Filming outside the metropolis comes with certain constraints and challenges, but it’s also a liberating act. It means making a statement about defying the structures imposed by an industry that all too often ignores everything outside big cities. This is work that deserves to be appreciated, as do the organizations and production houses that work miracles to support their filmmakers.

This competition proves once again that creativity and talent aren’t confined to cities. It’s obvious from A dance for Pandore, a nightmarish animated film made in Estrie, or The Magician, a musical that can stand with Broadway’s best. Filmed mainly in Saguenay, L’Oncle de Yougoslavie doesn’t try to conform, instead introducing us to a confident new auteur with a bright future. The touching film Interurbain is another fine debut, in this case from a Quebec City filmmaker who won the Prix de la Relève in the Course des Régions competition. Le patenteux transports us to the Magdalen Islands through the singsong accent of the endearing Henri Painchaud, and Toujours les mêmes takes us inside the bingo hall in Matane, where they play a non-contact sport that can be absolutely brutal! It’s a selection that emphasizes the importance of paying attention to what’s being made everywhere.

Vote for your favorite short film from the 100% Region program in the Focus competition by filling out this form