Travelling Distribution

What We Leave Behind

A film by

Jean-Sébastien Hamel, Alexandra Myotte

Synopsis

Dan has a gaping hole in his neck that won't heal. Why? He can't remember, nor talk about it. Back in the sinister arena of his childhood, he must find the part of himself he once left behind that prevents him, now an adult, from being whole.

Highlights

✨ Locarno, TIFF, SXSW, Clermont-Ferrand

Tags

2025

Drama

Animation

Genre

Drama

Country

Canada (Quebec)

Year

2025

Length

10'47"

Themes

Mental Health

Taboos

Violence and Abuse

Dark

Trauma

Distribution
Jean-Sébastien Hamel, Jack Hackel
‍
Production
Jean-Sébastien Hamel, Alexandra Myotte (Sémaphore Films)
‍
Screenplay
Alexandra Myotte, Jean-Sébastien Hamel
‍
Artistic Direction
Alexandra Myotte
‍
Animation
Alexandra Myotte
‍
Editing
Jean-Sébastien Hamel
‍
Sound
François Lacasse & Jean-Sébastien Hamel
‍
Music
Brandon Hopkins

‍

Director's statement

What We Leave Behind was born from a personal necessity to explore trauma not as a past event, but as a living, persistent presence. Dan, the protagonist, carries a visible wound, a missing piece in his neck, which represents the pain that we cannot express or escape. Through this film, we want to show how trauma leaves traces in the body, in the space, and in silence. The hockey arena, once a place of innocence, has become the theatre of broken memories. It turns into a mental labyrinth where Dan tries to find a lost part of himself.The 2D animation, drawn frame by frame, allows us to sculpt every emotion and sensation. The use of a subjective point of view and a slow, fragmented editing reflects the process of introspection: difficult, painful, but necessary. The minimalist, sometimes violent and brutal, sound environment supports this inner dive, amplifying the isolation and psychological tension. This film speaks about rage, shame, loneliness, but also about the courage it takes to face what eats us from the inside. It doesn’t offer a miracle solution, but it says that maybe, one day, it’s possible to start living differently...

Jean-Sébastien Hamel & Alexandra Myotte

Alexandra Myotte, Jean-Sébastien Hamel

Alexandra Myotte and Jean-Sébastien Hamel are a duo of writers-directors based in Montreal. Their award-winning animated short films and web series have been featured in numerous festivals around the globe. Their latest film NO TITLE (2021) has won multiple awards, including Best Canadian Short Film at EIFF 2021, in addition to being nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 2022 IRIS Awards.

Filmography

Social media

No items found.

Festivals

Spark Animation Film Festival, Canada | 2025 *Director's Prize
Cinemania, Canada | 2025 *Meilleur court métrage québecois
Festival de Cinéma en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Canada | 2025 *Prix Vital
‍
Festival du Court Métrage de Clermont Ferrand, France | 2026‍
Festival de Film Locarno, Switzerland | 2025
Toronto Int. Film Festival (TIFF), Canada | 2025
‍
SLASH Fantastic Film Festival, Austria | 2025
Ottawa Int. Animation Film Festival, Canada | 2025
PÖFF Shorts, Estonia | 2025
Winterthur Int. Short Film festival, Switzerland | 2025
Anim'est, Romania | 2025
Yellowknife Int. Film Festival, Canada | 2025
Festival du Film Court de Dinan, France | 2025
Festival Images en Vues, Canada | 2025
Bogoshorts, Colombia | 2025
PLUM! International Animation Festival, Argentina | 2025

‍

Press Inquiries

Caroline Rompré | pixelleX communications | 514-778-9294 | caroline@pixellex.ca

Press Kit

Social media

Back to catalogue