Photo : Productionsnovak

After showing more than 200 short films on the big screen and welcoming more than 450 guests over the last few days, REGARD, the Saguenay International Short Film Festival and its five juries crowned 15 filmmakers at this year’s official awards ceremony. The juries also awarded four special mentions. 

Nearly $130,000 in money and services were presented to filmmakers from around the world. Festivalgoers will be able to (re)watch the films during special Palmarès sessions this Sunday afternoon at Studio Desjardins at the CEM starting at 1 p.m. 

Official Competition 

The jury for this year’s Official Competition comprised actress Juliette Gariépy (Quebec), director Rafaël Ouellet (Quebec), sound designer Olivier Calvert (Quebec), director, producer and cinematographer Miryam Charles (Quebec), and programmer Madison Egan (United States). The jury’s mandate was to select the winners of five awards from among the 55 short films in the Official Competition. 

The Grand Prize, presented by MUBI, Festival REGARD and CineGround, was awarded to the film Shadows by Rand Beiruty (France/Jordan). 

“ This essential film tells the true and disturbing story of a teenager who is the victim of a forced marriage and domestic violence. It moved the jury through its sensitive approach and the perspective it adopts. By choosing animation for this tragic story, the director not only protects the young woman’s identity but also finds a powerful way to bring her poignant testimony to life, illustrating her resilience and infusing some softness into her memories. The balance between the reality of this violence and the candor of this young woman, who never gives up, makes it a necessary film that raises awareness and touches the heart. ” - Jury of the Official Competition 

The Canadian Grand Prize, presented by the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi and Grandé Studios, went to Sarah Seené (Québec/Canada) for the film Orbites.

“ In a sensitive, nuanced and poetic way, this film explores a reality unknown to most of us, immersing us in a rich visual universe. The film is an intimate, almost tactile reflection on the way we look at things, our relationship with what we see, what we don't see and, above all, the hope of what we can no longer see, but can still imagine. Hope emanates from the film, reminding us that anything is still possible. ” - Jury of the Official Competition

In addition, the Jury Prize, awarded to the jurors’ personal favourite film, presented by Festival REGARD and Post-Moderne, went to What if they bomb here tonight by Samir Syriani (Liban).

In the category of Best Animation Short Film, presented by Rodeo FX and TvPaint, the award went to Sans voix by Samuel Patthey (Switzerland).

Finally, the five members of the Official Competition jury chose to honour Arshia Shakiba (Québec/Canada), for the film Who loves the sun, which was named this year’s Best Documentary Short Film. The award is presented by DOC Québec.

FIPRESCI and AQCC awards

The FIPRESCI International Critics’ Prize, presented by the Bureau du cinéma de Saguenay and SLA location, is presented to a Canadian filmmaker with a work in the Official Competition. This year’s award goes to Sarah Seené (Québec/Canada) for the film Orbites. 

The jury comprised three film critics: Rachel West (Canada), Pélagie Ng’onana (Cameroon) and Laura Pertuy (France). 

The Quebec critics’ jury (AQCC), composed of three specialized journalists based in Quebec, Olivier Du Ruisseau, Martin Bilodeau and Alain P. Jacques, presented the AQCC Quebec Critics’ Award, presented in collaboration with Lussier & Khouzam, to O, directed by Rúnar Rúnarsson (Iceland/Sweden).

Percebes by Laura Gonçalves and Alexandra Ramires (Portugal/France).  received a special mention for this award.

Lastly, the Audience Award for the Official Competition, presented by Outpost MTL, was presented to Nicolas Lachapelle for the film Le punk de Natashquan (Québec/Canada) based on audience votes recorded between March 19 and 22 after theatrical screenings and on the festival’s website.

Focus Competition

The Alanis-Obomsawin Prize, presented by the Canada Media Fund and presented to a filmmaker in the Indigenous Perspectives program, was awarded to Derik Lynch et Matthew Thorne (Australia) for the film Marungka tjalatjunu (Dipped in black). 

This year’s Shoot No Matter What Award, for an independent film from Quebec, presented by the École supérieure en Art et technologie des médias, Festival REGARD, Spira and PRIM, was awarded to the short film Ma soeur directed by Rosalie Pelletier.

A special mention was awarded to Cher Zoscar by Sarah Toussaint-Léveillé (Québec/Canada).

The Americana Award, recognizing an emerging filmmaker from Latin America, presented by Festival REGARD, went to the short film Servicio necrológico para usted (Obituary service for you) by María Salafranca (Cuba).

Director Marc-Olivier Huard (Québec/Canada) won the Philippe-Belley Award for the film Interurbain, screened as part of the 100% Regions program. The award is presented by Hydro-Québec and La Bande Sonimage.

Finally, the Short & Queer Award, presented by Festival REGARD and Mainfilm, went to the short film The eating of an orange directed by May Kindred-Boothby (United Kingdom). 

A special mention was awarded to Muses by Simon Vermeulen (Quebec/Canada) for this prize.

These five award winners were selected by the Focus Competition jury: actor Robin L’Houmeau (Quebec); distributor and director Alexandre Dostie (Quebec); producer Pierre-Mathieu Fortin (Quebec); Dreamspeakers International Indigenous Film Festival programming director Aretha Greatrix (Alberta); and Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) co-artistic director Ana Alice de Morais (Quebec). 

The Audience Award for the Focus Competition, presented by Romeo & Fils and Royal Photo, went to Maude Petel-Légaré (Québec/Canada) for the film Le patenteux. 

The award for Best Youth Short Film, presented by the cégeps of Chicoutimi, Jonquière, Alma and Saint-Félicien and Alliance Média Jeunesse, went to Spelregler (Game rules) (Sweden) for the film Christian Zetterberg.

A special mention was awarded to Los Carpinchos by Soderguit Alfredo (France/Chile/Uruguay).

Three specialists in youth programming had the honour of selecting this year’s Best Youth Film winner: illustrator and youth film director Janice Nadeau (Quebec), director of the Festival international du film d’éducation d’Évreux Christian Gautellier (France), and drag performer Barbada de Barbades (Quebec).

Tribute award 

Finally, Festival REGARD would like to mention the presentation of a tribute award to Kinomada founder Yannick Nolin, which took place on Thursday March 20 at an event celebrating Kinomada's 15th anniversary. A spark plug and training ground for hundreds of filmmakers around the world, Kinomada has now created over 700 films in more than a dozen countries. From Peru to Mexico, from Chile to Panama, from Cuba to El Salvador, via Haiti, Martinique and Louisiana, Kinomada's tentacles have spread out 29 times, always with the same objective: to think, produce and direct films in a short space of time, inspired by the encounters and locations of each stopover.

More chances to enjoy Quebec’s short films 

Extending the festival’s 29th edition, REGARD, in collaboration with two partners, is offering the opportunity to re-watch several of the festival’s Quebec-made films starting Monday. First, the 100% Queb program will be screened this Monday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m. at the Ciné-Club in Jonquière. From March 24 to April 7, the free streaming platform from Télé-Québec/La Fabrique Culturelle will offer 15 Quebec-made shorts through the REGARD en prolongation program.