Biography

A graduate of UQAM with a certificate in screenwriting and a bachelor's degree in film, Miguel Lambert quickly distinguished himself with his trilogy of short fiction films: *Le Roi des Carottes* (2016), *Le Roi est Mort* (2018), and *Le Roi du Matelas* (2018). Since his studies, he has directed and written a 105-episode web series for young people for the Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie, as well as three short fiction films: *Marmote Intrépide*, *Et moi je roule*, and his most recent, *Juvéniles*. He is currently working on several projects, including his first feature film, adapted from Ariane Lessard's novel *FEUE*, and a feature-length documentary about Quebec's national Kin-Ball team and their World Cup in November 2024, entitled *L'amour du gros ballon*.

Filmography

THE LOVE OF THE BIG BALLOON, feature-length documentary, 2026

FIRE, feature film, 2026 (in development)

JUVÉNILES, short film, 2023

AND I ROLL, short film, 2020

INTREPID MARMOTE, short film, 2020

THE MATTRESS KING, short film, 2018

THE KING IS DEAD, short film, 2018

THE KING OF CARROTS, short film, 2016

Director's Note

One evening, I met the captain of the national Kin-Ball team at a friend's house for dinner. He mentioned that in November 2024, he would be playing in the sport's World Cup in South Korea to defend Canada's title. Surprised to learn that Kin-Ball wasn't just a physical education sport, that it had been invented in Quebec, and that we were even world champions, I wondered why no one was talking about it. When I went to meet his community and the men's national team to learn more, that's when the film "L'amour du gros ballon" (Love of the Big Ball) truly began. Although my curiosity about the current state of the sport sparked the idea of making a film, it was discovering a community united by friendship and a love for their sport that inspired me to pay tribute to them.

Having explored fiction in my previous projects, the documentary format was completely new to me. I knew my first project would involve relatable, emotional, and endearing characters, but I couldn't have imagined that they would even become friends through the process. Probably because I saw myself in these men who dared to be vulnerable in front of the camera or their friends, those who embody what we now define as positive masculinity.

Sports are an environment where ego often reigns supreme, primarily to motivate competition and performance, but in Kin-Ball, it's different. Even though these men have won several world championship titles, when they return home, no one in Quebec welcomes them to celebrate their victory. Simply because we've decided not to value this sport like others, even though it was invented in Quebec. Yet, even if no one talks about or congratulates our male and female champions, their resilience persists, and they continue to shine through their shared passion.

The love of the big ball is an ode to this community, to male friendship through sharing and vulnerability, and to common love, the kind that unites against all adversity.