Pakenham native celebrated as part of creative team behind Oscar-winning short film

A small-town connection is shining on the international stage after a filmmaker with local ties helped create an Oscar-winning film at this year’s Academy Awards.

Mississippi Mills Mayor Christa Lowry is encouraging residents to help her celebrate Emily Paige, a Montreal-based filmmaker who grew up in Pakenham. Paige, along with her husband Dan, were part of the team behind The Girl Who Cried Pearls, which won Best Animated Short Film at the 2026 Oscars last weekend.

According to Lowry, Paige and her husband in the development of the 17-minute animated film, a project created by Montreal filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski and produced by the National Film Board of Canada.

The film tells a dark, fairy tale-inspired story about a girl whose tears turn into pearls, exploring themes of love, loss and greed.

According to IMDB, the short film is described as “a haunting fable about a girl overwhelmed by sorrow, the boy who loves her, and how greed leads good hearts to wicked deeds.”

In her social media post, Lowry said the Oscar win is one worth celebrating across Mississippi Mills, calling on the community to congratulate Paige on what she described as an “incredible achievement.”

Residents can watch the Oscar – winning film online, where they will spot Paige’s name in the credits.

Lowry said the achievement is one worth celebrating across Mississippi Mills, calling on the community to congratulate Paige on what she described as an “incredible” accomplishment.