 12th FIRST International Film Festival Xining, 2018
• * Grand Prix for Best Short Film - Melbourne International Film Festival, 2018
• * Best International Narrative - DC Shorts, 2018
• * Best Quebec Short Film - Les Percéides, 2018
• * Artist Award Winner - Odense International Film Festival, 2018
• * Honourable mention for Best Canadian Short Film - Toronto International Film Festival, 2018
• * LeCentral Jury Prize - Off-Courts Trouville, 2018
• * Best Overall Short Film - Calgary International Film Festival, 2018
• * Best Short Film, FIPRESCI Award : Best Short Film - IFF Pacific Meridian, Vladivostok, 2018
• * Brief Encounters Grand Prix - Encounters Film Festival, Bristol. 2018
• * La Fabrique Culturelle Award - Long Week-End du Court, 2018
• * National Competition Grand Prize, Audience Award - Quebec City Film Festival, 2018
• * German Independence Award : Best Short Film - Oldenburg Film Festival, 2018