Simon Lavoie (born May 15, 1979) is a Canadian film director and screenwriter from Quebec.[1] He is best known as codirector with Mathieu Denis of Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves (Ceux qui font les révolutions à moitié n'ont fait que se creuser un tombeau), which won the award for Best Canadian Film at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival[2] and garnered several Canadian Screen Award nominations at the 5th Canadian Screen Awards in 2017, including for Best Picture and Best Director.[3]
He made a number of short films — including The White Chapel (Une chapelle blanche), which won the Prix Jutra for Best Short Film in 2006[1] — before making his feature film debut in 2008 with The Deserter (Le Déserteur).[4] He first collaborated with Denis on the 2011 film Laurentia (Laurentie),[5] and followed up with The Torrent (Le Torrent) in 2012.[6]
His next project, The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches (La petite fille qui aimait trop les allumettes), a film adaptation of Gaétan Soucy's novel of the same name, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2017.[7] It received an honorable mention for Best Canadian Film,[8] and received a nomination for Best Motion Picture at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards.[9]
His next film, No Trace (Nulle trace), premiered in 2021.[10] He also wrote the screenplay for the 2022 film Norbourg, directed by Maxime Giroux.[11]
His most recent film, Dissolution (Se fondre), premiered at the 2024 Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma.[12]