Malentendu
Camille Martel
Official Selection
𖤘 Short: Critical, Documentary, Ethnographic
Malentendu exposes the obstacle course of tourist boats and paparazzi that critically endangered beluga whales must navigate in the St. Lawrence River, Quebec. The film explores how misunderstandings arise and how sound is central to these “sea canaries,” guiding them to navigate, feed, and maintain social bonds. Inspired by direct cinema pioneer Pierre Perreault, Malentendu is, above all, an immersive auditory journey into a largely invisible world, revealing how human interference threaten the lives of these vulnerable animals.
Martel is a French-Canadian filmmaker from Quebec. She’s been working in TV for almost a decade, notably for one of Canada’s longest-running natural history programs. She has reported on complex issues such as the reintroduction of bison in Banff National Park and the rise of coyotes and its hybrid, the coywolf, across Canada.
Director & writer: Camille Martel
Producer: Peter Venn
Sound: François Larivière
Courtesy of the artist