Lost in the Shuffle
Q&A with director Jon Ornoy after the film
A feature documentary by Animal Mother Films
A Special Presentation from 2024 Hot Docs festival
For almost as long as there have been cards, there have been card tricks. In the hands of a magician, a simple deck of cards takes on a life of its own and is elevated to an instrument of wonder and awe. Seen through the eyes of some of the world’s best sleight-of-hand artists, Lost in the Shuffle is a loving look at how playing cards have become synonymous with magic and the mysteries hidden in their art.
Two-time world champion Shawn Farquhar takes us through six countries as he both tries to prove his theory that hidden in the art of every deck of cards are the clues to the conspiracy to kill a French king in 1498, while simultaneously creating a brand-new routine that tells the real story of Charles VIII’s untimely demise. Workshopping different elements of the routine with four top magicians, the film pulls back the curtain on the creativity, ingenuity and psychological tricks the modern magician employs to make us all believe in the impossible.
“Will the greatest illusion of all prove to be that an ancient cold-case murder has been hiding under our noses all this time?”
The documentary features 5 of the world's best magicians:
Shawn Farquhar
Alexandra Duvivier
Juan Tamariz
Richard Turner
Michael Vincent
A feature documentary by Animal Mother Films
A Special Presentation from 2024 Hot Docs festival
For almost as long as there have been cards, there have been card tricks. In the hands of a magician, a simple deck of cards takes on a life of its own and is elevated to an instrument of wonder and awe. Seen through the eyes of some of the world’s best sleight-of-hand artists, Lost in the Shuffle is a loving look at how playing cards have become synonymous with magic and the mysteries hidden in their art.
Two-time world champion Shawn Farquhar takes us through six countries as he both tries to prove his theory that hidden in the art of every deck of cards are the clues to the conspiracy to kill a French king in 1498, while simultaneously creating a brand-new routine that tells the real story of Charles VIII’s untimely demise. Workshopping different elements of the routine with four top magicians, the film pulls back the curtain on the creativity, ingenuity and psychological tricks the modern magician employs to make us all believe in the impossible.
“Will the greatest illusion of all prove to be that an ancient cold-case murder has been hiding under our noses all this time?”
The documentary features 5 of the world's best magicians:
Shawn Farquhar
Alexandra Duvivier
Juan Tamariz
Richard Turner
Michael Vincent