Festival PALM
2025 EDITION
Next edition of the PALM Festival
OFFICIAL 2025 PALM FESTIVAL SELECTION
Here are the videographers selected for the 8th edition of the PALM Festival!
They were carefully selected and each received a $5,000 grant from Saumon Québec to produce their film for the Festival.
Au-delà des aulnaies
In returning to my roots in the world of fishing films, I wanted to explore themes that are dear to me; Au-delà des aulnaies was born of a reflection on our relationship with the land and the paths we've already traced.
Having spent a significant part of my childhood listening to my grandfather's hunting stories and watching the 4 VHS Bonne Pêche et Bonne chasse box set over and over again, I grew up with the idea of one day making fishing videos. It's a dream that materialized early in my career; after an internship at Hooké, I embarked on the production direction and co-direction of the brand's first two TV seasons. I then became a freelancer, which enabled me to travel the world in pursuit of the best stories and encounters for over 6 years.
The aim of my film is to present an expedition without promises, designed to cultivate adversity, curiosity and self-improvement. A film with no other objective than to let yourself be carried away by the pleasure of the unknown and the hope of a big pike.
Heureux
by Gabriel Rivest
Fly Fish Yukon is a small production team, co-owned by Gabriel Rivest and Justin Kennedy, both based in Whitehorse, Yukon. In operation since 2020, their goal is to share their passion for fly fishing, as well as anything that surrounds fishing and the outdoors in the Yukon.
Gabriel grew up in Abitibi, Québec, while Justin grew up around Georgian Bay, Ontario. Both were already avid fishermen when they met in Whitehorse, in 2011. Gabriel worked as an adventure guide for years before becoming a biologist now teaching at Yukon University. This route allowed him to learn a lot about the biology of fish but also about the best remote, secret places to find them! Justin is a long-time photographer, but he left to sharpen his photography and videography skills around Australia for five years before moving back to Whitehorse in 2018.
This documentary shows how family bonds can stay strong even if the different family members live far from one another, but it also shows how with a little positive thinking, some general exercise, and obviously a little bit of luck, we can stay in great shape to be able to live those precious moments, that a family fishing trip can bring for many years.
La malédiction d’Alexis!
by Jérôme Charest
Alexis is a young boy like any other, he loves sport, his friends, and his family. Since a very young age Alexis has also been passionate about fishing and for the last 5 years specifically about fly fishing for Atlantic salmon. Unfortunately, the last 5 years have been more difficult for him since Alexis is facing a terrible curse... The famous curse of the unhooked salmon!
Saddened and discouraged at having lost more than ten salmon in lasts years, Alexis appeals to the salmon god to help him break this bad curse. The salmon god will put him through hard training to prepare him for this famous fight. Alexis will then take the road to the Gaspe Peninsula to fish for the famous Salmo Salar and try to break this famous curse. Will he be able to accomplish his goal?
Labrador
by Mathieu Léonard
I'm an Atlantic salmon instructor and guide on the Bonaventure River. My mother being native of the Gaspé coast and my father a salmon fisherman, I was lucky enough to spend my youth along the rivers of the Baie-des-Chaleurs.
Having always had a passion for video production, editing and photography, this festival is the perfect opportunity to combine these passions with my childhood passion for salmon fishing. I'm proud to be back with a production that will take you away from my native Gaspésie: I'm heading to Labrador to fish one of the wildest places on earth.
My production introduces you to an Atlantic salmon that's different from the one we know in Quebec, because its proximity to the ocean makes it particularly combative. Should I abandon my usual fishing beliefs for those of Labrador? This short film will take you to a wild territory, to meet the salmon and the enriching people who adopt a lifestyle in harmony with the preservation of the species.
Nothern Waters
by Sarah Nellis
Our short film, Northern Waters, follows the story of four women: Sam Breault, Maria Torres, Kaith Palmaria, and Sarah Nellis. United by their shared passion for fly fishing, these women embark on an expedition to Nunavik, Quebec, and to remote Northern waters. They venture into a fishing adventure searching to meet the Inuit community, and to share and learn from them as they practice their passion for fly fishing.
By participating in PALM 2025, we aim to inspire other women to discover fly fishing and find their own sense of community. We believe that our film, with its themes of friendship, diversity, and resilience, will resonate deeply with audiences and help broaden the horizons of what an outdoor adventure film can be.
Our short film, Northern Waters, follows the story of four women: Sam Breault, Maria Torres, Kaith Palmaria, and Sarah Nellis. United by their shared passion for fly fishing, these women embark on an expedition to Nunavik, Quebec, and to remote Northern waters. They venture into a fishing adventure searching to meet the Inuit community, and to share and learn from them as they practice their passion for fly fishing.