For the Québec feature film 1991, STARNO collaborated once again with Fly Studio to create a series of highly realistic digital environments designed to transport the audience from Québec to Europe. Although the scenes were filmed locally, the story required viewers to believe the characters were traveling through France and Italy, making visual authenticity essential.
The team digitally transformed multiple shooting locations into convincing European settings, with particular attention given to train stations and surrounding urban environments. These transformations involved detailed matte painting, environmental reconstruction, and the integration of architectural elements characteristic of French and Italian cities.
Achieving a seamless blend between filmed footage and digital enhancements was crucial to supporting the narrative journey. The resulting environments allowed the cast to appear naturally immersed in European landscapes, enhancing the film’s emotional and geographic authenticity.
1991 follows the continuing journey of Ricardo, a young student navigating love, identity, and self-discovery. When he travels to Europe in pursuit of Marie-Ève, the woman he believes to be his soulmate, Ricardo finds himself immersed in a series of unpredictable and often humorous adventures that test his expectations and reshape his understanding of relationships.
As he moves between France and Italy, he encounters new people, unfamiliar cultures, and unexpected obstacles that reveal as much about himself as they do about the world around him. Blending humor, heart, and a touch of nostalgia, the film explores the universal challenges of youth — longing, confusion, hope, and the complicated search for belonging — all through Ricardo’s warm and deeply human perspective.
Joseph Charette, Frédéric St-Arnaud
Fly Studio
Film