The Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award is an annual Canadian award, presented by the Directors Guild of Canada to honour works by emerging filmmakers.
Presented for the first time in 2016, the award is given primarily to filmmakers making their first or second feature films in any genre; however, more established filmmakers are also eligible for their first film outside their usual genre, such as a narrative filmmaker making their first documentary film or vice versa. An initial longlist of between 10 and 15 nominees is announced, which is then reduced to a shortlist of four to six films, before the award is presented at the annual DGC award gala.
Formerly presented as the DGC Discovery Award, it was renamed in 2022 in memory of director Jean-Marc Vallée following his death in December 2021.Victoria Ahearn, "In brief: Out in the Ring wins top Canadian prize at Inside Out". Playback, June 9, 2022.
Winners and nominees Year Film Director Result Ref 2016 Before the Streets (Avant les rues) Chloé Leriche Winner 2017 Luk'Luk'I Wayne Wapeemukwa Winner "Luk'Luk'I among winners at Canada's directors guild awards". CBC News, October 29, 2017. All You Can Eat Buddha Ian Lagarde Shortlist Regan Reid, "DGC unveils Discovery Award short list". Playback, October 23, 2017. Mass for Shut-Ins Winston DeGiobbi Never Steady, Never Still Kathleen Hepburn Adventures in Public School Kyle Rideout Longlist Barry Hertz, "Directors Guild of Canada reveals long list for Discovery Award". The Globe and Mail, September 5, 2017. Allure Carlos and Jason Sanchez Ava Sadaf Foroughi Black Cop Cory Bowles The Crescent Seth A. Smith Gregoire Cody Bown Indian Horse Stephen Campanelli Maison du Bonheur Sofia Bohdanowicz Still Night, Still Light (Mes nuits feront écho) Sophie Goyette Suck It Up Jordan Canning Sweet Virginia Jamie M. Dagg 2018 Fausto Andrea Bussmann Winner Greg David, "2018 Directors Guild of Canada Awards winners announced". TV, eh?, October 21, 2018. Edge of the Knife (SG̲aawaay Ḵ'uuna) Gwaai Edenshaw, Helen Haig-Brown Shortlist Jordan Pinto, "McGlynn, de Pencier in the running for DGC’s feature film prize". Playback, September 20, 2018. Firecrackers Jasmin Mozaffari A Little Wisdom Yuqi Kang Ville Neuve Félix Dufour-Laperrière Clara Akash Sherman Longlist Connie Thiessen, "DGC's list of top new Canadian filmmakers to watch". Broadcast Dialogue, September 10, 2018. Family First (Chien de garde) Sophie Dupuis Freaks Zach Lipovsky, Adam Stein Giant Little Ones Keith Behrman Incredible Violence Gaelen Patrick Condon M/M Drew Lint The Museum of Forgotten Triumphs Bojan Bodružić The New Romantic Carly Stone Take Light Shasha Nakhai Transformer Michael Del Monte 2019 Nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up Tasha Hubbard Winner Lauren Malyk, "Patricia Rozema and Robert Budreau tie at DGC Awards". Playback, October 28, 2019. Black Conflux Nicole Dorsey Shortlist "Nominees announced for 18th Annual DGC Awards". Bloomberg News, September 12, 2019. Murmur Heather Young Raf Harry Cepka The Twentieth Century Matthew Rankin Blood Quantum Jeff Barnaby Longlist Connie Thiessen, "Ellen Page, Megan Wennberg among DGC Discovery Award nominees". Broadcast Dialogue, September 9, 2019. Castle in the Ground Joey Klein Drag Kids Megan Wennberg A Kandahar Away Aisha Jamal L.A. Tea Time Sophie Bédard Marcotte The Rest of Us Aisling Chin-Yee There's Something in the Water Elliot Page, Ian Daniel 2020 Beans Tracey Deer Winner Lauren Malyk, "Michelle Latimer, Vincenzo Natali among DGC film winners". Playback, October 28, 2020. Inconvenient Indian Michelle Latimer Shortlist Connie Thiessen, "DGC feature, doc, and short film nominees announced". Broadcast Dialogue, September 21, 2020. No Ordinary Man Aisling Chin-Yee, Chase Joynt Violation Madeleine Sims-Fewer, Dusty Mancinelli La Contemplation du mystère Albéric Aurtenèche Longlist "In brief: Latimer, Deer among DGC's Discovery long list". Playback, September 18, 2020. Don't Worry, the Doors Will Open Oksana Karpovych The Forbidden Reel Ariel Nasr Happy Place Helen Shaver Kenbe la, Until We Win (Kenbe la, jusqu’à la victoire) Will Prosper Little Orphans Ruth Lawrence Monkey Beach Loretta Todd Queen of the Morning Calm Gloria Ui Young Kim Vagrant Caleb Ryan The Walrus and the Whistleblower Nathalie Bibeau 2021 Night Raiders Danis Goulet Winner Nick Krewen, "Directors Guild of Canada reveals feature, doc and short film winners". Playback, October 25, 2021. The Noise of Engines (Le Bruit des moteurs) Philippe Grégoire Shortlist Kelly Townsend, "All My Puny Sorrows leads film nominees for 2021 DGC Awards". Playback, September 24, 2021. Wildhood Bretten Hannam Without