Artist: Sophie Dumesny
Toronto – Alliance française, Spadina campus
From July 18 to 29, 2022
Since its beginnings, Le Labo’s mission has always been the promotion and popularization of the francophone arts and artists in Toronto and the GTA. That is why the Labo is committed to work with education professionals to craft youth workshops on digital art and technologies.
Our children are part of the first generation to grow up alongside technologies, in a fully digital world. They will be capable of understanding challenges and opportunities these technologies have to offer. It is, however, essential to help them use these tools in an ethical and critical way.
In July, Le Labo, with the help of the videograph Sophie Dumesny, teamed up with l’Alliance Française to give summer campers the opportunity to participate in a mini-production of a short movie. From script writing to the final editing, and everything in between, children were able to experience a true video production.
Talented Sophie Dumesny, Labo member since 2018, talked to us about these few days working with the kids: »Teaching this camp was a great experience. The children were very motivated and passionate about telling their stories. Full of imagination, their ideas were often funny and wacky! Those two weeks went by way too fast, but we have three movies – Je ne sais pas; Les étudiants vs la maitresse; Super aventure – to remember those creative moments together.’’
Le Labo is grateful to be able to rely on its members to work towards the transmission of a passion and artistic know-how and who knows, hopefully create some vocations along the way!..
Sophie Dumesny
Sophie is a multidisciplinary artist who likes to experiment with all types of media. Her curiosity and spirit of adventure guide her in her artistic exploration. Media art has a special place in her artistic practice and she has been passionate about film since childhood. Sophie wrote her first stories for her high school friends. Years later, she left the landscape of her childhood to learn the trade of cameraman in the north of France. There she discovered what she had always missed, a community passionate about stories and film. With the strength of collaboration, she realized her first projects of video clips and short films. Passionate about storytelling, it was with the desire to convey ideas and emotions that Sophie made her first films. Several years ago, in her quest to find her identity, Sophie immigrated to Toronto. It was in Canada that she discovered herself and developed the feminist orientation of her cinema. Ontario saw her grow into the artist she is today, queer, feminist and Kombucha lover. Very active in the francophone community in Ontario, she is a member of the Programming Committee of Le Labo (Toronto’s francophone media arts center). She is also a member of FRIC (Front des réalisateurs indépendants du Canada). She is currently in development of her first feature-length documentary, « La Censure du Poil », which explores the taboos surrounding female hair, thanks to a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. With a strong commitment to human rights and gender equality, it is through these projects that Sophie hopes to have an impact on her time. She strongly believes in the importance of storytelling as a catalyst for change in cultures.
This event is supported by: Ontario Art Council, Canadian Heritage and Toronto Art Council.
More info: https://vimeo.com/560618193?embedded=true&source=vimeo_logo&owner=2840790