Â鶹´«Ã½

It may be the only film festival in the world that holds screenings 30,000 ft. up in the air.

The third annual enRoute Film Festival, which showcases the work of emerging Canadian filmmakers, is currently presenting a selection of short films on the personal seatback entertainment system on all Air Canada flights.

Six of these have been chosen as finalists -- after more than 300 works were submitted -- and the grand prize winner will be announced Oct. 20 at a special gala ceremony in Toronto.

"I can't even believe it. I had no idea my film would've been chosen. And it's amazing because it's being viewed by millions that (travel by) airplane," says Toronto's Alain Huynh, who was nominated for "Intermedium."

The animated film, about a character on a computer screen that comes to life to woo a female drawing across the room, crosses 2D, 3D and live action, and took several months to complete.

Along with Huynh, other nominees include Toronto filmmakers Jake Chirico for "Freshwater Plague," Kazik Radwanski and Daniel Montgomery for "Princess Margaret Blvd" and Jeffrey Royiwsky for "The Creative Process," as well as Edmonton's Leigh Ann Maynard for "A Season to Wither" and Montreal's Sarah Fortin for "Synth�tiseur."

The winner for Best Short Film, as well as for Achievements in Animation, Direction and Cinematography, will be chosen by a star-studded jury that includes directors Deepa Mehta and Michael McGowan, actors R�my Girard and Lisa Ray, and Bravo!FACT's Judy Gladstone. The grand prize includes a two-year lease on a new 2009 Ford Fusion and all the winners will receive a trip to the 2010 Palm Springs International Film Festival courtesy of Air Canada.

"Beyond the fact that all these passengers on Air Canada (are going to see the film), there is something special about having your work seen by a jury made up of people from various facets of the industry who are forced to really sit down and watch from beginning to end," says Gladstone, who has been heading up Bravo!FACT (A Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent) since 1997.

Sarah Fortin from Montreal, who was nominated for her film "Synth�tiseur," says only good things can come out of this kind of exposure.

"The more you make short films and the more they're seen by people the more (others) get interested in your work and ask you for other projects," says Fortin, who studied cinema at the University of Quebec in Montreal.

Fortin's story is about a young woman who desperately needs to make a change in her life but is short on cash, so heads to another part of town on the Metro to see what she can find. The film, which was screened at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), deals with issues a lot of young people can relate to, says Fortin.

"At some point in your life ... you want to do a lot of things but you don't know where to start and I think maybe this character had those kinds of thoughts in this particular time of her life and doesn't know what to do."

Gladstone says the films selected showcase the extraordinary talent across the country.

"I think we hold our own against any other country in the world in that particular format," she says.

Shane Smith, who's at the helm of the enRoute Film Festival, says the event has been steadily growing over the past two years. Past jurors have included the likes of Dan Aykroyd, Wendy Crewson and Atom Egoyan.

"I think the quality of the entries has (also) increased and just the awareness of an airline as an exhibition platform for filmmakers has definitely increased," says Smith. "You never know who's going to see your film so it could be a real door opener for some of our talented filmmakers."

For Huynh, who grew up in a tough Toronto neighbourhood and is facing an even tougher job market since graduating from Sheridan College in April, he's hoping for exactly that.

"I'm just really happy that Air Canada is giving me the opportunity to showcase my film. I also want to prove that even though you're from Jane and Finch ... you can do anything," he says.

The festival nominees will be shown at a free public screening Tuesday, Oct. 20th at Toronto's Scotiabank Theatre from 7 to 8 p.m. Some of the films are also available for viewing online at

The awards will be announced later that evening at an invite-only event at The Drake Hotel.