The Directors Guild of Canada is proud to announce the 17 long-listed films for the 2022 Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award, unveiled today at DGC Visionaries, the Guild’s flagship festival event. This list highlights some of the “best emerging directors to watch” this festival season.

The films will be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Festival du nouveau Cinema (FNC), the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF), the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF), ImagineNative, Reelworld, FIN Atlantic Film Festival and the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival (SJIWFF) as well as having appeared at Hot Docs. Following the list of films below is a summary of which festivals these films are playing at, for those festivals which have announced all or part of their slate of films.

“These outstanding filmmakers and film teams represent a diverse range of new voices in Canadian film, exploring stories audiences want to experience,” said Warren P. Sonoda, DGC President. “Film fans will want to watch out for these directors this festival season and in years to come.”  

In June of this year, the Discovery Award was rededicated to long-time DGC Director Member Jean-Marc Vallée. The Discovery Award Jury is chaired by Lina Roessler, along with fellow DGC Members Michelle Shephard, Boris Mojsovski and Angelica Lisk-Hann.

2022 Discovery Award Long List:

• Cette Maison (This House), Miryam Charles
• Queens of the Qing Dynasty, Ashley McKenzie
• Geographies of Solitude, Jacquelyn Mills
• Framing Agnes, Chase Joynt
• Riceboy Sleeps, Anthony Shim
• Something You Said Last Night, Luis De Filippis
• When Morning Comes, Kelly Fyffe-Marshall
• Anyox, Ryan Ermacora & Jessica Johnson
• Until Branches Bend, Sophie Jarvis
• Dark Nature, Berkley Brady
• Rosie, Gail Maurice
• Broken Angel / MaaShwaKanManiTo, Jules Arita Koostachin
• Before I Change My Mind, Trevor Anderson
• Francheska: Prairie Queen, Laura O'Grady
• Golden Delicious, Jason Karman
• Reset, Min Bae
• Slash/Back, Nyla Innuksuk

Hot Docs:

Geographies of Solitude, Framing Agnes

CIFF:

Geographies of Solitude, Framing Agnes, Riceboy Sleeps, Until Branches Bend, Dark Nature, Rosie, Before I Change My Mind, Francheska: Prairie Queen

TIFF:

Queens of the Qing Dynasty, Riceboy Sleeps, Something You Said Last Night, When Morning Comes, Until Branches Bend, Rosie

VIFF:

Cette Maison (This House), Queens of the Qing Dynasty, Geographies of Solitude, Framing Agnes, Riceboy Sleeps, Something You Said Last Night, Anyox, Until Branches Bend, Rosie, Golden Delicious

Reelworld:

Golden Delicious

 FIN:

Cette Maison (This House), Queens of the Qing Dynasty, Framing Agnes, Riceboy Sleeps, Something You Said Last Night, Until Branches Bend, Rosie, Before I Change My Mind