Rafael Ouellet says he’s never won a major festival prize.

So becoming a double-prize winner with his latest film, Camion, after last week’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival came as quite a shock to the Canadian filmmaker.

“For me a festival is really an occasion to travel, to see other filmmakers, their films. Just to be selected or to be in a competition is a big deal. So winning a prize was a big surprise for me,” Ouellet told Playback on Tuesday.

Camion, his fourth feature about a family reunited by a tragic car accident, earned two trophies: the ecumenical jury prize and a best director trophy for Ouellet on the weekend.

The twin gongs are likely to help his career, “especially here at home because we want people to go and see the film,” he added.

And Camion is likely to enjoy a bigger and longer journey on the international festival circuit.

“A lot of festivals that have asked for screeners, they want to see the film because we won the awards. And we already have invitations for festivals to have our film in the fall,” Ouellet said.

As for commercial distribution of Camion outside of Quebec, in English Canada and abroad, the filmmaker is deferring to his producer, Stephanie Morisette at Coop Vidéo de Montréal.

“I know the producer is really happy. She expects more chances to sell the film in America and around the world,” Ouellet said.

K-Films Amérique is already on board to release Camion in French-speaking Quebec.

As for his next feature, Ouellet is currently working on the second draft of Arsenault and Sons, a drama about a criminal family of poachers.

He started the fifth feature while his producers were financing Camion.

And Ouellet is also savouring his Karlovy Vary critical triumph.

“The best director prize means working with the best people on a film, the best cinematographer, the best cast and crew,” he added, with tip of his hat to his fellow collaborators.