2017 AWARD WINNERS...
Inspirational Griot Award 2017 - "Mariner"
Mariner is a taut and unsettling drama about an ambitious marine navigation cadet on the verge of cracking during his final exams. The recruit is haunted by an incident from his past — and fights to find a way to turn his personal demons into a source of strength.
Dir. - Thyrone Tommy
Emerging Lens Festival Fav - "Deeply Rooted"
Cazhhmere is a proud Canadian. Her ancestors were among the first black settlers to come to Canada — her family has spent hundreds of years weaving itself into the fabric of our nation. Despite this deep history, Cazhhmere is constantly questioned about where she is originally from.
Best Emerging Music Video - "The Realist - Chudi Harris"
“The Realest I” relives the struggles of a black woman in her daily experiences. It aims to highlight the obstacles she is forced to encounter such as losing a friend/companion to gun violence, sexual assault, and developing addiction as a coping mechanism. Throughout the entire video the viewer will feel the trauma and turmoil she endures, ending with the search for redemption, self-love and acceptance.
Dir. Keke Beatz
Best Animation - "Life Smart Phone"
The phenomenon of increasing Smartphone Addicts can be attributed to today’s cutting-edge technology. Staring at the Smart phone or I-pad all the time and focusing on a small corner of life instead of exploring the vast expanse of life, people are gradually alienating themselves from the richness, the depth and extraordinary loveliness of life. This microfilm, Life of Smartphone Addicts, with its satirical and humorous style, serves to depict the current social situation and give people a chance to be introspective
Dir. Xie Chenglin
Youth Inspirational Awards
Keke Beatz
The name Keke came from my older brother,father & mother because they always call me keke. I had four names so far, Madkeyz, King Of Dubz, DubbzyDubz, Dubbzy & now KekeBeatz. Beatz just came from my occupation and what I'm good at. Thats the story.
Maje
MAJE is a hip hop artist hailing from East Preston, who founded the group “Gentlemen Mafia” as a way to portray how he feels as a black man, a sentiment shared by many in the community. Most recently he was the Winner of the Viola Desmond Songwriter Contest, a pivotal moment in his career. With clothing line, school performances and a mixtape on the way, MAJE continues to push forward with his music and encourages youth to follow their dreams.
MAJE is a hip hop artist hailing from East Preston, who founded the group “Gentlemen Mafia” as a way to portray how he feels as a black man, a sentiment shared by many in the community. Most recently he was the Winner of the Viola Desmond Songwriter Contest, a pivotal moment in his career. With clothing line, school performances and a mixtape on the way, MAJE continues to push forward with his music and encourages youth to follow their dreams.
Tyler Simmonds
Tyler Simmonds is a Canadian film director, actor, and writer. At an early age Tyler began discovering his creative talents. He became very infatuated with the art of filmmaking, and creative writing. Like many other creatives Tyler uses his creative expression to help him cope with his obstacles. He decides to use his many talents to inspire others, to help bring awareness to struggles of the world and to let individuals know they are not alone.
Best Student Short Film - "Sit down, Rise Up"
Sit Down, Rise Up, is a visual exploration of the struggle between individualism vs. established social norms. It delves into the importance of social unity and sacrifice when it comes to rebellion, all through the use of music and percussion
Dir. Paul Daniel Torres
Audience Choice Awards
"Mother's Embrace"
A child with his brother are alone at home. his brother is a newborn baby. Newborn baby starts to crying. He find a strange decision to calm his newborn brother down
Dir. Sina Aubi
"Together"
Ladies, why do we always ignore the signs when a brother comes mackin'; we can practically be handed the warning label of his past, ignore it and still go home with him.
Dir. & story by Tara Lynn Taylor
Screenplay by Andrew Mortimer
"Hustle & Heart"
Hunter makes the high school football team as the back-up quarterback but things get tense when hist first pass is aimed at the star
Dir. Koumbie T-T
"Random Number"
Blossom is still heart broken after the loss of her mother. She contemplates how she'll cope with the loss.
Dir. Jennie Cyril
Best Emerging Short Film - "Its Not Your Fault"
It’s Not Your Fault is a short movie about the violence of online comments made towards Indigenous people, specifically Indigenous Women, children and 2 Spirit people. Bringing attention to the negligence of online/social media outlets allowing hate speech in Canada.
Dir. Raven Davis
Best Music Video - "Watch It Burn"
Shot during a snowstorm, this video takes the title concept literally, with Tasha wielding a flamethrower to light a raging bonfire while fireworks explode in the night sky. Think Kanye West at the Brits 2015, but way more turnt up.
Dir. Colin Cooper
Pitch Award Winner - Martha Mutale
Canada 150 – Song writing contest winner – The AceMan “I'm in Luv wit Hali”
Honorable Mentions - These films were top notch! We wish we could screen all!
Finalists
“New Neighbours: – E.G. Bailey
“The Homeless Prayers Project” – Hannah Duran
“The House” – Tyson Animation
“Sanvi” – Shivani Srivastava
“Angel’s Walk” – Brian Few Jr.
