It is with great pride that REGARD announces the recent nomination of the Festival within a small circle of international cinema, as it will now be part of the festivals which provide access to the OSCAR^® for the short film (Academy qualifying festivals for the Short Film Awards^®).

In other words, the winning films of the Festival’s National and International Awards will now be taken into consideration in the nomination process of the OSCAR^® for best Live Action Short Film.

Marie-Elaine Riou, the Festival’s Executive Director, states that "A few days before Christmas, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the good news. We couldn’t have imagined a best way to end our 20th year and start our twenty-first edition, coming in March."

In accordance with the Academy’s policy, over several years, the Festival has gone through a complex process, in order to attest its relevance for the film industry. Since the selection committee accepted the Festival’s nomination in the first instance, the procedure has proven successful.

Mélissa Bouchard, the Festival’s Head of programming, adds that "This new feature also increases the attractiveness of national and international competitions, while providing more access to the OSCAR^® for Quebec and Canadian short films."

Therefore, REGARD becomes the sixth Canadian Festival reaching this list. Since the process for the 89th edition of the OSCAR ceremony is already under way, the winners of the Festival’s next edition, which will take place from March 15th to March 19, will therefore be considered for the 90th edition of the ceremony, in February 2018, in Los Angeles.