(Saguenay) It was in front of a packed house at Théâtre C in Chicoutimi that the 28e edition of the annual celebration of short films got underway on Wednesday. A favorite of artists and film buffs alike, the REGARD festival will present, until Sunday, more than 200 films from 56 countries.
“This festival was created for filmmakers and you will always be welcomed with open arms, with or without a film,” launched the director of programming, Mélissa Bouchard, provoking a lively wave of applause from the public, announcing all the generosity he would show during the evening.
PHOTO TOM CORE, THE DAILY DAY
Justine Valtier and Mélissa Bouchard form the duo at the head of the REGARD festival, launched Wednesday evening.
The atmosphere was festive, but the one who has taken on this role for 15 years this year still wanted to formulate a few messages. After recalling the cry from the heart of distributor h264, which was threatened with closure in February before receiving help from Quebec, she clarified that according to her observations, “almost all other small distributors” would be in the same boat. “We puff out our chests when we see that our films are going [en festival] at Sundance, in Berlin, in Clermont or at the Oscars, so it’s important for me to emphasize that the work that getting there requires is monumental and expensive. »
Read “H264 film distributor threatened with closure”
Without them, there just aren’t any films that represent Quebec abroad. Or if there are, it’s because they sell their rights to foreign companies who usually don’t care about the interests of filmmakers.
Mélissa Bouchard, director of programming
In 2023, three Quebec short films made their way to the Oscar preselection. dead catby Annie-Claude Caron and Danick Audet – presented at REGARD in official competition –, Invincibleby Vincent-René Lortie, and Oasis, by Justine Martin. In recent years, we have also seen the shine Wildcat by Jeremy Comte (in 2019), Daisy by Marianne Farley (2019), Brotherhood by Meryam Joobeur (2020) and Henry by Yan England (2013).
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Invincible, by director Vincent René-Lortie, pictured here last January, was a finalist at the last Oscar ceremony.
If so many local films travel, it is, among other things, thanks to the showcase offered by the REGARD festival. The presence of producers, distributors and teams from all over the world allows for fruitful networking in addition to creative excitement. “It’s like a big cinema holiday camp, where everyone takes the time to make discoveries and meet people,” explains Mélissa Bouchard.
The festival where it all begins
For Annie-Claude Caron, co-director of the very funny dead cat, REGARD represents the beginning of a beautiful story. In 2020, an infamous year when the festival had to stop 24 hours after its start due to COVID-19, she and her partner, Danick Audet, presented their first documentary, Gino Birch.
Trailer for dead cat
« En juste une journée, on a fait des rencontres qui ont été essentielles pour la suite », note la cinéaste, qui avait eu l’occasion de rencontrer beaucoup de gens au Petit déjeuner pro, activité de réseautage destinée à créer des liens entre l’industrie locale et les invités internationaux.
« Même juste d’avoir l’occasion de présenter nos courts sur grand écran, de vivre les réactions du public en direct, c’est incroyable et ça vaut de l’or », ajoute l’Abitibienne.
IMAGE FOURNIE PAR REGARD
Isabelle Giroux dans Extras, de Marc-Antoine Lemire
Une opinion que partage Marc-Antoine Lemire (Mistral spatial), réalisateur d’Extras, film éclaté et « méta » sur une comédienne en mal d’amour présenté mercredi soir. Selon celui dont cette édition est le baptême, la « meilleure partie » du festival reste la rencontre avec le public.
J’avais vraiment envie de lancer ce film-là dans un contexte festif, de gang, où je savais qu’il allait y avoir une énergie participative. J’espérais vraiment qu’on puisse venir ici pour ça.
Marc-Antoine Lemire, réalisateur
Les occasions sont effectivement rares pour les réalisateurs de ce format de films de présenter le fruit de leur travail dans un contexte d’une telle envergure. Après tout, REGARD est le plus important rendez-vous du court métrage au Canada.
Lieu de tous les possibles
Réalisateur du magnifique À toi les oreilles, inspiré du défilé du 150e anniversaire du village d’Armagh, dans Chaudière-Appalaches, et de sa réalité familiale, Alexandre Isabelle en est à sa troisième présence au festival en tant que cinéaste.
IMAGE FOURNIE PAR REGARD
Scène du film À toi les oreilles
En 2017, il y a présenté son premier court professionnel, La partie. Le Levisien a pu observer l’impact de cette vitrine, car son film s’est mis à circuler dans des évènements de partout au pays, mais aussi jusqu’aux États-Unis et en Europe. Le rêve s’est poursuivi en 2021, avec la projection de Donc, Socrate est mortel.
Pour moi, REGARD, c’est l’ouverture des possibles. […] And it’s an achievement that the festival manages to remain relevant both locally and internationally.
Alexandre Isabelle, director
This year, Your ears is already destined for a good journey, even before being shown to the REGARD public. The film and its director have just returned from South by Southwest, in Texas, where it was selected.
The Saguenay International Short Film Festival is the event that attracts the most tourists annually to Chicoutimi, recalled Saguenay municipal councilor Marc Bouchard, before Wednesday evening. Let us hope that the progress of the event, which has been constantly developing for 28 years, will reflect the careers that will begin there.
The hosting costs for this report were paid by REGARD, which has not exercised any rights of REGARD over its content.