The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) announces the creation of the Hélène Tanguay Award for Humor in recognition of the late National Film Board of Canada employee and 2007 OIAF Honorary President. A champion for the international animation community, Tanguay was known for her infectious sense of humor. In her honor, the new award recognizes animated works that convey a similar sense of wild, dark or absurd humor.
“Hélène was beloved by all the classic animation festivals but her connection to the OIAF was special,” says OIAF Artistic Director Chris Robinson. “For many attendees, Hélène was a fixture of the OIAF since the 1970s, regaling festival-goers with countless hilarious stories about animation, travels, cats and … more cats. Having an award in her honor ensures that we keep her spirit going at future OIAFs — and given her love of every type of humor, from the silly to the dark to bawdy — it just makes sense that we celebrate and acknowledge humor in her name.”
The Hélène Tanguay Award for Humor joins the roster of awards at the OIAF, including the Grand Prize for Animated Feature, the Grand Prize for Animated Short, the Public Prize, the Canadian Film Institute Award for Best Canadian Animation, and a number of craft awards. The winner of this latest award addition will be selected by a handpicked, rotating jury of Tanguay’s friends and colleagues.
OIAF is open for film competition submissions until May 31, 2023. This year’s festival will run September 20-24. More information at animationfestival.ca.
Tanguay passed away on January 7. You can find her obituary here.
