Treated as a collaborative work with all artists involved, Answer is a small introspection into three young women living the experience of being interracial asian adoptees in their everyday lives. With the goal of opening the door on this almost untouched subject, they have started questioning and researching themselves, their identities & their emotions. Most often then not impossible to voice with words, this is an ode to the answers they have, to those that remain unclear and to the ones they will never find.
Mentions & Awards
• Le meilleur de la Nuit de la Danse du FIFA [Théatre de Verdure, Montreal // Festival International du film sur l’art - 2026]
• La Nuit de la Danse [FIFA's 44th Edition official screening selection // Festival International du film sur l’art, Théatre Outremont - 2026]
• Best Impact Award Winner (Tied) [CineFAM Film Festival // Toronto - 2023]
• 2023: Best Creativity Winner [Canada China International Film Festival // Montreal - 2023]
Answer tells an intimate story of three young women questioning their identities and the unexplainable emotions that arise from being interracial Asian adoptees. Brunet said the piece is partially influenced by her own lived experience as an adoptee to a white family and serves as a first step in opening the door to this aspect of identity that is often not discussed within public discourse.
“It’s not just a short film; it’s a big thing for me and I hope it resonates with people in that way also,” said Brunet. “And with that subject, it can be heavy, depending on how you respond to it. But I would like in some way to make people feel a little bit uncomfortable with that.”
Excerpt CanAsian Dance Festival Celebrates 25 Years With a Virtual Multi-Week Event by Serena Lopez
Credits & Thanks
Director, Choreographer - Mary-Lee Brunet
Director of photography [videographer & editor] - Do Phan Hoi
Dancer, Co-choreographer - Romy Denoncourt
Dancer, Co-choreographer - Meihan Carrier-Brisson
Dramaturg - Handy ‘Hya’ Hyacinthe
Musical composer & musical editor - Rekinsa
Set Assistant - Emile Benazera & Etienne Leonard Benoit
Artistic Consultants - Sarah Steben, Ford MckEown Larose, Ricky St-Jusna
Commissioner - CanAsian Dance
I would like to thank dearly me team as well as Sarah Steben & Giulia Tripoli from Workroom 5584, Bao Nguyen and his family, Caroline Dusseault, Espace Dusso location, Ap Nguyen, Christbob Phu, Ervin Andaya, Alexandra ‘Spicey’ Landé, Emile Benazera & Etienne Léonard-Benoit, Ford McKeown Larose, Ricky St-Jusna, Ariana Shaw, Denise Fujiwara and the CanAsian board
Festival International du film sur l'art
FIFA Cohorte Émergence Program
The Fostering Emergence program is part of a resolutely inclusive and sustainable approach, placing diversity and accessibility at the heart of its actions. By supporting emerging talents and engaging new audiences, Le FIFA reaffirms its role as a key player in the development of media arts and cinema, while building bridges between cultures and generations.