Regard (film festival)

Regard – Saguenay International Short Film Festival (French: Festival Regard or Festival international du court métrage au Saguenay), also known as the Saguenay International Short Film Festival, or simply Regard (stylized as REGARD; lit. "Look"), is a short film festival taking place annually in March in the city of Saguenay, Quebec, Canada.^[1] Founded in 1995 by Caravane Films Productions, it is one of the largest film festivals dedicated exclusively to short films in North America,^[2] and serves as both a gateway to the Americas for international short cinema and a launch pad for Canadian filmmakers seeking international recognition.^[1]

The festival has been Academy Award-qualifying since 2017, meaning winners of its top prizes are automatically eligible for Oscar nominations in the short film categories.^[3] It is also recognized by the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI).^[4] The festival typically screens approximately 200 short films from over 50 countries during its five-day run and distributes over CAD$120,000 in prizes and grants to winning filmmakers.^[1]

Since 2024, Marie-Michèle Plante has served as the festival's general director.^[5]

Regard was founded in 1995 by Éric Bachand, a recently graduated art student from the University of Quebec in Chicoutimi.^[6][7] Bachand conceived the idea for the festival while volunteering for the Festival du nouveau cinéma in Montreal.^[7]

The festival was initially called "Regard sur la relève du cinéma québécois" (lit. "Look on the next generation of Quebec cinema"), and was later renamed "Regard sur le court métrage au Saguenay" (lit. "Look on the short film in Saguenay") before adopting its current name.^[7] The first edition took place in the Le Ménestrel room of the Cégep de Chicoutimi; it screened both feature-length and short films and received an audience of approximately 30 people per projection.^[8][7]

In Regard's second year, filmmaker Sébastien Pilote—who would later become an acclaimed Quebec director known for films such as The Salesman (2011) and The Fireflies Are Gone (2018)—joined Bachand in developing the festival.^[6] Bachand and Pilote conceived of the festival as a cultural bridge between the cities of Jonquière and Chicoutimi, which were subsequently merged into the city of Saguenay in 2002.^[6] The two founders drew inspiration from the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in France, as well as the Abitibi-Témiscamingue International Film Festival in Quebec.^[6]

The 6th edition of Regard marked a pivotal transition when the festival became exclusively focused on short films, abandoning feature-length programming.^[7] The initial editions of the festival were also non-competitive, with awards being introduced at the 12th edition in 2008.^[8]"Festival Regard". French Wikipedia (in French). Retrieved 5 February 2026.</ref>

By the 10th edition in 2006, Regard had grown significantly, receiving 10,000 audience members.^[7] Under the leadership of general director Ian Gailer, the festival continued to expand, growing by approximately 4–5% annually through 2015.^[9]

In 2015, Marie-Elaine Riou succeeded Gailer as general director, bringing international experience from her work in Barcelona and fluency in five languages to the role.^[10]

The year 2017 marked a significant milestone when two of the festival's awards—the Grand Prize and the Canadian Grand Prize—were designated as Academy Award-qualifying by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.^[3] This status means that films winning these prizes are automatically eligible for nomination for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film, Best Documentary Short Film, or Best Animated Short Film.^[3]

That same year, Regard became the third North American festival—after the Palm Springs International Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival—to host a jury from the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI).^[4] The festival was also named one of the "25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World" by MovieMaker magazine.^[11]

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the festival. The 2020 edition was cancelled on its second day due to the pandemic's progression in Canada.^[12] The 2021 edition, celebrating the festival's 25th anniversary, was postponed to June and made innovative use of drive-in theaters and outdoor screenings.^[13]

In 2023, the 27th edition of Regard achieved record attendance with 30,000 audience members, cementing its position as the cultural event attracting the most tourists annually to the Saguenay region.^[14][15]

The Official Competition is open to all Canadian and international short film directors and producers. Films must be under 40 minutes in length, with priority given to works completed after March of the previous year, independently-produced auteur films, and national, North American, and world premieres. All genres—fiction, animation, documentary, and experimental—are eligible.^[16]

The Focus Competition encompasses several specialized sections:^[17]

• Tourner à tout prix! (Shoot No Matter What) – showcases films by promising Quebec filmmakers
• 100% Régions (Philippe Belley Award) – highlights regional filmmaking
• Americana – features first and second films from filmmakers across the Americas
• Short & Queer – LGBTQ+-focused programming
• Indigenous Perspectives (Alanis-Obomsawin Award) – celebrates Indigenous filmmakers

The Youth Competition presents programming tailored to various age groups from preschool through high school:^[18]

