MY AVATAR Fantasia TRAILER

mixd reality production getting on air .-) happy.
http://www.fantasiafestival.com/pre2011/en/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1890478/
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OLIVER STONE & TODD SOLONDZ ASSIST MONTREAL FILMMAKER IN 12 ½ MINUTES OF FAME
Marc Wiltshire’s Short Film My Avatar Premieres at Fantasia

MONTREAL July 21, 2011 – Following academic training in the Graduate Film Department at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts Asia, writer/director Marc Wiltshire returns to his native Montreal with the world premiere of his most recent short film; MY AVATAR screens on August 7, 2011 at Concordia University’s Hall Theatre, as part of the 15th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival.

Personally selected to work with renowned film director Oliver Stone, who supervised and mentored the editing of MY AVATAR, Wiltshire employs a mixed-media approach in the film’s production, combining live action scenes shot in Singapore on HD with animated scenes produced in the virtual world Second Life. Additional assistance came from internationally-praised writer/director Todd Solondz, who guided the screenwriting process of MY AVATAR. The film also co-stars acclaimed actress Christine Ghawi, winner of a Gemini Award for her portrayal of Céline Dion in the CBC biopic.

A STORY OF MODERN LOVE

In MY AVATAR, a married man finds love in the virtual world Second Life and begins an online affair which eventually jeopardizes his real-life relationship. Dissatisfied with his marriage, Michael seeks out solace and finds it in a virtual universe. As his alias Falcon Luckless, Michael falls in love with an avatar named Gloria Spiritweaver, who fulfills the intimate and intellectual desires he has let lapse with his wife Vanessa (portrayed by Ghawi.) Ultimately, Michael must decide which life he prefers to live. Part live-action, part animation, MY AVATAR explores the moral implications of virtual affairs and how they impact real-world relationships.

BEHIND THE SCENES

For three years, Marc Wiltshire has been living in Singapore telling stories about Canadian characters in international contexts. He became fascinated with the world of online relationships and began to question the line between virtual sex and actual adultery. While exploring Second Life, Wiltshire met Cisko Vandeverre, one of the moderators for the Machinima Artist Guild. The two collaborated on the creation of the lead characters’ Second Life avatars. All animated scenes in MY AVATAR were equally created and recorded within the virtual world.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Born and raised in Montreal, Canadian filmmaker Marc Wiltshire made his first short film FLAMOUSSE! in 2006, spawning a cult-following after its wide-release. Having completed a BA in Communication Studies from Concordia University, Wiltshire has lived in Europe, USA, and Japan, where he wrote and directed a slew of short films. His work often depicts dysfunctional relationships combining dry humor with honest portrayals of flawed characters. In May 2011, he completed coursework towards his Master’s degree at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts Asia in Singapore. Wiltshire is currently in pre-production for his MFA Thesis film to be shot in Northern Vietnam.

**Marc Wiltshire and Christine Ghawi are available for interviews**


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For additional information and media-related inquiries, please contact:

Alex Nitsiou | Publicist
514.443.3731
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