Created in 2015, the Sommets du cinéma d'animation and the Cinémathèque québécoise annually award the René-Jodoin Prize. The distinction recognizes the outstanding work accomplished by a Canadian animation personality or organization. This year, the prize will be presented to La Bande Vidéo, a media arts creation and dissemination support center specializing in art video and animated film, since 1977, in Quebec City.

“In a 2019 text I devoted to the history of experimental animation in Quebec, I concluded that La Bande Vidéo was one of the driving forces behind animated creation. Exceptional artists from here and abroad have worked there, and incomparable works have been created. Since the acquisition of a pin screen by the organization in 2020, its influence has continued to grow. The work accomplished by the dedicated artisans who keep this breeding ground of talent alive is in keeping with the spirit of innovation and research favoured by René Jodoin,” emphasizes Marco du Blois, the festival's artistic director.

For the past 20 years, La Bande Vidéo has contributed to the development and support of a strong new generation of independent animators in Quebec, as well as showcasing the work of more seasoned creators in the field. Internationally renowned Quebec artists - such as Diane Obowsawin, Moïa Jobin-Paré, Nicolas Brault, Alexandre Roy and Frédérick Tremblay, whose work has won numerous awards at festivals around the world - choose La Bande Vidéo for its wide-ranging technical expertise and attentive, rigorous support. Many international animation filmmakers also choose to work at La Bande Vidéo, as its reputation is widely recognized outside Quebec.

The 2025 René-Jodoin Prize will be awarded to the La Bande Vidéo team at the Sommets awards ceremony, on May 31 at 6 p.m., at the Cinémathèque québécoise.

The 23rd Sommets du cinéma d'animation will take place from May 26 to 31, 2025.
The festival is produced by the Cinémathèque québécoise.