DGC Discovery Award Long List Highlights Emerging Directors

Press Release

September 10, 2020

The Directors Guild of Canada announced the 14 listed films for the 2020 DGC Discovery Award this morning. This list highlights the top new emerging directors to watch for during this festival season.

The films will be screened at HotDocs, Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF), Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Festival du nouveau Cinema (FNC), Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF), ImagineNative, St-John’s International Women’s Film Festival (SJIWFF) as well as the Reelworld highlighting the work of racially diverse and indigenous filmmakers.

The Discovery Award Jury is chaired by Michael Peterson with members Jasmin Mozaffari, John Bolton, JJ Neepin, Ngardy Conteh George and Robert Budreau.

“These directors come at a crucial point in time with bold, fearless vision,” said Warren P. Sonoda, DGC National Directors Division Chair. “Watch these exceptional films and let’s celebrate their work for years to come.”

2020 Discovery Award Long list films:

• Oksana Karpovych, Don’t Worry The Doors Will Open
• Nathalie Bibeau, The Walrus and the Whistleblower
• Helen Shaver, Happy Place
• Dusty Mancinelli & Madeleine Sims-Fewer, Violation
• Michelle Latimer, An Inconvenient Indian
• Loretta Todd, Monkey Beach
• Tracey Deer, Beans
• Alberic Aurteneche, La Contemplation du mystere
• Aisling Chin-Yee, Chayse Joynt, No Ordinary Man
• Ariel Nasr, The Forbidden Reel
• Ruth Lawrence, Little Orphans
• Gloria Ui Young Kim, Queen of the Morning Calm
• Will Prosper, Kenbe la, Until We Win
• Caleb Ryan, Vagrant

The 19th edition of the DGC Awards will be presented at the annual event starting Saturday, October 24, 2020 via Zoom.

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