Air Canada’s enRoute Film Festival’s search for emerging Canadian filmmakers

Air Canada today announced submissions are open for the ninth annual Air Canada enRoute Film Festival. Emerging Canadian filmmakers are invited to showcase their artistic talent, out-of-the-box thinking and compelling vision in this year’s festival that includes a star studded jury, a cash prize and a chance to travel to the Berlin International Film Festival to have their film screened at the European Film Market.

The winner of Best Short Film will receive a $5,000 cash prize courtesy of presenting sponsor Cineplex Entertainment. Other awards include Achievement in Direction, Achievement in Cinematography, Achievement in Animation, Achievement in Documentary and the third annual People’s Choice Award. Achievement Award supporters include, the Directors’ Guild of Canada, William F. White International Inc., the National Film Board of Canada and the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival.

All Achievement Award winners will receive an all-inclusive trip to the 2016 Berlin International Film Festival, courtesy of Air Canada. Winners will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase their short films in Telefilm Canada’s Not Short on Talent program, which will screen at the European Film Market.

A handpicked jury from the Canadian film industry, consisting of highly prominent celebrities, producers and directors, will select the winning films. Previous jury members include Don McKellar, Guy Maddin, Laura Vandervoort, Alison Pill, Sarah Gadon, Suzanne Clément, Atom Egoyan and Donald Sutherland, among many others. Jury members for this year’s festival will be announced in July.

Winning films will be broadcast on Air Canada’s enRoute In-Flight Entertainment system, viewed by millions of Air Canada customers around the world each month. Roster events to honour participants will take place throughout the country, including an inaugural industry panel and networking reception held in Calgary in May, presented by TELUS Storyhive, and later events in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto.

Do you think you have what it takes? View full festival rules and regulations and submit your film at enroutefilm.com. Submissions will be accepted until May 31, 2015.