Montreal: Five women widely recognized in the industry for outstanding creative contributions over the years will be honored at this year’s Women in Film and Television Montreal’s third annual gala. The event, which takes place Friday, April 27 at the Hotel Wyndham, also marks the association’s 10th anniversary.

Quebec TV pioneer and producer and broadcaster Lise Payette is the gala’s honorary chair. The evening’s program is being hosted by Sonia Benezra, with special honors going to children’s TV producer and creator Carmen Bourassa (Passe-Partout, Cornemuse), production designer Louise Jobin (Ces Enfants d’ailleurs, Jesus de Montreal), director, screenwriter and actor Micheline Lanctot (Sonatine, Le Bunker), actor Charlotte Laurier (2 Secondes, Les bons debarras) and movie producer Denise Robert (C’t’a ton tour Laura Cadieux, Stardom).

This year the board of WIFT-Montreal, chaired by producer Ina Fichman, has created a new tribute award in recognition of ‘the importance of promoting women at all levels of the film and television industry.’ The tribute award’s first recipient is Francois Macerola, executive director, Telefilm Canada.

Organizers are anticipating 400 to 450 guests. *