Galatea
When Galatea, an incredibly beautiful statue comes to life, her creator Pygmalion falls head over heels. Through their bond, the artist not only discovers true love but also that change and grief are just as much a part of life.
SONG under license from Universal Music Canada Inc.
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Céline RibardDirectorUniverselles, Stagger
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Céline RibardWriterUniverselles, Stagger
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Gael van den BosscheWriterStagger
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Galen FletcherExecutive ProducerNo Men Beyond This Point, Stuffed
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Cole HewlettProducerThe Stickman's Hollow
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Christophine OpsetmoenProducer
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Chrystal OpsetmoenProducer
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Hannelore EstachyCo - ProducerFérale
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Mya LoweKey Cast"Pygmalion"Yellowjackets (2021), Murder in a Small Town (2024), My Life with the Walter Boys (2023), Fakes (2022), Charmed (2022)
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Brenna MetzmeierKey Cast"Galatea"
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Chris KempinskiCinematographerKung Fu
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Casey WongEditor
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Lara SerafinOriginal MusicUniverselles, 'The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse'
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tombeau by PommeSongs
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Alexis FletcherChoreographerAt Belle Spirale
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Project Title (Original Language):Galatea
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:Fantasy, Drama, Queer
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Runtime:7 minutes 40 seconds
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Completion Date:June 10, 2025
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Production Budget:7,000 CAD
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Country of Origin:Canada
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Country of Filming:Canada
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Language:No Dialogue
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Shooting Format:Colour 35mm
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Aspect Ratio:1.37:1
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Digital Cinema Package:Unavailable
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Image Out Rochester NY 2025Rochester
United States
October 16, 2025
Official Selection -
Queer Shorts Vienna 2026Vienna
Austria
March 1, 2026
Official Selection -
Brighton Rocks International Film FestivalBrighton
United Kingdom
June 19, 2026
Official Selection
CÉLINE RIBARD is a queer French film director based in London, UK and Vancouver, CA. She is drawn to hybrid-genre stories around intimacy and identity.
A flair for problem solving led her to the production office, working on projects for Netflix, A24, BBC, Pathé and others - before she found her voice in directing. With a degree in fashion, her experience as a designer and her passion for analogue photography bring a unique visual language to her storytelling.
Her RTBF (Belgium TV) commissioned series UNIVERSELLES, supported by the french film fund le CNC, was released in May 2024. Her previous shorts STAGGER, VAMP and KRATER have been screened in various festivals and queer community spaces around the world.
She is a BAFTA Connect and Directors UK member and is currently in development with her first feature COMATOSE. Aside from her directing work, Céline created WxIF an independent magazine that celebrates female-led projects in film & tv.
I’ve always been fascinated by ancient Greek myths and legends, where so few words convey such strong feelings. These timeless tales have been told and retold for centuries, resonating universally across different cultures and eras.
As an artist, the story of Pygmalion and Galatea is one that particularly touched me. It speaks to the transformative power of love, the connection between an artist and their muse, and the delicate boundary between reality and art.
I wanted to reimagine this classic story through a modern lens, removing the traditional gender imbalance by portraying both the artist and the statue as women. I strongly believe that gender and sexual orientation should be irrelevant when it comes to love - and that representation is essential for progress and fostering a kinder, accepting society. Growing up as a queer person in the French countryside, I really wished I had seen more inclusive love stories where the protagonists’ sexualities weren’t a source of conflict.
Inspired by the simplicity and emotional depth of Pixar short animations, my goal with “Galatea” is to tell a concise and universal story with big emotions. This project is a journey back to the basics, a challenge for me to explore storytelling through colors, composition, and performance without dialogue. I couldn’t think of a better medium than 35mm film to capture these emotions, as the origin of moving image itself. Ultimately, I hope to show through this film that love is worth it, no matter how brief - but that learning to embrace change and grief are equally integral parts of life. •