May 12, the Cinematheque, 6:15pm 

The visible spectrum is defined as “wavelengths of visible light.” It’s what five people who have been struck by lightning begin to describe in Le spectre visible, the 2022 short from Quebecois directors Sarah Seené and Maxime Corbeil-Perron, as they share stories about the lasting impression the phenomenon has made on their lives. Shot on 16mm film against a haunting backdrop of black and white, staticky flashes of colourful light emulate the different experiences of the survivors as they share intimate reflections on life, death, and psychic connections to nature. It’s both frightening and beautiful—like lightning itself.

Find the Straight's full DOXA 2023 guide here.