• Regarderie – cultural outings for daycare centres
• P'tites vues (ages 3–7) – programs for preschool to 2nd grade
• Grandes vues (ages 8+) – programs for 3rd to 6th grade
• High school programs for junior and senior cycles
• #13-17 – teen-curated programming

The festival's youth section reaches approximately 12,000–17,000 students annually through school screenings.^[14]

The festival also features carte blanche programs given to foreign festivals, retrospectives, panorama screenings, and various thematic programs. Special outdoor activities include the traditional sugaring-off party and community events in the "Ruelle du court métrage" (Short Film Alley).^[1]

Regard hosts Quebec's only short film market, an industry event that gathers approximately 400 professionals annually, including directors, producers, distributors, domestic and international buyers, journalists, and screenwriters.^[1] The market provides networking opportunities through discussion workshops, roundtables, forums, master classes, and a video library containing all films submitted to the festival.^[16] Activities are free and open to both professionals and the general public.^[17]

The festival has been competitive since its 12th edition in 2008. As of 2025, 15 awards are presented:^[19][20]

• Grand Prize – CAD$5,000 cash plus post-production services
• Canadian Grand Prize – CAD$5,000 cash plus production services

• Jury Prize – CAD$3,000 cash plus post-production services
• Best Animation Short Film Award
• Best Documentary Short Film Award
• International FIPRESCI Critic's Award
• Quebec Critics Award (AQCC)

• Tourner à tout prix! Award (Shoot No Matter What)
• Philippe Belley Award (100% Régions)
• Americana Award
• Short & Queer Award
• Indigenous Perspectives Award (Alanis-Obomsawin Award)

• Public Award – Official Competition
• Public Award – Focus Competition
• Best Youth Short Film

The Grand Prize has been awarded since the 12th edition in 2008. It became Academy Award-qualifying in 2017.^[3]

The Canadian Grand Prize has been awarded since at least the 23rd edition (2019) and is Academy Award-qualifying.^[3]

Awarded to a Canadian filmmaker in the Official Competition by a jury from the International Federation of Film Critics.^[4]

Awarded to an independent Quebec short film produced without institutional financial assistance.

Awarded to an emerging filmmaker from the Americas.

Awarded to a filmmaker based outside of Montreal, honouring the memory of Saguenay filmmaker Philippe Belley.

Several filmmakers have launched or advanced their careers through Regard before achieving international recognition:

• Meryam Joobeur – Her short film Born in the Maelstrom (2017) screened at Regard. Her subsequent short Brotherhood (2018) was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film at the 92nd Academy Awards, and her feature debut Who Do I Belong To (2024) premiered at the Berlinale.^[2][21]
• Charlotte Le Bon – The actress-turned-director made award-winning shorts before her feature directorial debut Falcon Lake (2022) premiered at the Cannes Directors' Fortnight.^[2]
• Sébastien Pilote – Co-founded the festival in its second year and went on to become an acclaimed Quebec filmmaker, with works including The Salesman (2011) and Maria Chapdelaine (2021).^[6]
• Annick Blanc and Jean-François Leblanc – Made award-winning shorts at Regard before transitioning to feature filmmaking.^[2]
• Caroline Monnet – Her experimental short Pidikwe (2025), mixing Indigenous traditional and contemporary dance, was highlighted at the festival.^[2]

The festival is produced by Caravane Films Productions, a non-profit organization with the mission of producing Regard and its related activities. The organization contributes to film education for youth, promotes and disseminates short films to the general public, facilitates professional networking, and supports film creation.^[1]

Through its Caravane du court métrage (Short Film Caravan) program, the organization conducts year-round school tours, bringing short film screenings and cinema workshops to thousands of elementary and high school students across the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region.^[22]

The festival has had several general directors:

• Ian Gailer (until 2015)
• Marie-Elaine Riou (2015–2022)^[10][23]
• Marie-Michèle Plante (2024–present)^[5]

Since 1998, the festival has featured honorary presidents (présidents d'honneur), typically notable figures from Quebec cinema and television:

Regard has become the cultural event attracting the most tourists annually to the Saguenay region.^[15] The festival is known for its distinctive atmosphere, combining the warmth of a sugar shack with the excitement of a film festival despite the challenging winter conditions—with temperatures well below zero and snowbanks reaching several feet high during the March event.^[2]

In 2021, the City of Saguenay allocated a budget of CAD$25,000 to Caravane Films Productions for the construction of a creation residence in memory of Philippe Belley, a Saguenay filmmaker who died in 2021 while training for a crossing of Lac Saint-Jean. The Philippe Belley Award at the festival now honors his memory.^[24]

• List of film festivals in Canada
• Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival
• Cinema of Quebec
• Short film

• Official website
• Regard: Saguenay International Short Film Festival at IMDb

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