'Merci beaucoup': Montreal visual effects company wins Oscar for Blade Runner

Montreal got a special shout-out at last night's Academy Awards as Richard Hoover accepted an Oscar for best visual effects for Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049.

Hoover works atFramestore, a company based in Montreal's Mile End neighbourhood, which created the movie's opening sequence, several of the scenes taking place in Las Vegas as well as in the shipyard.

• Montreal visual effects companies vying for Oscar glory tonight

"To all my friends in Montreal," Hoover said, bending into the mic and holding up the golden statue as music wrapping up the group's speech played.

"Merci beaucoup. This is for you!"

Hoover was nominated with John Nelson, GerdNefzer and Paul Lambert for the film.

On Daybreak this morning, Hoover saidhe wanted to make sure to pay tribute to his Montreal crew during his speech.

"I wouldn't be there without them," he said.

Hoover said provincial tax breaks have helped give rise to a thriving hub of special effects companies in Montreal.

It was the third time Framestorehas been nominated for an Oscar. The company also got a nodin the same category this year forGuardians of the Galaxy 2.

During the speech, Nelson, the visual effects supervisor forBlade Runner, thanked Denis Villeneuve, "whose guts are seen in every frame of this film, especially the visual effects."

• 'I don't like to do the same thing twice': Denis Villeneuve says Blade Runner 2049 is his best film

Villeneuvewasn't nominated for any Oscars, butBlade Runner also won for best cinematography, led by Roger Deakins.