Two Quebec-based filmmakers are heading to the Oscar’s after their films were nominated during Tuesday’s 91st Academy Awards ceremony.
Jean-Christophe Lamontagne, the distributor for both films, joined Global’s Laura Casella on Global News Morning to talk about the honour.
It’s been a whirlwind 24 hours for Lamontagne, who admitted he didn’t get a lot of sleep last night — “just a few hours to get through the day.”
Despite a restless night, though, he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.
“Honestly, I don’t think there’s any words that can describe what we felt yesterday,” he said.
Two of the films he worked with were both nominated in the category Best Live Action Short Film.
“I mean, to have two films at the Oscars, it’s overwhelming,” Lamontagne said. “We couldn’t have been any prouder of the filmmakers and what we did.
“I mean, it’s the Oscars. It’s the Olympics of cinema. It’s amazing.”
Fauve, a film by Jeremy Comte, and Marguerite, directed by Marianne Farley, have made history becoming Oscar nominees. It’s the first time two short Quebecois films have been recognized in the Best Live Action Short category.
“We’re honoured to be in this category but I think we’re in a pretty good position,” Lamontagne said. “Fauve and Marguerite are such different short films that I think they both have really strong chances.
“I think the odds are in our favour to bring back Mr. Oscar.”
Out of the five nominees in the category, Marianne Farley is the only female director.
Deciding which team Lamontagne and his partner would be with during yesterday’s ceremony came down to a simple children’s game.
“Me and my partner had to play rock paper scissors to choose what team we would be with,” he said.
They agreed that they both had to be in the same office during the announcement, due to the chance of both films gaining Oscar nods.
“We didn’t know how one film would react if one was nominated and the other wasn’t.”
In the end, both films waited for the results in separate rooms in the same office. “The idea was just let’s go in separate rooms, feel this and live this moment with separate teams,” he said.
He told Casella there was a delay in the feed, so they heard Marguerite‘s team scream before Fauve got to the nomination. There was a moment of confusion, but then they saw that both films were nominated.
Lamontagne’s schedule is quite full in the weeks to come. From tuxedo shopping to promoting the film both locally and internationally and meeting the other nominees in Los Angeles in a few weeks, he plans to take this historic experience in.