Summer 2000
A film by
Virginie Nolin, Laurence Olivier
Synopsis
9 year-old Sarah is quietly discovering love when an assault derails her sexual awakening. Summer 2000 is an intimate and delicate tale in which the play between different mediums offers an insight into gender performativity and consent.
Highlights
Tags
2023
Drama
Fiction
Genre
Drama
,
Country
Canada (Quebec)
Year
2023
Length
19'48"
Themes
Social Justice
,
Teen friendly
,
Sexuality
,
Feminism
,
Taboos
,
Violence and Abuse
,
Growing pains
,
Trauma
,
With
Millie-Jeanne Drouin, Jeana Arseneau, Dylan Walsh, William St-Louis
Production
Mylène Corbeil, Estelle Champoux (La Créative Films)
Director
Virginie Nolin, Laurence Olivier
Screenplay
Virginie Nolin, Laurence Olivier
Artistic Direction
Alexia Roc
Cinematography
Isabelle Stachtchenko
Editing
Ariane Pétel-Despot
Sound
Nataq Huault
Music
Ragana
Directors's Statement
Playing between the lightness of first feelings and the distress of trivialized aggression, SUMMER 2000 is a reflection on consent through an intimate look at adolescence. The film plays with different media to talk about desire: our characters use a small camcorder to film what interests them. They frame what they like, who they like. But it's also this camera that will later change the course of events and reconfigure solidarities.
The early 2000s coincide with the onset of our adolescence, which is roughly the age of our characters. With the recent liberalization of the discourse around aggression, we saw an opportunity to approach this serious subject from a contemporary perspective, by looking to the recent past. SUMMER 2000 also allows us to portray a character questioning his sexual identity, without making LGBTQ+ issues the heart of the story, thus continuing in a vein begun by our previous collaboration, DORMIR DÉSIR (2019).
Laurence Olivier & Virginie Nolin
Virginie Nolin
Virginie Nolin is a Montreal-based screenwriter, director, producer, and educator whose work centers on feminist and queer imaginaries. Her shorts have garnered awards and international play, while her production portfolio features over ten short films, including selections at TIFF and Locarno. Beyond her creative practice, she teaches filmmaking at Concordia University and L’inis.
Filmography
Été 2000 | Short Fiction | 2023
OK | Short Experimental | 2021
Je m’excuse | Short Fiction | 2021
Dormir désir | Short Fiction | 2019
Social media
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier is a filmmaker and writer originally from Quebec and now living in British Columbia. She is the author of the novel Répertoire des villes disparues, which was adapted for the screen by Denis Côté (Ghost Town Anthology), and her poems and short stories have won awards in Canada and France. She has directed five short films to date.
Filmography
Touching Rocks | documentary short | 2025
With Veiled Intent | documentary short | 2024
Summer 2000 | fiction short | 2024
Phantom Poem | experimental short | 2021
The Softest Winter | experimental short | 2018
Social media
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Festivals
IndieJunior - International Children's and Youth Film Festival, Portugal | 2024 * Special Mention to the Grand Prize
CUT TO: Gent Short Film Festival, Belgium | 2024 * Best International Short
Gala Québec Cinéma - IRIS, Canada | 2024 * Meilleur court métrage québécois de fiction
Festival du nouveau cinéma, Canada | 2023 * Best Canadian Short
Filministes, Canada | 2024 * Meilleur court métrage de fiction, * Meilleure Interprétation (Millie-Jeanne Drouin)
Vues dans la tête…, Canada | 2024 * Prix Fiction - Lepage Millwork
Festival international du film francophone de Namur, Belgium | 2024
Interfilm Berlin, Germany | 2024
Leiden Shorts, Netherlands | 2024
KUKI Youth Film Festival, Germany | 2024
OFF-Courts de Trouville et Marché, France | 2024
Flicker's Rhode Island Int. Film Festival, USA | 2024
Regard sur le court métrage au Saguenay, Canada | 2024
Festival de cinéma en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Canada | 2023
Atlantic Film Festival, Canada | 2023
Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma, Canada | 2024
Regina International Film Festival, Canada | 2024
Festival du film de l’Outaouais, Canada | 2024
Les Percéïdes, Canada | 2024
BUFF International Children and Young Film Festival, Sweden | 2024
Champs-Elysées Film Festival, France | 2024
Silhouette Film Festival, France | 2024
Art Film Festival, Slovakia | 2024
Concorto Film Festival, Italy | 2024
Madagascourt Film Festival, Madagascar | 2024
Cinema on the Bayou, USA | 2024
Tirana Int. Film Festival, Albany | 2024
Guanajuato Int. Film Festival, Mexico | 2024
Kaohsiung Film Festival, Taïwan | 2024
Festival Plein(s) Écran(s), Canada | 2025
PLAY - Festival Internacional de Cinema Infantil e Juvenil de Lisboa, Portugal | 2025
Press Inquiries
Press Kit
External Links
Social media
News
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SKINNY BOTTINES, romain f. dubois' first solo short (prod. couronne nord) in competition at cannes' critic's week (may 13 - 21, 2026). with the team in attendance (romain f. dubois, couronne nord, dominick rustam, aksel leblanc, travelling distribution).
