Sylvain L’Esperance

COMBAT AU BOUT DE LA NUIT

Canada, 2016, 285′, 1 / 2 / 3”

FIGHTING THROUGH THE NIGHT
Approaching a two-year period, FIGHTING THROUGH THE NIGHT is a long journey into the heart of what has shattered Greece, a country dragged down into turmoil by the rule of a totalitarian economy. Fueled by a compelling longing for freedom, carried away by the struggle against violence and marginalization, the film is driven by complementary yet discordant forces, akin to Athens, a city of many contrasts. The journeys of all the men and women who crossed our path echo one another and create unexpected bonds. Their common stories tell us of their belonging to the movement of the world.

Sylvain L’Esperance
Montreal-based director and producer addresses social issues with formal rigour in films like LES PRINTEMPS INCERTAINS, on the declining fortunes of a working-class neighbourhood, and two films about globalization — PENDANT QUE TOMBENT LES ARBRES and LE TEMPS QU’IL FAIT. UN FLEUVE HUMAIN (2006), in which he makes effective use of sound and the spoken word, provides a vivid account of rural life along the Niger River. He brings a formation in Fine Arts to his work, and is faithful to certain principles of cinéma direct, preferring to use only location recording on his soundtracks.