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The Abitibi-Témiscamingue International Film Festival (French: Festival du cinéma international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue) is an annual film festival which takes place in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada. It presents a program of Canadian and international films in late October and early November each year.

The festival was launched in 1982. It was an expansion of the Semaine du cinéma régional, a festival launched in 1977 which concentrated exclusively on films made in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region.

Festival programmer Anne-France Thibault has compared it to the Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, in that both festivals became popular cultural events and important stops on the Canadian film festival circuit despite having been launched in blue-collar mining communities removed from Canada's traditional cultural meccas.

While the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada forced nearly all other Canadian film festivals to either cancel their 2020 programs or shift to an online streaming model, the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region's very low rate of COVID-19 cases made it one of the few film festivals in the country that was able to hold physical screenings. Despite the reduced risk, social distancing protocols, including mandatory masks, sanitizer stations and reduced audience sizes, were still maintained for audience safety.

Awards

Grand Prix Hydro-Québec

The Grand Prix Hydro-Québec is presented to the film that was voted the most popular by audiences.

Prix Crave

The Prix Crave, formerly the Télébec Prize, is a juried award presented to a film judged as the best short or mid-length film of the festival.

Prix Télé-Québec

The Télé-Québec Volet Espace Court Prize is an audience award presented to the short film by a Quebec director voted most popular with audiences.

TVA Animation Prize

The TVA Animation Prize is an audience award presented to the most popular animated film. The award is most commonly given to shorts, but animated feature films are also eligible if screened at the festival.

Médiafilm Robert-Claude Bérubé Prize

The Médiafilm Robert-Claude Bérubé Prize is presented to a film distinguished by themes of moral, social and ethical values.

Prix SPIRA

The Prix SPIRA, presented for the first time in 2019, is a juried award for short films, whose prize from the SPIRA filmmaking cooperative is $10,000 in equipment and post-production services toward a future project.

Prix Vital

Relève Desjardins

The Relève Desjardins is a $2,000 bursary presented for short local films made by students at the Cégep de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue and the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

Prix Fonds Bell

Prize for web series.

Prix Unis TV

Prix Jeunesse Fonderie Horne

References

1. ^ Sean Gordon, "How one region in hard-hit Quebec has so little COVID-19 it can hold a film festival". CBC News, October 30, 2020.
2. Robert Lillie, "Rouyn-Noranda offers films from the world". Timmins Daily Press, October 26, 2001.
3. "Festival du cinema promises film buffs some great movies". Northern Daily News, October 23, 2002.
4. Michel Coulombe, "Hier le Nord-Ouest, maintenant le monde". Ciné-Bulles, Vol 4. No. 4 (Sept-Oct 1984).
5. Denis St. Pierre, "Six-day Rouyn-Noranda festival offers fare of 68 films". Sudbury Star, October 27, 1999.
6. "L’Abitibi-Témiscamingue fait le pari de présenter un festival de cinéma devant public". Ici Radio-Canada, October 30, 2020.
7. ^ "Lauréats". FCIAT.
8. ^ André David, "Le IVe Festival international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue: Des images pour l’hiver..." 24 images, No. 27 (April 1986).
9. ^ "Jesus' wins top prize at film festival". Edmonton Journal, November 5, 1989.
10. ^ "Monsieur Lazhar primé au Festival de cinéma international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue". Ici Radio-Canada, November 4, 2011.
11. ^ "Les gagnants du FCIAT". Le Devoir, November 3, 2012.
12. ^ Manon Dumais, "FCIAT 2013 : Les Belges raflent les grands honneurs". Voir, November 1, 2013.
13. ^ "Le film Whiplash grand gagnant du 33e FCIAT". Ici Radio-Canada, October 31, 2014.
14. ^ "Le film Brooklyn couronné lors du 34e Festival du cinéma international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue". Ici Radio-Canada, November 5, 2015.
15. ^ François Lévesque, "«Maudie» couronné au Festival du cinéma international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue". Le Devoir, November 5, 2016.
16. ^ "Un profil pour deux remporte le Grand prix du FCIAT". Ici Radio-Canada, November 3, 2017.
17. ^ Marc-André Gemme, "Woman at War remporte le grand prix au Festival du cinéma". Le Citoyen, November 2, 2018.
18. ^ "Le cinéma régional triomphe au 38e FCIAT". Ici Radio-Canada (in French). November 1, 2019.
19. ^ "Le Festival du cinéma réussi malgré la pandémie et l'évacuation de la salle". Ici Radio-Canada, November 6, 2020.
20. ^ "Tombée du rideau et dévoilement des lauréats au 40e FCIAT". CHLM-FM, November 5, 2021.
21. ^ Marie-Hélène Paquin, "Festival du cinéma international : le Grand Prix décerné à Tu te souviendras de moi". Ici Radio-Canada Abitibi-Témiscamingue, November 4, 2022.
22. ^ "Dis-moi pourquoi ces choses sont si belles remporte le 42e FCIAT". Ici Radio-Canada Première, November 3, 2023.
23. ^ Marie-Hélène Paquin, "Prodigieuses remporte les honneurs au Festival du cinéma international". Ici Radio-Canada Abitibi-Témiscamingue, November 1, 2024.

External links

• Official website

• Film festivals in Quebec
• Film festivals established in 1982
• Rouyn-Noranda
• 1982 establishments in Quebec