Le mal du siècle

The Great Malaise
A young woman describes herself using the most dazzling superlatives. But the image she creates with words is shattered by the witty illustrations. A playful combination of animation and spoken word portrays the malign dynamic of our age, the great malaise: our constant striving to present an image of perfection and the crippling fear of failure and inadequacy.
by Catherine Lepage
with Miranda Handford
Canada 2019 English 6’ Colour

With

  • Miranda Handford

Crew

Written and Directed by Catherine Lepage based on her books "12 mois sans intérêt", "Fine Slices of Anxiety", and "Zoothérapie"
Animation Agathe Bray-Bourret, Catherine Lepage
Editing Sophie Leblond
Music Philippe Brault
Sound Design Philippe Brault
Producer Marc Bertrand
Executive Producer Julie Roy

World sales

National Film Board of Canada

Produced by

National Film Board of Canada

Catherine Lepage

The director studied design at the Cégep de Sainte-Foy in Quebec, Canada before completing her professional training in illustration at the École supérieure des arts décoratifs in Strasbourg. She worked for several years as an art director in advertising before co-founding the Ping Pong Ping design studio with her partner, Simon Rivest. Together, they have undertaken numerous projects for clients in the cultural sector. A self-confessed anxiety sufferer, she has explored mental-health issues in several books and has also published a number of books for children.

Filmography

2019 Le mal du siècle (The Great Malaise); short film

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020