[1] The judging committee had received two complaints over the previous year: that it granted too many awards relative to the number of submissions, and that its criteria were too focused on films' education value, rather than their appeal to the viewing public.
In response, the judges stated that they would assess each film on overall effectiveness, including its realization of purpose and quality of craftsmanship.
As to the former issue, the judges agreed to reduce the number of Honourable Mentions and issue Special Mentions for films that had qualities worthy of recognition.
[1] Sixty-eight films were submitted for this year's awards, which were presented by Imperial Oil president J. R. White.
The event's Master of Ceremonies was renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh.