President of the Jury Award

Lion's Wrinkle and Crow's Feet

by Juliette Léonard
INSAS, Belgium

Jury Motivation by Gita Feizi

A committed filmmaker is always a few steps ahead of her time. In Lion’s Wrinkle and Crow’s Feet, a young director, with her camera set up in a bathroom and a curious gaze, explores one of the most universal female fears: aging. For decades, the capitalist system has profited from this fear to sell beauty products, but this film—told with rare honesty—asks a simple question: what if we choose acceptance instead of fear?

Blending intimate interviews, stop-motion sequences, and her own on-screen presence, the filmmaker moves beyond surface-level beauty concerns and embarks on an inner journey. From imagining herself at sixty to meeting women who have made peace with their wrinkles, the film gradually shifts from anxiety to calm.

In the final moments, two young women tear down anti-aging cream posters and replace them with portraits of real women whose natural lines tell their stories. Lion’s Wrinkle and Crow’s Feet is an honest and intelligent documentary—a reminder that every wrinkle is not a sign of decay, but a trace of life itself.

Synopsis

 Growing old as a woman is a tragedy. Without realising it that's what I've always thought and what I've always been taught. So how do I get rid of this stupid idea that's so deeply rooted in my skull and in my society? At nearly thirty, it's time for me to talk with women of other generations and tear down some anti-aging advertisements.

Director's biography

Juliette is a director and editor. After university studies in France, Canada and the Netherlands, she joined INSAS in editing section in 2019. Very focused on documentaries, she is experimenting several forms to talk about serious social subjects in new ways, trying to use her humour to be heard. During her last year of master at l'INSAS she has been accepted in the directing cursus to direct her own documentary "Ride de Lion et Pattes d'Oie".

Credits

Director: Juliette Léonard
Cinematography: Juliette Léonard
Producer: Manon Ledune

Specifications

Original title: Ride du Lion et Pattes d'Oie
Running time: 24'
Film type: Documentary
Country: Belgium