Humor is underrated. Especially in its ability to heal from the inside, and to throw light on subjects that might seem too dark to have sophisticated discussions around, and in its potential to make a difference. Prostate and testicular cancers do not make good living room conversation. But Antoine de Bujadoux’s short-film “Un vrai film de boules” hopes to change that by using the chisel of humor to scrape off some of the discomforts around the subject. His sic. ‘ballsy’ attempt has also helped him receive recognition at Movember. Let’s learn some more.
Antoine is the son of famous French music composer Yves de Bujadoux. Creativity is in his blood. Recalls the 29-year-old filmmaker, “From the time I was a child, cinema has been my passion, and becoming a director has always been my career goal.” Antione loves the cinema for its potential to bring one closer to life. He says, “Cinema gives you an insider’s view into so many people’s lives that you wouldn’t have gotten to see otherwise.” Filmmaking gave Antoine the courage to create conversational doorways to subjects that society may consider a taboo. He adds, “Every taboo must be brought apart to see what it attempts to hide. Moreover,oftentimes, a taboo becomes an invisibility cloak for the critical matterhiding underneath. Once that is out in the open and people are introduced to the idea that a so-called “sensitive subject” can be talked about, it only becomes a matter of time before the “tabooed” topic is being discussed in cafés, colleges, films, and finally, in our homes.”
This realization and hope are exactly what gave Antoine the strength to direct a “spot on testicular cancer in a Parisian bowling alley to raise awareness for men’s health and prevention including testicular and prostate cancer. It’s a difficult subject to discuss, but I’ve created the spots from a comedic aspect, and I believe that each of the spots went viral in France because of their wry humor.” The spots have garnered enough eye-balls at Movember which is a Melbourne-based leading global organization that’s committed to changing the face of men’s health worldwide.
Antoine is jubilantto receive the recognition especially because he hopes it will help people take a fresh look at men’s healthand issues that are considered taboo in France, and there’s so little known about them because of that. We hope that Antoine’s short film breaks barriers and becomes an early step towards making an uncomfortable conversation, comfortable.
