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
99th Oscars® - For Your Consideration : Best Animation Short Film
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
Ce qu'on laisse derrière | Short Animation | 2025Un trou dans la poitrine | Short Animation | 2023Pas de titre | No title | Short Animation | 2021Mademoiselle Pigeon | Short Animation | 2019
Social media
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Festivals
Spark Animation Film Festival, Canada | 2025 *Director's Prize
Kaboom Animation Film Festival, Netherlands | 2026 *Best Short Film Award
Cinemania, Canada | 2025 *Best French Canadian Short Film
Festival de Cinéma en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Canada | 2025 *Vital Award
Festival du Court Métrage de Clermont Ferrand, France | 2026
Locarno Intl. Film Festival, Switzerland | 2025
SXSW, USA | 2026
Regard sur le court métrage, Canada | 2026
London Film Festival, UK | 2026
SLASH Fantastic Film Festival, Austria | 2025
Toronto Int. Film Festival (TIFF), Canada | 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
Ru-Mòre — Cinema and Audiovisual Experimentation Festival, Italy | 2026
AniFilm Int. Festival of Animated Films, Czech Republic | 2026
Americana Film Fest, Spain | 2026
Imaxinaria - Afundación International Animation Festival, Spain | 2026
Hallucinations collectives, France | 2026
Taipei Golden Harvest Film Festival, Taïwan | 2026
Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma, Canada | 2026
Sommets du cinéma d'animation de Montréal, Canada | 2026
Animation Festival of Halifax (Anifix), Canada | 2026
Press Inquiries
Caroline Rompré | pixelleX communications | 514-778-9294 | caroline@pixellex.ca
Press Kit
External Links
Animation Magazine
↗︎‘What We Leave Behind,’ ‘Murmuration’ Win Oscar-Qualifying Prizes at Kaboom Animation Festival
Panorama Cinema
↗︎REGARD 2026 : Partie 1
Social media
News
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Book a meeting with us from Jan 1 to Jan 5 :
Buyers : Laurence Blais, admin@travellingdistribution.com
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Distribution Inquiries : info@travellingdistribution.com
Press Inquiries : caroline@pixellex.ca
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dir. Jean-Sébastien Hamel & Alexandra Myotte
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Distribution Inquiries : info@travellingdistribution.com
Press Inquiries : caroline@pixellex.ca
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Inquiries : info@travellingdistribution.com
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Distribution Inquiries : info@travellingdistribution.com
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