Discovered in 1999 by director Léa Pool in Set Me Free, Karine Vanasse left the international critics speech less. From one project to another since her sensational debut on Québec's TV screen, she is soon cherished by the critics as well as the public.

As a self-educated woman, Karine Vanasse has many experiences on the movie sets since her debut. She first has been part of the casting of La Veuve noire, a telefilm from La Courte Échelle series (1994). Then, she has been seen in LeVolcan tranquille (1996), Un hiver de tourmente, a franco-canadian co-production (1997), the mini-series Revenge of the land (1998), as well as in the short film Le souper (1999). She also appeared in many TV advertisements , especially one with humorist Marc Dupré, where she attracted attention. Since 1998, she hosts Les Débrouillards, a children's TV show with artist Grégory Charles. She is awarded in 2002 at the Gemini Awards for Best Host in a children's TV show.

Her fresh approach, her sparkling personality, her radiant presence, her appealing sensibility, the intensity and the soundness of her natural talent for acting made her soon one of the best actresses of her generation. This allowed her to get major roles on the large screen. Karine Vanasse's first leading role in the film Set Me Free earned her many honours and awards: one mention from the jury at the Toronto's International Film Festival, the award for Best Actress from the young and adult audience juries at the FilmCan Festival in Saskatchewan, Canada, one nomination for Best Actress at the Berlin's International Film Festival, one Bayard d'Or for Best Actress at the Namur's Festival du film francophone, in Belgium, for Best Actress and the Jutra Award as Best Actress, in Québec, Canada. In 2000, she is starring as the leading role in Céline Baril's Du Pic au cœur, as well as singing the movie's theme-song.

Moreover, Québec's audience appreciated Karine Vanasse's tremendous talent as Lucie in Louis Choquette's successful TV series 2 frères (1999-2000), for which she had two nominations for MétroStar's Best Female Role in a Québec's TV series, as well as another nomination at the Gemini Awards for Best Actress in a supporting role. At summer 2002, she goes on stage in Denise Filiatrault's musical comedy Irma, la douce . She plays the leading part, which has been once acted on the large screen by the famous Shirley McLaine. Once again, Québec's audience can enjoy her great facility of expression, as well as her charisma and her vitality on a stage. The musical comedy is a huge success; this new experience on stage confirm Karine Vanasse's desire to be a versatile artist.

In Fall 2002, with the release of Seraphin, Heart of Stone, her career reaches the summits of fame, as the movie becomes Québec's greatest success of all times. She makes a brilliant acting as the legendary Donalda Laloge. Sharing the feature with seasoned actors Pierre Lebeau and Roy Dupuis, she wins, for the second time, Jutra Award for Best Actress at the the 5 th annual Soirée des Jutra. She is also honoured as Most Promising Artist at Montréal's Women in Film, Television and Video award evening(FCTVM), and becomes the first Ambassador at the Gala du Mérite Estrien, organized by the daily La Tribune, in Sherbrooke, Québec.