Aimé Irabahaye, a Montreal-based director is the recipient of the prestigious Prism Prize Lipsett Award for 2023. This annual award recognizes outstanding artistry in Canadian music videos and celebrates the innovative and unique approaches taken by music video artists. While this accolade is a testament to Aimé’s undeniable talent, his path to the podium is even more distinctive than the video’s he produces.
See also: Gent’s Talk: Ep. 47 – Canadian Screen Awards Episode
Growing Up While Staying Young
Aimé’s journey is certainly unconventional. Through highschool he often had a camera with him and would aim to develop a video or two each year as a passion project. Over time, however, he felt he needed to pursue a more reliable career and in 2017 he enrolled at Polytechnique Montreal for software engineering. As he moved through school, Aimé felt as though something was missing and craved the youthful feeling that creating videos brought him and in 2021, he stepped away from his school to focus on directing with just a few courses left.
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A Curiosity-Driven Mindset
Aimé’s early work served as an honest attempt at becoming a director, allowing him to learn and grow with each project. Initially, he presented his work under the alias, Visual Deception. When asked why, Aimé said “it felt weird putting work under [his] own name. Am I an artist?… An engineer?… A director?” Aimé’s relentless curiosity led him to immerse himself in the world of filmmaking, seizing every opportunity to be on set and absorb knowledge from seasoned professionals. “When I was younger, I would break things apart just to put them back together, Aimé added, “I’m obsessed with it.” Roughly 3 years later, Aimé’s unrelenting passion has allowed him to find confidence in his work as he moved to presenting work under his own name and is now being recognized for the quality of his pursuits.
Undeniable Talent
The commitment Aimé has devoted to his craft has quickly paid off, resulting in an impressive resume, including projects with Chiiild’s “You Got Me” and SKIIFALL’s “I Can’t Feel My Mind.” Both of these showcase his distinctive style and innovative approach. There’s a simplicity to Aimé’s work that allows for elements of elegance and beauty. “It’s intentional,” Aimé agrees, “I like to create a timeless feel that will allow the video to stand the test of time.” Through his unique style of storytelling, Aimé captivates audiences and leaves a lasting impact.
It’s evident in speaking with Aimé that he embraces a mindset of perpetual development, both with his work and on himself. “I’m still at the early stages,” Aimé concludes, “I want to explore longer forms, short stories, and other stuff like that. I haven’t even scratched the surface.” Stay tuned for more from Aimé Irabahaye as he continues to make his mark with his captivating music video art.
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Prism Prize
The Prism Prize is a prestigious national award in Canada that celebrates the artistic excellence of modern music videos. A panel of over 135 esteemed professionals form the Canadian music and film industries carefully curate a shortlist of the top 10 videos each year. These award is given based on the video’s artistic merit, considering key factors such as originality, creativity, style, innovation, and effective execution.
