Over the last century, millions of people have been forced out of their homes, or have decided themselves to escape their habitat, community, and culture in the hope of a better future. Every day, different circumstances, situations, and events influence individuals to seek a safer and brighter life. Moving from place to place, these individuals—known as refugees—must also face the uncertainty of obtaining their refugee status within a given country. Particularly for those who have been persecuted for reasons related to their sexual identity, obtaining legal recognition as a refugee can be quite complex. They are asked to provide ample evidence to “prove” their sexual identity, in addition to sharing their story in a clear and sufficient manner. Drawing on themes related to traveling, movement, change, and identity, Passing Lines—an audio-based documentary—explores the tensions and difficulties that exist between the rigid structures enforced by Immigration and those traveling individuals who have made their refugee claim based on their sexual identity. Combining soundscapes and testimonies obtained from outside the judicial system, Passing Lines tells the story of three different queer refugee’s journey to Canada, exploring new grounds by emphasizing sound as traveling speech, testimony, and story within a society where visuality continues to be privileged. In passing on stories through sound, audiences are provided with a listening experience that seeks to contribute positively to their understanding of queer refugees.

A graduate from Concordia University’s Communication Studies program in Montreal (2007), Estelle has been involved in documentary media work since her early college years. She has worked on various productions as sound designer and mixer, including the short documentary Half Way (CBC 2006), a co-production with the NFB, in addition to being involved with feature-length television documentaries with Red Letter Films (Dark Waters of Crime, 2007; In The Company of Trees, 2008). Inspired by her earlier sound pieces, her most recent project, Passing Lines, is a sound documentary telling the story of three different queer refugee’s journey to Canada, while exploring new grounds by emphasizing sound as traveling speech, testimony, and story within a society where visuality continues to be privileged. Constantly striving for new and challenging projects, Estelle hopes to develop documentary media projects in several countries, particularly within Africa, while pursuing a directing career.

www.estellehebert.com

Opening Reception: June 22, 7:30 p.m
June 22, 6 - 11 p.m

National Film Board of Canada
150 John St.
www3.nfb.ca
(416) 973-3012

Elaine Brodie
Kenneth Chou
Erin Clarke
Christine Engel
Tori Foster
Ryan Gauvin
Jermaine Bagnall
Gail Hammer
Estelle Hebert
Randy Horton
Ernie Kestler
Stephanie Kloibhofer
Mark Laurie
Robert Lendrum
Heather Lidberg
Joanne Loton
Morris Lum
Lindsay Maynard
Sadia Mir
Zanele Muholi
Lyndall Musselman
Lara Rosenoff
Graham Runciman
Mike Sage
Melanie Saumure
Katherine Schneider
Mark Tollefson
Inger Whist
Marie Wustner