Havana (Sin la Habana) Kaveh Nabatian Bootlegger Caroline Monnet Longlist "TV & Film News – DGC reveals Discovery Award long list of emerging directors to watch". Broadcast Dialogue, September 23, 2021. Fortitude (La Fortaleza) Jorge Thielen Armand Kímmapiiyipitssini: The Meaning of Empathy Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers Learn to Swim Thyrone Tommy Night Blooms Stephanie Joline One of Ours Yasmine Mathurin Portraits from a Fire Trevor Mack Ste. Anne Rhayne Vermette Subjects of Desire Jennifer Holness 2022 Riceboy Sleeps Anthony Shim Winner Angelica Babiera, "David Cronenberg, Charles Officer among DGC award winners". Playback, November 7, 2022. Queens of the Qing Dynasty Ashley McKenzie Shortlist Etan Vlessing, "DGC Awards: ‘Nightmare Alley,’ ‘Crimes of the Future,’ ‘Night Raiders’ Lead Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter, September 23, 2022. Rosie Gail Maurice Slash/Back Nyla Innuksuk Something You Said Last Night Luis De Filippis When Morning Comes Kelly Fyffe-Marshall Anyox Ryan Ermacora, Jessica Johnson Longlist "JEAN-MARC VALLÉE DGC DISCOVERY AWARD LONG LIST DROPS AT VISIONARIES" . Yahoo! Movies, September 11, 2022. Before I Change My Mind Trevor Anderson Broken Angel (MaaShwaKanManiTo) Jules Arita Koostachin Dark Nature Berkley Brady Framing Agnes Chase Joynt Francheska: Prairie Queen Laura O'Grady Geographies of Solitude Jacquelyn Mills Golden Delicious Jason Karman Reset Min Bae This House (Cette maison) Miryam Charles Until Branches Bend Sophie Jarvis 2023 Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant) Ariane Louis-Seize Winner Connie Thiessen, "‘Women Talking’ leads winners at 22nd annual DGC Awards". Broadcast Dialogue, October 22, 2023. Atikamekw Suns (Soleils Atikamekw) Chloé Leriche Shortlist Taimur Sikander Mirza, "Women Talking leads film nominees for 2023 DGC Awards". Playback, September 20, 2023. Hey, Viktor! Cody Lightning In Flames Zarrar Kahn The Queen of My Dreams Fawzia Mirza Aitamaako'tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun Banchi Hanuse Longlist Connie Thiessen, "DGC unveils 2023 Discovery Award long list". Broadcast Dialogue, September 12, 2023. Coaching While Black Alex Eskandarkhah Gabor Joannie Lafrenière I'm Just Here for the Riot Kathleen Jayme, Asia Youngman Seagrass Meredith Hama-Brown With Love and a Major Organ Kim Albright 2024 Seeds Kaniehtiio Horn Winner Alex Nino Gheciu, "‘Queen of My Dreams,’ ‘We Forgot to Break Up’ tie for top Directors Guild award". Brandon Sun, October 28, 2024. 7 Beats per Minute Yuqi Kang Shortlist Connie Thiessen, "Sweet Angel Baby leads DGC Awards’ film nominations". Broadcast Dialogue, September 20, 2024. Sweet Angel Baby Melanie Oates Universal Language Matthew Rankin You Are Not Alone (Vous n'êtes pas seuls) Marie-Hélène Viens, Philippe Lupien A French Youth (Une jeunesse française) Jérémie Battaglia Longlist Connie Thiessen, "DGC unveils Discovery Award long list". Broadcast Dialogue, September 12, 2024. Inedia Liz Cairns Lovely Serville Poblete Monica's News Pamela Gallant Seguridad Tamara Segura Simply Johanne (Johanne, tout simplement) Nadine Valcin Young Werther José Lourenço 2025 Siksikakowan: The Blackfoot Man Sinakson Trevor Solway Winner Jamie Casemore, "North of North claims five honours at 2025 DGC Awards". Playback, November 10, 2025. Blue Heron Sophy Romvari Shortlist Connie Thiessen, "DGC unveils film, doc nominees; Discovery Award short list". Broadcast Dialogue, September 22, 2025. Dinner with Friends Sasha Leigh Henry Foreigner Ava Maria Safai The Train (Le Train) Marie Brassard 100 Sunset Kunsang Kyirong Longlist Connie Thiessen, "DGC unveils 2025 Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award long list". Broadcast Dialogue, September 18, 2025. Agatha's Almanac Amalie Atkins Bedrock Kinga Michalska Blueberry Grunt Sherry White Circo Lamia Chraibi Endless Cookie Peter Scriver, Seth Scriver Follies (Folichonneries) Eric K. Boulianne Little Lorraine Andy Hines Nika and Madison Eva Thomas The Track Ryan Sidhoo 2026 Black Zombie Maya Annik Bedward Shortlist Connie Thiessen, "2026 DGC Awards film nominees led by ‘Ready or Not 2’". Broadcast Dialogue, September 29, 2026. Ceremony Banchi Hanuse In the Heart of the South Nyla Innuksuk Seahorse Aisha Evelyna Toy Gun Bandit (Faux gun bandit) Rémi St-Michel Aki Darlene Naponse Longlist Clubfoot Nathan Donovan Jersey Boy Jaskaran Singh Levers Rhayne Vermette Manhunt Wayne Wapeemukwa Paradise Jérémy Comte Purgatory Lindsay Lanzilotta The Snake Jenna MacMillan Still Night, Burning House Carol Nguyen A Thousand Colours (Recomposée) Nadia Louis-Desmarchais
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