EMERGING LENS

Inspirational Griot  Award 2022 - "Scratching The Surface"

Scratching the Surface touches on the visibly invisible experience of mental health struggles within African Nova Scotian communities.

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Dir. - Guyleigh Johnson

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Best Actress - "A Delicate Mind"

A woman reverts back to childhood during a mental crisis.

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Dir. Michelle Anglin, Quacy Rose

Best Actor/Audience Choice - "846" 

846 is the story of two men who cross paths on a day they at will change their lives forever. Dr. Marcus Mann, an established lung surgeon, but an ordinary guy , has the best and worst day of his life. He’s getting married and he has the opportunity to save a young boy’s life. Officer Chad Cummins is new to the force and is in training for the LAPD, Today he and his wife got the news they have been hoping for ; They are finally approved with a highly recommended specialized doctor to perform the emergency transplant for their young son, whose been adversely affected by COVID 19. Both men, similar settings in life are about to cross paths on what will be a life changer and a day they will never forget. 

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Dir. -  Charles Andrews

Best Original Screenplay - "Welcome Addicts"

A dysfunctional support group is introduced to their latest addict, Vlad. The rest of the group gets into a heated discussion as to whether or not this addition was a great idea. Poor Diane, the group leader, tries to keep it all from falling apart while also trying to make Vlad feel welcomed.

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Dir. Emil Cheriyan

Best Music Video - "Morfea - Childish Eyes"

Through images and music, "Childish Eyes" tells the story of a teenage king who escapes from the palace (the Ursino castle) to explore the outside world. Among the wooded paths of Etna he comes across a young and charming woman, struck in turn by the tender but provoking "childish eyes".

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Dir. Isabella Bofante

Best Director - "The Tendency"

It's about a lesbian girl who wants to leave the country in an illegal way.

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Dir. - Mobin Pekand

Best Animation - "Night"

The dust of war keeps the eyes sleepless. Night brings peace and sleep to all the people in the broken town. Only the eyes of the mother of the missing child stay resilient. Night has to trick her into sleeping to save her soul.

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Dir. - Ahmad Saleh

Audience Choice - "Embrace"

Arty, a faceless and well dressed man gets ready for his date until he meets his younger self who makes things complicated

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Dir. Jacquile Kambo

Best Feature Film - "8:37 Rebirth"

Jared Peters and Sergei Radic, two youth from vastly different backgrounds become forever linked in a split second with the four pound trigger pull of a snub nosed 38. Twenty two years later, that single moment still reverberates when Jared Peter is released from prison for the death of Sergei’s father, a convenience store owner.

Deeply regretful, Jared tries to forge ahead into a better life and the art of his ancestors. Conversely, Sergei descends into an abyss of revenge driven obsession. As the story develops both men must face their sins and each other; where one man might lose his life while the other his sanity.

Dir. - Juanita Peters

Best Short Film - "Express Checkout"

Gabrielle went to the grocery store looking for marshmallows and true love. Did she find everything she was looking for?​​

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Dir. Santiago Guzman

Youth Inspiration Award - "The Inner Me"

Best Short Film - "Finding A Way Out"

Savannah is 16-year-old youth of mixed background born and raised in Nova Scotia. Savannah has a passion for the arts and how they can create social change. She works with a bunch of mediums to express her creativity such as illustration, painting, music and spoken word.

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Dir. - Savannah Rae Louise Gannon

A self portrait of Jodell's current life, how dealing with depression and incarceration, living a certain lifestyle brought him to a changing point. Through photography and videography he found his way out of a lifestyle and a system he felt he was trapped in.

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Dir. - Jodell Stundon

Audience Choice - "Splitting Image"

An inspirational story about a son following the positive image of his father

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Dir. - David A. Walker