TWO MAIN AWARDS FOR INDIGENOUS PRODUCTIONS

Montreal, Monday May 16 –The 20th annual Sommets du cinéma d’animation came to a close yesterday with their much anticipated awards ceremony. The 37-films strong Canadian Competition confirmed the vitality and excellence across the country, and more specifically of indigenous talent, with the two main awards going to ANGAKUKSAJAUJUQ - THE SHAMAN'S APPRENTICE by Inuk director Zacharias Kunuk and MENEATH: THE HIDDEN ISLAND OF ETHICS by Métis director Terril Calder. Calder was the subject of a retrospective of her eight previous short films during the Sommets. This 20th edition was able to benefit from an exceptional spring and allowed for a reunion with the public at the Cinémathèque québécoise, to everyone's pleasure.

The jury of the Canadian Competition, in charge of awarding five prizes, was composed of Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo (director, teacher, École Émile Cohl - France), Shira Avni (director, teacher, Concordia University), Pixie Cram (director, media artist), Olivier Morin (actor, director) and Marya Zarif (writer, director).

THE GUY-L.-COTÉ GRAND PRIZE FOR THE BEST ANIMATED FILM

ANGAKUKSAJAUJUQ – THE SHAMAN’S APPRENTICE by Zacharias Kunuk

SPECIAL JURY AWARD – ÉCOLE NAD-UQAC

MENEATH, THE HIDDEN ISLAND OF ETHICS by Terril Calder

BEST CHARACTER

Louisiane Gervais — PAS DE TITRE d’Alexandra Myotte

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

VERT – HARMONIUM SYMPHONIQUE by Vince Hurtubise, Marcella Grimaux and Gabriel Poirier-Galarneau

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD

TRIANGLE NOIR by Marie-Noëlle Moreau Robidas

The jury for the Student Competition was composed of Ileana Dana Darie (director, teacher (École NAD-UQAC), Michel Murray (teacher, Collège de Bois-de-Boulogne) and Erwan Davisseau (teacher, UQAT Campus Montreal)

THE STUDENT COMPETITION AWARD

SOUND LAB by Nicolas Bertrand

SPECIAL MENTION

MIDDLE NAME by Vivien Forsans (Université Concordia)

2022 PITCH COMPETITION

The jury of the Pitch Competition was composed of Jean-Christophe J. Lamontagne (president and founder, H264), Hugues Dufour (production manager, CORUS) and Anne Pagès (producer, Kaïbou Production). Presented in partnership with Telefilm Canada, Caisse Desjardins de la Culture, PRIM, Cartoon Brew and H264.

MOVING ON MOVING FORWARD by Rui Ting Ji

The Sommets du cinéma d’animation thanks the following partners for their support: the Canada Council for the Arts, Telefilm Canada, the Conseil des arts de Montréal, the Bureau des festivals de la Ville de Montréal, the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec, Le Devoir, Publicité sauvage, the National Film Board of Canada, La Fabrique culturelle de Télé-Québec, MaBrasserie, the Consulat général de France à Québec, the Consulat général de Suisse, E.D. Films, la Caisse Desjardins de la Culture, École NAD/UQAC, SWISS FILMS, The Japan Foundation, Unifrance, PRIM, H264, Cartoon Brew, the Festival international du film d'animation d'Annecy, the Ottawa International Animation Festival, Panorama-Cinéma, the Festival Stop Motion Montréal, Dérapage, MediaFilm, Zone Festival and Hôtel Zéro 1.