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Neon Dreaming at Glasgow Film Festival 2025 review by Pat Byrne

Neon Dreaming is written and directed by Marie-Claire Marcotte

It is the story of an eight year old girl, Billie (Maélya Boyd), who lives with her father and grandmother and is preoccupied by thoughts of her absent mother. She treasures a photograph of a ballet dancer, whom she believes is her mum.When she has to do a presentation at school about her family and shows the photograph claiming it is her mother, she is mocked by another school child who has the same photograph at home – of the famous ballerina called Karen Kain.

Her kindly schoolteacher, Miss Sam,(Sheila Asaro),,  (a childhood friend of her mother’s) comforts the distraut Billie and she seems able to recover from her schoolmate’s taunts.

Billie has been shielded from the truth regarding her mother’s absence by both her fatherFred (Corey Loranger), and her grandmother(Genevieve Langlois) but she is determined to find her. She is a lively and imaginative child. She is also very strongwilled and has no trouble persuading her ‘bestie’, Sherry (Maïna-Rose Caméus), to accompany her on her search to find her mother. They set off on a freezing night, weighed down with cases containing all that Billie owns.   They seem relatively unperturbed by their plight when they are stranded, exhausted on a lonely highway.  However, the director doesn’t push elements of tension or danger, although a ‘psycho killer’ could appear!

The friendship between the two girls is heartwarming and the scenes of their interaction and play are some of the most enjoyable in the film, with the two young actors give admirable performances.The scenes of Billie in her bedroom, full of bright colours, soft toys and the iconic ballet dancer photograph also have impact – successfully capturing the world through a child’s eyes.

When Billie’s mother Genevieve Caroline Raynaud reappears their reconnection is helped along by gentle humour enjoyed around the dinner table    Although the film doesn’t particularly strive to create a strong emotional response, nonetheless, the audience is invested in Billie’s journey and hopeful that all works out well for this dysfunctional family and charming child.

Pat Byrne, March, 2025

Screening at Glasgow Film Festival as part of Audience Award

Franco-Ontarian production – French with English Subtitles

Showing at Glasgow Film Theatre, 4 and 5 March, 2025 – both screenings will be followed by Marie-Claire Marcotte, Director, an Brennan Fuller, Cinematographer.

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Glasgow Film Festival  26 February – 9 March, 2025

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