LAURA BARI
Originally from Argentina, self-taught filmmaker Laura Bari currently resides in Montreal. Fascinated by singularity and difference, she chose film as a way to merge arts, culture and mental health. ANTOINE (2009), her first full-length film, about the imaginary life of a blind boy, was shown at some 30 festivals around the world, winning 15 prizes. Her second film, ARIEL (2013), is about a man who rebuilds his identity after a terrible accident. PRIMAS completes her trilogy, revealing once again the power of imagination through her unique artistic approach.

Director’s statement
Fascinated by singularity and difference, I chose film as a way to merge arts, culture, education and mental-health issues. My films aim to consolidate the split between the real and the imaginary, a duality that is an integral part of the human condition – particularly so for the everyday unknown heroes that are the films’ protagonists. Their universes inspire me to tell stories that are beautiful and ugly, despairing and joyful, necessary and uncertain.  With PRIMAS (2017) I complete a trilogy of feature documentary films, (ANTOINE – 2009; ARIEL -2013) to not only build a zone of common consciousness but also to allow the process of metamorphosis-trough-art to be true; poetry imbues hope in the midst of devastation.