Fire-Jo Ball
Synopsis
Jo-Ann, a 57-year-old bartender, wants to be a singer and actress. Oscillating between spectacular and intimate, between extra and ordinary, Jo-Ann uses her daily life to stage her dream role. At the crossroads of genres, FIRE-JO-BALL paints the portrait of a woman who loves all things rosy even if her life isn’t always so.
Production :
National Film Board of Canada - Website
Distribution :
National Film Board of Canada - Website
About
Audrey Nantel-Gagnon
Audrey Nantel-Gagnon’s first film, "Shirley Temple" (UQAM, 2018), travelled internationally and won several significant awards. She then directed the film "Everything’s Fine" (Club Vidéo, 2022), for which she won the Jury Prize at the festival Vues dans la tête de… Robert Morin, as well as several music videos for Émile Bilodeau (Ma maladie mentale, 2021), Calamine (Mona Lise, 2021) and Thaïs (Tout est parfait, 2022). Oscillating between documentary and fiction, the director plays at the border of genres and makes her characters the centre of her works. Focusing on proximity, her approach centers on human relationships, orienting her towards an accessible, sensible, and colorful cinema. Her most recent project, "Fire-Jo-Ball" (NFB, 2023), is the result of a close collaboration between director and protagonist, who allow themselves to dream together. Audrey is currently developing "Vanessa in Paradise" (Art & Essai) which will be about the need for hope and love, for oneself and for others, against a backdrop of fateful filial ties and mobile homes pinned to the ground.
