Saguenay international
short film festival

Back in March for its 26th edition, REGARD - Festival international du court métrage au Saguenay, unveils today its 2022 program. Among other things, you will have the chance to discover a new generation of filmmakers who are not lacking in audacity and creativity in theaters at maximum capacity from March 23 to 27!


In total, 165 films from some 50 countries have been selected by our team. Of the 250 films received from Quebec alone, 60 Quebec shorts have been selected to be part of the largest short film festival in the country. In addition to watching these works on the big screen during the event, you will be able to extend the pleasure from March 28 to April 10 thanks to the REGARD’s online platform.


"The entire team is working hard to offer audiences a top-notch theatrical experience, enhanced by performances and winks to the films that make the festival’s experience unique at REGARD. The strength of a festival also lies in the way the community makes it its own. New and old alike, REGARD belongs to you, thank you for making it vibrate with us!" - Mélissa Bouchard, Director of Programming


Official Competition


Of the 66 films in the Official Competition, divided into ten programs, 13 premieres are eligible for the Canadian Grand Prize (presented by UQAC and Grandé caméra/clairage/studios) and 13 international novelties are in the running for the Grand Prize (presented by the Bureau du cinéma de Saguenay). There are a total of 40 world, North American and Canadian premieres. 

 

Among the Quebec films to watch out for is Belle River, a documentary with breathtaking cinematography shot in Louisiana and signed by Yannick Nolin, Guillaume Fournier and Samuel Matteau. Also the animated film Marco & Polo Go Round, by Benjamin Steiger Levine, also available in virtual reality and starring Léane Labrèche-Dor and Emmanuel Schwartz. On the international side, our team can't miss Warshaw, a France-Lebanon co-production. A Dania Bdeir thriller with a grand finale, which began its run at Sundance in January and won the Best International Drama Award.

 

A new addition to our Official Competition this year, a selection entirely dedicated to animated films, presented by Rodeo Fx, has been added. The launch of this competition will take place on the opening night of the Festival, Wednesday, March 23, with Competitions 1 and 2 at the National Bank Theatre starting at 7 p.m. A replay is planned for each Official Competition program during the event. 

 

This year's REGARD Official Competition Jury is composed of Ladj Ly, French director and founder of the Kourtrajmé school, Éric Piccoli, director, Martine Francke, actress, Larissa Corriveau, actress, Marco De Blois, Artistic Director of the Sommets du cinéma d'animation and finally Mustapha Fahmi, author, teacher and lecturer.


Parallel competition


A total of 20 short films have been selected for the Parallel Competition which is divided into three programs. In addition to Americana, you will be able to see the classic 100% Régions and Tourner à Tout Prix! in a double program on Friday evening, March 25 at the National Bank Theatre. Tourner à Tout Prix! celebrates independent french speaking Canadian talent, 100% Régions gives greater visibility to off-center filmmakers and Americana targets young creators from South America. 


In addition to the Saguenay (Rencontre avec Robert Dole by François Harvey and Cercueil, Tabarnak! by Loïc Darses), the Mauricie (Monsieur Magie by Patrick Gauthier), the Eastern Townships (Cendres by Emmanuel Rioux), the North Shore (Débâcle by Catherine Arsenault) and Chaudière-Appalaches (Tout Roule by Audrey Nantel-Gagnon) are the territories that will be represented during the 100% Régions program.


This year, we want to highlight the Parallel Competition, which will allow you to discover new talents, so we are adding the Parallel Competition's Audience Award. You will be invited to vote during the Festival for YOUR favorite films among the Official Competition and the Parallel Competition on the event's website. Another award has undergone a metamorphosis in 2022; the 100% Regions Award has become the Philippe Belley Award, in honor of the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean-born director who left far too soon last summer. A tribute evening for the director is also scheduled for Saturday, March 26. 


The members of the Parallel Competition Jury are Karine Gonthier-Hyndman, actress, Ariane Roy-Poirier, director of programming at the Festival Plein(s) Écran(s), Serge Bordeleau, director from Abitibi and Eva Williams, programmer at the Sundance Film Festival. 


In total, more than $100,000 in cash and services will be offered to the winners of the 26th edition of the Festival REGARD. 


Thematic programs 


Also on the calendar this year are a total of seven thematic programs consisting of 41 short films. In addition to doubling the pleasure with two programs of Films de genre, a highly anticipated event presented by Énergie 94,5, and the best of experimental shorts in Art et Essai, presented by the École supérieure en Art et technologie des médias, the Festival team takes its audience on a journey to China with the screening Focus: jeunes cinéastes chinois, presented by Le Quotidien, and plays with male stereotypes with the program Boys, presented by the microbrewery Riverbend. There will also be a retrospective screening of Dans l'univers by Samer Najari and Dominique Chila, two filmmakers who have been working together for over 20 years to depict their vision of the world in films that are full of meaning and poetry. The activity will be enhanced by a reading of the script of their latest film currently in post-production. The reading will be directed by Bruno Paradis and will bring together five actors from the region.


Youth programs


We've been wanting to pass on our passion for cinema to our youngest visitors for 20 years now, and this year we're once again offering a great program for your families. The P'tites vues are back in the morning on March 26 and 27 in Jonquière and Chicoutimi. Children will be able to see films about friendship, encounters, welcoming and sharing. For older children, the Grandes vues will offer several stories of diversity and inclusion on Sunday, March 27. Two screenings presented by Hydro-Québec. As for teens, they will be able to follow passionate, committed and inspiring people during the #13-17 program presented on Saturday evening, March 26, by the Mode Choc boutique.


The Short Market, presented by Telefilm Canada


Finally, for its 18th edition, the professional component of the REGARD Festival will hold its free activities from March 24 to 26. Aimed at people working in the film industry, but also at the general public with a thirst for knowledge, this year's Market will feature in-person events that will also be captured and broadcast on the REGARD online platform. 


These include a film lesson with director Stéphane Lafleur, hosted by the irreplaceable Manon Dumais and presented by Film Laurentides; round tables on youth short films, offered by L'inis; and Film Criticism in 2022: A Profession for the Future, in collaboration with the Short Film Conference. Not to mention all the networking activities and the official REGARD: Court toujours! podcast recorded in the Mixbus, where you can listen to 13 interviews on several platforms about the films in the running for the Canadian Grand Prize.


Opening of the ticket sales


After two special years, in 2022 we celebrate the return of the passport that gives you access to all the Festival's activities and screenings in addition to the REGARD’s online platform. On Wednesday, March 2, starting at 12:30 p.m., you will be able to go to our website to purchase your passport or your session tickets. REGARD x Riverbend beer holders can also take advantage of a 26% discount on the passport thanks to the QR code on the back of the can. The beer is still available at 22 retailers across the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region.

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