“I am the Best” – Vincent Bonin
“Bad Girl” – Alex Preston
“Rosen Marching for Abolition” – Catherine Tissier
“Silence of Art” – Yigit Kucukkibar
“The Lighthouse Butcher” – Jean Bernard
“Lanky Lad” – Helen Dean
“Addison Lane” – Yuka Sano
“Khanak” – Kiran Chavan
“The Rise of UK Music in Atlanta” – Richi Fingerz
“Jamala 1944” – Gulinoz Javodava
“Black Barbie” – Comfort Arthur
“Jukebox” – Bouslama Chamakh
“It was Further Enacted” – Elizabeth Obisanya
“Life Between Borders: Black Immigrants in Mexico" - Ebony bailey
“Dreadlocks Story” – Linda Ainoche
“Flight of Hope” – Vinay Pujara
“Dark Brown Eyes” – Yasmin Bertew
“Karolay, a Tierrabomba story” – David Covo Camacho
“Pellanco, the Artisan” - David Covo Camacho
“She never felt the cold” – JD Gardener
“I am Isak” – Tony Zosherafatain
“hornZ” – Anna Dukhonina
“Take a breath of the Moment” – Arnau Espejo Figuerola
“Marine Drive” – Adam Hollin
“The Collector” – Mai Lasan
“The Last Jaguar” – Luciano Nacci
“Thrill over Fear” – John Katehis
“the campnile” saeed noohi
“delete all” mohammadali rakhshani
“Playing with buttons” hermes mangialardo
“4ever” hermes mangialardo
“Dirty Roses” Petra Terzi
“The belief” Amir Vahedi
“Bi-Polar” Lily Lizotte
“Ambrosia” Som Chakraborty
“Good Hair” Fray Forde
“Steppin'Out” Silvia Alfei
“Dream” Golnaz Moghaddam
“Night Night” Golnaz Moghaddam
‘Before Me” Jith Paul
“The Women of Archangel Michael” Vahan Ishkhanyan
“The Choice” Frederico Brígida
“Vitiligo” HipStory Films
“You Ci Ke (有刺客)” Eileen NTU
“The Last Tear " Christopher H.K. Lee
“Archipelago” Virus Mecánico
“Sideways” Aniruddha Pande
“Momentum” Isabella Rogl
“Aahe Nila Saila” Birenjyoti Mohanty
“The Importance Of Giving” C S Prakhyat
“Migration” Joanne Chao
“INTO THE VOID” Freddy Aung
“Tidal Waves” Kristina Wong
“Ghetto Situations” tebogo chologi
“REZilience” Jayson Stewart
“AnorMal” Luis Galán
“Knowing” Freddie Lau
“I am a crab" - Valerie prunier
“Car Wars” Arun Sripadam
“Nakusha” - Imran Gani
“Not Yet” Chad Hamilton
“A doodle story “ - Tony Taliaferro
“The Ballerina “ Lucas Argenta
“RIEMANN” Tathagata Ghosh
“Darker than black” Hassan Mokhtari
“The Day Before Chinese New Year” - Canzhao Lam
“Blue” Maryam Farahzadi
“Life is lifeless” Zanyar Muhamadineko
“Better than garbage" Robert Misovic
Semi - Finalists
“Chateau Laurier”by JAMES STEWAR
“Future is irrevocable”by Lucila Riggio
“A Long Way Home”by Ibër Deari
“The Lesson”by juben shaikh
“The Curious Case of Black Economic Empowerment” - Kalala Kapay
“So Long Slong”by Nicole Stanley
“Analog”by Ludovic Dufresne
“Deus é Amor (Versions in English, Portuguese and Italian)”by Christian Franz Tragni
“she is boy “by imam syafi'i
“Summer Camp”by robert gordon
“NAKED FOOT”by azam khan
“IN GOD WE TRUST” by Elefterios Zacharopoulos
“Sofia, the legend of green waters”by NanoFilm Producciones
“He's Rooftop Afternoons”by He Xu
“Sad Religion” by Calyx Passailaigue
“The Wrap Party”by Calyx Passailaigue
“DARK WATERS”by Tobi Aubel
“This is our Africa - This is us”by Michael van Zyl
“Its me...”by Aayan Rabbani
“Night Walk”by Neely Goniodsky
“Labelled”by Megan McClennon
“Jesus Christ: Man or Myth?”by Christian Robinson
“Never Without My Denture”by Hugo Favre
“Independent”by Funmi Adetola
‘”Gayberhood”by Tony Taliaferro
“I AM Hiphop”by Tony Taliaferro
“There was a place”by Irene Garcés
“010101”by blanc barbara
“UNFORGETTABLE”by Jay Rao
“Black & White”by Anuj Ramachandran
“River & Oak” by James Malekzadeh
“Culture Shot”by zhen yee khor
“Redemption: Between the Lines”by Jackie Magdaleno
“bethi bachao (save girl child)”by Kishor Howale
“Toy house”by Natasha Danilevskaya
“The Invisible Boy”by Fabio Bozzetto
“The Fisherman of Lesbos”by Nikolia Apostolou
“Repercussions”by Aren Devlin
“INKSIDE FonkyPoulp”by stephane chung
“Under The Rock”by A Mishr
“The Red Rose”by A Mishr
“Miles Away”by Lily Lizotte
“C'est Moi”by Howard Davis
“Monalisa”by Leah Webb
"Celebrate Canada" Exploring Our National Parks “by Sarah (Piper) King
"True North" Music Video by Sarah (Piper) King
“One Too Many” by Sinead Stoddart
“war Or peace”by kayvan sarvari
“Intangible Body”by Emelie Mahdavian
“Objectification”by Tanya Maier
“The BOX”by Arun Sripadam
“The Big Class”by Marie-Lou Béland