Right after graduating from Concordia, Lori Malépart-Traversy helped create the short animation videos for Concordia’s Sexual Assault Resource Centre’s campaign on consent and bystander intervention. | Photo: Simon Nguyen
Lori Malépart-Traversy’s short film Le Clitoris deals with female sexuality in a light yet educational way. | Photo: Lori Malépart-Traversy
Others agreed that it was a good idea. The Fresh Take on Consent campaign was named Platinum Winner for Best Practices in Communications and Marketing from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), an international association of educational institutions in June 2018. Three months earlier it won the 2018 Gold Award for Best Practices in Communications and Marketing from CASE District 1, which covers eastern Canada and northeastern United States.
Malépart-Traversy is now working full time on a project at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) on female masturbation. “It’s going to be a series of videos that explores women’s memories, to show that masturbation can be different for every woman and to also show that it’s normal,” she says.
Female-sexuality focus
So far, most of Malépart-Traversy’s work tackles issues of female sexuality. “I think it’s a good combination because with animation you can show some stuff that might be difficult to show in live action,” she says.
“For example, with Le Clitoris, I was able to create this character, the clitoris, all with drawing. It would have been weird in live action. It also gives this cute, attractive visual which, I think, could attract more people to watch the film.”
When her project with at the NFB is finished, Malépart-Traversy isn’t sure what will be next or whether or not her work will continue to address issues of female sexuality. Yet she feels there are many more avenues to be explored on the topic.
“We don’t talk about female sexuality in a genuine or honest way so I think there’s a lot more to say about it. There are still a lot of taboos that exist,” she says.
Today Malépart-Traversy expresses appreciation for the animation program professors she worked with at the Concordia’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema, including Luigi Allemano, Shira Avni and Luc Otter.
“I think there are a lot of good teachers in the animation program, but what makes it very special is that it’s a small program and you really feel like a family,” she says.
Watch Lori Malépart-Traversy’s short animated film Le Clitoris.
Watch the Concordia’s Sexual Assault Resource Centre campaigns on consent and bystander intervention.