Kanaval is a 2023 drama film directed by Henri Pardo. A co-production of companies from Canada and Luxembourg, the film centres on Rico (Rayan Dieudonné), a young boy who has emigrated with his mother Erzulie (Penande Estime) from their native Haiti to a small town in Quebec, where they live with childless older couple Albert (Martin Dubreuil) and Cécile (Claire Jacques).Courtney Small, "Tiff 2023: Kanaval review". That Shelf, September 8, 2023.
The cast includes Hana Sofia Lopes, Jean Jean, Marc Assiniwi, Christian Cardin, Carol Beaudry, Rykko Bellemare and David Biron. It's produced by Éric Idriss-Kanago and Daniela Mujica (Canada) and Adolf El Assal and Neigeme Glasgow-Maeda (Luxembourg).
The film's production was first announced in 2020, when it received support from the Netflix/Canadian Film Centre Project Development Accelerator project."Netflix, Canadian Film Centre announce 4 films for development". CBC News, May 4, 2020. It entered production in April 2022, with shooting in both the Dominican Republic and Canada."Yzanakio entame le tournage de « Kanaval », premier long métrage d’Henri Pardo". Lien Multimédia, April 21, 2022.
The film premiered in the Centrepiece program at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.John Hazelton, "TIFF sets Centrepiece line-up of international cinema". Screen Daily, August 10, 2023.
Critical response Courtney Small of That Shelf wrote that "Kanaval may not land all of the sprawling ideas it has flying in the air, but there is plenty to appreciate here. Anchored by Rayan Dieudonné’s moving wide-eyed performance, Pardo crafts an engaging film wrapped in mysticism and hope. Kanaval understands that the road that Rico and Erzuile find themselves on is one filled with uncertainty. However, the challenges are far more manageable when they are tackling them together."
The film was named to TIFF'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 / Film Festival Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Toronto International Film Festival 2023 Best Canadian Film Henri Pardo Steve Pond, "‘American Fiction’ Wins Toronto Film Festival’s Audience Award". TheWrap, September 17, 2023. Amplify Voices Award for Best Film Canadian Screen Awards 2024Best Director "BlackBerry Leads CSA Nominations". Northern Stars, March 6, 2024.Best Lead Performance in a Drama FilmRayan DieudonnéBest Supporting Performance in a Drama FilmMartin DubreuilJohn Dunning Best First FeatureHenri Pardo Prix Iris December 8, 2024 Best Supporting Actor Martin Dubreuil Éric Lavallée, "Prix Iris 2024: Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person Leads “Quebec Oscars” Noms". Ioncinema, October 9, 2024. Best First Film Henri Pardo
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