SH “Face-off” – Pascal Chaumont, Canada, 2026, 9’54”

Synopsis: A freezing night wraps around a neighborhood outdoor rink. Théo, 14, skates alone in circles, as if trying to outrun something that’s haunting him. Then, a presence emerges. His father. Words are exchanged, eyes meet. But beneath the surface, what unfolds goes far beyond appearances: regrets, silences, an unspoken need for answers. Théo carries a buildup of emotions he can no longer contain, and this night may well tip everything over. Nearby, Gabriel, his friend, watches the scene alongside his grandfather Paul, a silent witness to a moment that feels larger than life. Face-Off is an intimate drama driven by a restrained, pared-down approach to storytelling, where the ice becomes a mental space, a site of inner confrontation. Through an open-air chamber piece, the film explores grief, isolation, and the visceral need to say what has never been said. Balancing realism and unease, Face-Off deliberately keeps the viewer in a blurred zone—where emotion takes over from reason, and where absence becomes almost tangible.

• Director: Pascal Chaumont
• Writer: Aline Viens
• Producer: Productions Chaumont
• Key Cast: Loïc Oliviera, Samuel Paul-Hus, Roger Léger, Samuel Vendette