Best Short Film
All Strings Attached
Directed by Josiane Blanc
Josiane is a writer, director, producer and a firm believer in the use of media as a vector of change. Her versatility allowed her to work with a variety of content in Film and TV, whether it’s scripted, unscripted, documentaries, for both adult and youth audiences.
In 2021, Josiane wrote, directed and coproduced Ainsi va Manu (Hogtown), a 7-episode scripted web series telling the story of Manuela, a 16-year-old girl who decides to fight back when her family is threatened to be evicted from their apartment in Toronto. The series, currently streaming on TV5 & TFO, has been nominated more than 30 times and won 10 awards in international festivals, including best screenplay, 4x best director & best original score. She’s currently in development of Season 2.
Josiane also enjoys documentary storytelling, as she values the opportunity to tell with sensitivity the reality of human beings, especially those who are marginalized or sidelined in our society. In 2020, her short documentary Tales of Ordinary Fatphobia addressing the psychological impact of fatphobia on kids and teens, was produced by the NFB and premiered on Radio-Canada. It was described by critics as treasure of delicacy, hard-hitting, difficult to watch but necessary film.
Best Long Short
Colorblind
Directed by Nauzanin Knight
Nauzanin is the CEO/Director of 1844 Studios, an Edmonton-based production company. She began her career as a published non-fiction writer and served at the Bahá’i World Centre before she went on to write, direct and produce films “My Lyric I Never Knew” (CBC/Gem, American Indian Film Festival 2019); “Notes on Being Un-Popular” (Cinefam Audience Choice Award Winner); and, “Abu & Mo: Two Orphans” (Muslim Kids TV, 2023). Outside of her studio, she worked in the writing room of “Hudson & Rex” and directed Season One of Indigikin/Simba Creative’s “The Sugar Mama”. Nauzanin is a Women in the Director’s Chair, Cinefam, Sundance Collab, BANFF Spark, and ReelWorld alumna. An ardent believer in contributing to the vibrance of her community, Nauzanin led and conducted qualitative studies such as, “Building Inclusive Networks in the Film & Television Industry” (2021; Telefilm; CMF).
Best Documentary Short
Badassery
Directed by Sunita Miya-Muganza
Nauzanin is the CEO/Director of 1844 Studios, an Edmonton-based production company. She began her career as a published non-fiction writer and served at the Bahá’i World Centre before she went on to write, direct and produce films “My Lyric I Never Knew” (CBC/Gem, American Indian Film Festival 2019); “Notes on Being Un-Popular” (Cinefam Audience Choice Award Winner); and, “Abu & Mo: Two Orphans” (Muslim Kids TV, 2023). Outside of her studio, she worked in the writing room of “Hudson & Rex” and directed Season One of Indigikin/Simba Creative’s “The Sugar Mama”. Nauzanin is a Women in the Director’s Chair, Cinefam, Sundance Collab, BANFF Spark, and ReelWorld alumna. An ardent believer in contributing to the vibrance of her community, Nauzanin led and conducted qualitative studies such as, “Building Inclusive Networks in the Film & Television Industry” (2021; Telefilm; CMF).
Best Overall Film
For Roy
Directed by Vivian Cheung
Vivian Cheung is an up-and-coming Chinese-Canadian first-time director born and raised in Vancouver, BC. She stepped onto her first film set in 2022, when her pitch was selected as one of the Top 8 Finalists for MAMM17 (Mighty Asian Moviemaking Marathon), an annual competition with the Vancouver Asian Film Festival where finalists are given 10 days to make a 10-minute short. Through MAMM17, her debut film, ‘For Roy’, earned two awards: Best First Time Director and People’s Choice – Best Short. As a MAMM17 winner, the film made its festival premiere at the 2022 Vancouver Asian Film Festival.
As a newcomer in the film industry, she thrives to learn, grow, & tell impactful stories that are underrepresented in media, especially Asian and female-driven narratives. When she is not making films, Vivian is a digital storyteller at Fresh Roots, a local non-profit that empowers youth and engages them in just food systems on schoolyard educational market urban farms.
Since MAMM17, she was selected as a finalist in Regent Park Film Festival’s 2022 Emerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition, where she will pitch her documentary, ‘Food for Thought’ in front of a live audience and a panel of CBC judges in Toronto.
Best Impact Award (TIE)
Answer
Directed by Mary-Lee Burnet
Mary-Lee Brunet is a Montreal-based dancer, visual artist, and multidisciplinary talent. Specializing in street dance styles like hip-hop, popping, and strutting, she captivates audiences as a member of Sarah Steben’s Anomaly Dance Company and Forward Movement Dance Company. Mary-Lee’s artistic journey includes notable achievements, such as starring in the dance film “Point of View” and directing/choreographing the upcoming short film “Answer” in collaboration with Do Phan Hoi. Beyond dance, she exhibits her versatility through skills in graphic design, web assistance, social media management, event coordination, and more. Mary-Lee’s passion for exploration and evolution fuels her continuous artistic growth.
Best Impact Award (TIE)
Better at Texting
Directed by Mary Galloway
Mary Galloway is an award-winning, mixed Cowichan and settler descent, filmmaker, actor, and fierce trailblazer; paving the way for Indigi-queer content creation. Galloway bravely tells stories that represent marginalized communities in a heartfelt, entertaining, and enlightening manner. Her achievements include being a TIFF Rising Star, a WFF Talent to Watch, a recipient of WIFTV’s Newcomer Award, and being named to The Hollywood Reporter’s list of Breakouts Making An Impact on Hollywood. Recently, she released her web series Querencia on APTN LUMI in Canada and on Revry TV globally and is a recent graduate of the CFC’s Director’s Lab 2021.