Henri Pardo's debut narrative feature portrays a Haitian boy and his mother navigating rural Quebec, where the child relies on his imaginary friend to understand the new world around him after fleeing political unrest in the early 70’s.
Drawing from Pardo's own experiences, "Kanaval" blends naturalism with magic realism, intensifying the protagonist's struggles. Rayan Dieudonné and Penande Estime deliver nuanced performances from Rayan Dieudonné as Rico and Penande Estime as his mother Erzuile, as they adapt to their new life.
The film, co-written by Kim Nguyen (“The Hummingbird Project”) , earned acclaim, winning TIFF’s Amplify Voices Award and securing a spot in Canada’s Top Ten, marking Pardo as a promising talent to watch.