First ‘Rock Demers Award’ goes to Nancy Florence Savard

The Montreal Int’l Children’s Film Festival FIFEM congratulates Nancy Florence Savard, recipient of the first Prix Rock-Demers, sponsored by ECFA and Radio-Canada.

 

For nearly 60 years, Rock Demers contributed to the development of contemporary cinema in Quebec. He died on 17 August 2021 at the age of 87, leaving behind an important legacy for the Quebec film industry. With the creation of the Prix Rock-Demers, FIFEM wishes to encourage and inspire others to pursue his mission.

The first to receive this meaningful new award was Nancy Florence Savard, pioneer in 3D animation and founder of 10th Ave Productions in the early 2000s, offering Quebec children and families local stories and characters.

Aiming at the emergence of a new part of the industry, in 2013 Nancy Florence Savard directed and co-produced THE LEGEND OF SARILA, followed by THE ROOSTER OF ST-VICTOR (2014), the first feature-length animated film 100% made in Quebec City. Productions that followed were MISSION KATHMANDU: THE ADVENTURES OF NELLY AND SIMON and FELIX AND THE TREASURE OF MORGÄA, with rights sold to more than 100 territories. Continuing her mission to bring local talent to the screen, Savard is currently producing her 5th animated opus KATAK, THE BRAVE BELUGA.

 

The committee that rendered their verdict during the opening ceremony of FIFEM’s 25th edition was composed of five influential members of the industry: Catherine Bourbeillon (Radio-Canada), Xiaojuan Zhou (Attraction Distribution), Jean Beaudry (Filmmaker), Jo-Anne Blouin (FIFEM) and Felix Vanginderhuysen (ECFA).

 

Click here to read Nancy’s acceptance speech.