With support from the Hermès Foundation,
Commandes spéciales is a school-based programme aimed at children from underprivileged backgrounds in the city of Toronto. Film screenings, workshops and meetings with film professionals encourage young children and teenagers to discover the world of film and develop unique links with key industry players.
The aim is to broaden young people's horizons, and introduce them to new cultures through the power of the moving image. Workshops enable each participant to create his or her own animated film sequence.
Commandes Spéciales was created as part of the Sprockets Film Festival, an annual six-day event that has enjoyed increasing success and acclaim. Held in April, the Festival presents around 70 works for children and young people aged 3 to 18, including short films and full-length features from 26 countries, exploring a wide range of themes from poverty, child soldiers, ecology and the plight of sea turtles, to the complexes of a little girl who dreams of being as beautiful as her mother. The 2009 edition of the festival attracted 17,000 young people and their families.
