Travelling Distribution

Nanitic

A film by

Carol Nguyen

Synopsis

na·nit·ic / adjective: "The first brood of worker ants produced by a queen ant using only the reserved nutrition in her body. Nanitics shoulder the initial fate of the colony and are often underfed due to the conditions in colony building. Thus, nanitics may be smaller in size from later workers ants to optimize the survival of the group..." — But what happens to the colony when the queen dies? Had the nanitics done enough?

Highlights

✨ Berlinale Generation Kplus, 2023
🏆 TIFF, 2022 | IMDbPro Share Her Journey Short Cuts Award

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Tags

2022

Drama

Fiction

Genre

Drama

Country

Canada (Quebec)

Year

2022

Length

14'23"

Themes

Teen friendly

Mental Health

Social and cultural identity

BIPOC

Trauma

Death and Grief

With
‍Kylie Le, Ly Pham, Van Pham, Dam Nguyen, Eve Sevigny, Fred Nguyen, An Nguyen

Production
Carol Nguyen, Marie Lytwynuk (Coop Vidéo de Montréal)

Executive Producter
Karine Bélanger, Hany Ouichou (Coop Vidéo de Montréal)

Scenario
Carol Nguyen

Images
Alexandre Nour-Desjardins

Editing
Carol Nguyen

Artistic Direction
Estelle Tang

Sound
Giulio Trejo-Martinez, Andrés Solis

Music
Arie Van de Ven

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Travelling's Statement

The word “nanitic” is coined for first-generation worker ants, who sacrifice their life for the survival of the colony. Nanitics care for the offspring as well as the Queen Ant. As a result of their natural position and sacrifice, they are often smaller than the next generations and have less sufficient food supply. When a Queen Ant dies, it is stated that the colony slowly dies thereafter. These symbols run parallels to the lives of immigrant families throughout the generations. Grandparents hold the culture and family together (the Queen ants), parents sacrifice themselves for their children’s futures (the Nanitics), and for us, the children, we reap all the benefits of their hard work as the colony grows, but only to assimilate away from our cultures once our elders are gone. The film uses ants and their colonial structure as a metaphor, exploring the affect this familial moment on a macro level.

Carol Nguyen

Carol Nguyen is a Vietnamese Canadian filmmaker, born and raised in Toronto, now based in Montreal. Her films often explore the subjects of cultural identity, silence and memory. Her newest film "Nanitic" (2022) premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Her previous film “No Crying at the Dinner Table” (2019) also screened at TIFF alongside IDFA, where she was additionally invited as the Opening Night speaker. In 2020, “No Crying” also received the Jury Prize for Short Documentary at SXSW. Carol is a 2018 Sundance Ignite fellow and a TIFF Share Her Journey ambassador. Recently, her project “The Visitors” was selected for the IDFA Project Space 2022, a development lab for first- or second-time directors. Today, Carol is writing and directing several projects, including two feature films as well as an animated short.

Filmography

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Festivals

Toronto International Film Festival, Canada | 2022 | *IMDbPro Share Her Journey Short Cuts Award
Gala Prends Ça Court!, Canada | 2022 | Prix casting VTB - Girardeau casting - Marie-Charlotte Aubin, Prix micro_scope, Prix Microclimat films, Prix Couronne nord- Groleau d'or, Prix Colonelle films
Filministes, Canada | 2022 | * Jury Special Mention
Toronto Film Critics Association Stella Artois Jay Scott Prize for Emerging Artists, Canada | 2023
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Berlinale Generation, Germany | 2023
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Talent Tout Court à Cannes, France | 2022
Vancouver International Film Festival, Canada | 2022
Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, Canada | 2022
FIN Atlantic International Film Festival, Canada | 2022
Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, Canada | 2022
Reel 2 Real International Film Festival for Youth, Canada | 2022
Regent Park Film Festival, Canada | 2022
Festival Images en Vues, Canada | 2022
South Western International Film Festival, Canada | 2022
Kingston Canadian Film Festival, Canada | 2023
Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois, Canada | 2023
Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, Taiwan | 2023
Oberhausen Int. Film Festival, Germany | 2023
Aspen Shortfest, US | 2023
Filmfest Dresden, Germany | 2023
Palm Springs Shortfest and Market, US | 2023
Indy Shorts Heartland Film Festival, US | 2023
Melbourne International Film Festival, Australia | 2023
Shanghai International Film Festival, China | 2023
Leeds International Film Festival, UK | 2023
Seoul International Children's Film Festival, South Korea | 2023
Altan Khalis Int. Film Festival (Golden Ger), Mongolia | 2023
Kerry Film Festival, Ireland | 2023
Silicon Valley Asian Film Festival, US | 2023
Cinemagic Belfast Film Festival, Ireland | 2023
Seattle Asian American Film Festival, US | 2023
International Usak Short Film Festival, Turkey | 2023
Film Fest Gent, Belgium | 2023
Ici Vietnam, France | 2023
So Far, So Close, France | 2023
Asiate en court, Canada | 2023
Festival du film de la Ville de Québec, Canada | 2023
Festival Émergence, Canada | 2023
Festival Plein(s) Écran(s), Canada | 2023
Gala Québec Cinéma - IRIS, Canada | 2023
Halifax Independent Filmmakers Festival, Canada | 2023

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