In May 2022, four Mont-Tremblantdwellers travelled up and down the Balkans by bicycle to make The Balkans Mirage: A Journey On Wheels. Playful, well done and flavoured with humour, the short film, which is slightly less than 12 minutes long — created by Nicolas Bellavance and produced by Félix Burke — takes its viewers through the sumptuous scenery and picturesque villages of this huge, mountainous peninsula in southeastern Europe. Presented by 7Mesh, the cinematographic work was first projected at Cinema Pine on April 27. It has been available online on the Vimeo platform since May 2.

Here’s the synopsis: four friends, united in their quest for adventure, leave to explore the Balkans by bike. Félix and Nicolas, ready for anything in their desire to capture every moment on camera, are joined by Annie Thibault, who is a scientist determined to discover a rare type of bat. As for Mathieu Langevin, he clearly has no idea of the adventure awaiting him.

The narration, by Louise Saint-Claire — a British actor living in South Africa — gives the film’s humour a very British twist. Inspired by the style of moviemaker Wes Anderson, the production — subtitled in French — sets itself apart from adventure films where the feat itself is front and centre. The trip lasted three weeks during which the four protagonists traveled more than 1,500 km.

“We wanted to separate ourselves from adventure films focusing only on the sports performance or voyage being documented,” explain Nicolas and Félix. “We stopped spontaneously in places that allowed us to film scenes corresponding to the film’s concept.”

That spontaneity finds an echo in the advice given us in conclusion by Félix. “If you go to the Balkans, don’t anticipate a set itinerary. Allow yourself to explore and improvise by letting yourself by transported by the beauty of the scenery. You won’t be disappointed.”

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