- Selection of Short Films Begin Screening on Air Canada Flights July 1 -

    MONTREAL, June 29 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada today announced Actor Remy
Girard, Film Directors Michael McGowan and Deepa Metha, and BravoFACT's Judy
Gladstone as members of the 2009 Air Canada enRoute Film Festival jury. A
selection of short films from emerging Canadian filmmakers will be available
to three million monthly passengers on Air Canada flights beginning July 1 and
continuing through the end of the year.
    The jury members will review the selected short films, ranking their top
4 and nominating films for awards. The awards are divided into four
categories: Best Short Film, Achievement in Animation, Achievement in
Direction, and Achievement in Cinematography. The general public will also
have a chance to watch the films online and vote for their favourite.
    The winner of Best Student Film receives a 2-year lease on a brand-new
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid vehicle and an all-inclusive trip for two to an
international film festival courtesy of Air Canada.
    "We are thrilled that our personal entertainment system available at
every seat in every aircraft of our fleet enables us, for the third year now,
to showcase emerging Canadian talent to millions of customers around the
world," said Louise McKenven, Senior Director, Marketing at Air Canada. "In
addition to providing exposure of this magnitude, we are equally proud to have
such a highly talented jury on board dedicated to supporting and encouraging
Canada's newest and finest filmmakers."
    This is the third year of the festival. Films are culled from hundreds of
entries from film students and, for the first time this year, emerging
filmmakers across the country. Air Canada passengers can view the selected
short films on their complimentary personal seatback entertainment systems.
The films can also be viewed online at enroutefilm.com.
    A Screening and Awards Gala will be held in October in Toronto. For the
latest updates and to vote for the People's Choice award, visit
enroutefilm.com. The Festival is produced by Spafax, Air Canada's media and
publishing agency.

    Air Canada enRoute Magazine is published by Spafax, one of the world's
leading custom publishers and providers of inflight media, with offices in
eight cities around the world. Spafax is a part of the specialist
communications division of WPP.

    Montréal-based Air Canada provides scheduled and charter air
transportation for passengers and cargo to more than 170 destinations on five
continents. Canada's flag carrier is the 13th largest commercial airline in
the world and serves 33 million customers annually. Air Canada is a founding
member of Star Alliance, providing the world's most comprehensive air
transportation network for Canadian domestic, transborder and international
travel. Air Canada aircraft offer customers individualized seatback in-flight
entertainment systems with hundreds of hours of digital audio-visual
entertainment. As well, customers can collect Aeroplan miles for future awards
through Canada's leading loyalty program.
    In 2008, the readers of Business Traveler magazine voted Air Canada "Best
In-Flight Services in North America," "Best Airline for Business Class Service
in North America" and "Best North American Airline for International Travel."