Even as a Concordia University film student, BENOIT PILON was winning awards. Later, while working as assistant to some of Quebec's top directors, he continued earning prizes and nominations for his own projects - such as Regards volés (1994) and Rosaire et la Petite-Nation (1997). Roger Toupin, épicier variété (2003) won him numerous awards, including a 2004 Jutra and a Belgian Bayard d'Or, both for best documentary. Benoit has since followed with Nestor et les oubliés (2006) and Des nouvelles du Nord (2007). His first feature-length venture into fiction, Ce qu'il faut pour vivre (The Necessities of Life) (2008), won three prizes at Montreal's Festival des Films du Monde. It also made it to the nine films shortlist for the 2009 Best Foreign Film Oscar nominations. As well as earning several other awards and special mentions, the film also won three Jutra and four Genie Awards.