Montreal: Actress and director Micheline Lanctot is this year’s recipient of the Prix Albert-Tessier, the annual Quebec government award for distinguished contribution to filmmaking. Lanctot’s 1994 film Deux Actrices won the Prix Ouimet-Molson award for best film. Last year, she took Prix Gemeaux honors for best female lead for her performance in the disturbing immigrant saga Le Polock. This season, Lanctot stars as a psychologist in the youth crime drama Tag.

The Prix du Quebec awards, which include a cheque for $30,000, were handed out earlier this month by Agnes Maltais, Quebec’s culture and communications minister. *