Telefilm Canada awards 2016 Guichet d'or to director and screenwriters of Les 3 p'tits cochons 2

Logo: Telefilm Canada (CNW Group/Telefilm Canada)

Director Jean-François Pouliot and screenwriters Pierre Lamothe
and Claude Lalonde receive award

MONTREAL, April 27, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - This morning, Telefilm Canada presented its annual Guichet d'or award to director Jean-François Pouliot and screenwriters Pierre Lamothe and Claude Lalonde for their film Les 3 p'tits cochons 2 (The 3 L'il Pigs 2). The ceremony was held at the Au Sommet Place Ville Marie in Montreal.

The Guichet d'or has been awarded annually for the last 10 years to the Canadian director and screenwriter of the French-language feature film having generated the highest domestic box office in the previous year. The award comes with a cash prize of $40,000 shared equally by the director and screenwriter. In 2016, Les 3 p'tits cochons 2 earned close to $2.9 million at the Canadian box office.

The Guichet d'or was presented by Michel Pradier and Marie-France Godbout of Telefilm Canada. In addition to Jean-François Pouliot, Pierre Lamothe and Claude Lalonde, several others involved in the making of the film attended the event, among them producer and distributor Christian Larouche of Christal Films, distributor Patrick Roy of Les Films Séville, the movie's three stars, Guillaume Lemay-Thivierge, Patrice Robitaille and Paul Doucet, and actor Isabel Richer.

"We're particularly proud again this year to award the Guichet d'or to a film that was a hit with audiences," said Carolle Brabant, Executive Director of Telefilm Canada. "Ten years ago, the very first Guichet d'or was awarded to the film Les 3 p'tits cochons, which was also written by Pierre Lamothe and Claude Lalonde. Shining a spotlight on creative talent and recognizing their success is an integral part of Telefilm's mission."

Michel Pradier, Director, Project Financing at Telefilm Canada, added: "The overwhelming success of Les 3 p'tits cochons 2 shows that our films can easily attract and entertain homegrown audiences. I'd like to congratulate Jean-François Pouliot, Pierre Lamothe and Claude Lalonde, who have each achieved the feat of winning the Guichet d'or twice in their careers: Jean-François, last year, for co-directing La Guerre des Tuques 3D (Snowtime!) with François Brisson, and Pierre and Claude for writing the first iteration of the movie, Les 3 p'tits cochons.

It's always an honour for Telefilm to support homegrown talent—at all stages of a film's creative process and career."

Jean-François Pouliot also added: "There exists a film jury whose judgment we shouldn't question—the general public. Of course, not all movies are aimed at this public. But when a handful of artists wants to connect specifically with these audiences, make them laugh, move them, win them over, then winning the Guichet d'or for the Canadian movie having achieved the highest number of ticket sales at the box office is the best confirmation of this audience support."

"We'd like to thank Telefilm Canada for recognizing the film's artists via this prize, the Guichet d'or—which is the Quebec and Canadian audience award that really matters," said Pierre Lamothe and Claude Lalonde. "We benefited from very positive word-of-mouth and we should thank everyone who made 3 p'tits cochons 2 a hit."

Producer and distributor Christian Larouche also said: "We're very pleased that Les 3 p'tits cochons 2 received the Guichet d'or, just as the first film did 10 years ago. The movie's success is due in part to the incredible team that worked on the production but especially due to Quebec audiences, who flocked to theatres across the province last summer to catch the movie."

In past years, Telefilm Canada's Guichet d'or prize has gone to the Canadian directors and screenwriters of the following films: Les 3 p'tits cochons (The 3 L'il Pigs), Cruising Bar 2, De père en flic (Father and Guns), Piché: entre ciel et terre, Starbuck, Omertà, Louis Cyr: l'homme le plus fort du monde (Louis Cyr), Mommy and La Guerre des Tuques 3D (Snowtime!).

Nominated in the best editing and audience award categories at the upcoming Gala Québec Cinéma in June, Les 3 p'tits cochons 2 won the 2016 Cineplex Golden Screen Award for Feature Film at the Canadian Screen Awards on March 12.

Distributed in Quebec by Les Films Christal, with sub-distribution handled by Les Films Séville, both subsidiaries of Entertainment One, Les 3 p'tits cochons 2 is currently available in Blu-ray and DVD format, as well as on iTunes. The film is represented in international markets by Seville International, an independent, Montreal-based international sales division of Les Films Séville.

About Telefilm Canada—Inspired by talent. Viewed everywhere.
Celebrating 50 years in 2017, Telefilm is dedicated to the cultural, commercial and industrial success of Canada's audiovisual industry. Through funding and promotion programs, Telefilm supports dynamic companies and creative talent at home and around the world. Telefilm also makes recommendations regarding the certification of audiovisual treaty coproductions to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Launched in 2013, the Talent Fund accepts private donations to principally support emerging talent. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/telefilm_canada and on Facebook at facebook.com/telefilmcanada.

SOURCE Telefilm Canada

Media enquiries/Guichet d'or: Annie Tremblay, Communications Annie Tremblay, 514.244.8336, [e-mail]; Telefilm Canada: Andrea Archibald, Deputy Director, Communications, 514.283.0838 #2047, [e-mail]