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book a meeting with us from may 16 to 21, inclusive:ji
buyers : laurence blais, admin@travellingdistribution.com
programmers, filmmakers / producers : tam dan vu, coordo@travellingdistribution.com
learn more ↗
JAZZ INFERNAL wins top prize at Sundance
still freshly glowing from its international premiere, will niava’s JAZZ INFERNAL wins the oscar®-qualifying short film jury award : international fiction at SUNDANCE! 🥺🏆💖💌
jury citation: “this film deeply resonates in a way that lingers long after viewing, powerfully blending evocative atmosphere, gorgeous cinematography, music, and global storytelling influences into a profoundly singular vision.”
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✈️ Travelling is back at Clermont Ferrand!
Travelling Distribution will be at Clermont-Ferrand from Saturday, January 31 (evening) to Friday January 6 (morning).
We're bringing 6 films with us - and a lot of cool merch, so leave room in your suitcase!
Three shorts in competition : BOA, WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND, AIR HORSE ONE + three shorts at the market : TBA. Teams in attendance.
Book a meeting with us from Jan 1 to Jan 5 :
Buyers : Laurence Blais, admin@travellingdistribution.com
Programmers : Tam Dan Vu, coordo@travellingdistribution.com
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Distribution Inquiries : info@travellingdistribution.com
Press Inquiries : caroline@pixellex.ca
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3 films | SXSW
1-2-3 films at SXSW (March 12–18, 2026)! Teams in attendance.
A WOLF IN THE SUBURBS
*World Premiere
dir. Amélie Hardy, prod. Metafilms
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AIR HORSE ONE
*North American Premiere
dir. Lasse Linder, prod. Dynamic Frame, Black Boat and White Boat
2025 | documentary | 21’
WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND
*US Premiere
dir. Jean-Sébastien Hamel & Alexandra Myotte
2025 | animation, genre | 11’
Distribution Inquiries : info@travellingdistribution.com
Press Inquiries : caroline@pixellex.ca
Learn more ↗
BEAU TEMPS, MAUVAIS TEMPS | Slamdance
Florence Lafond’s BEAU TEMPS, MAUVAIS TEMPS (NO MATTER THE WEATHER) will be in competition at Slamdance (Feb 19 - 25, 2026) in the Documentary Shorts Competition.
Inquiries : info@travellingdistribution.com
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Jazz Infernal at Sundance
After TIFF and TIFF Canada's Top Ten, Will Niava’s JAZZ INFERNAL (prod. Telescope, Disamare, Scara-b) will have its international premiere at Sundance Film Festival (Jan. 16 - 26, 2026). Team in attendance.
Distribution Inquiries : info@travellingdistribution.com
Press Inquiries : caroline@pixellex.ca
Info + Screening Times ↗
WE WERE THE SCENERY | 98th Oscars® Shortlist
WE WERE THE SCENERY (dir. Christopher Radcliff, prod. Cathy Linh Che, Jess X Snow) is shortlisted at the 98th Academy Awards® for Best Documentary Short Film!
Distribution Inquiries : info@travellingdistribution.com
Watch now (US, Canada, UK) ↗