December 13 to 17, 2024

Being Black in Canada: Toronto - Montreal - Halifax

BEING BLACK IN CANADA FILM SERIES VIBFF21 is thrilled to be presenting the 19 films from 19 emerging Black Filmmakers from Montreal, Toronto and Halifax – who participated in the Fabienne Colas Foundation’s Being Black in Canada program. THE 2020 FABIENNE COLAS FOUNDATION’S BEING BLACK IN CANADA PROGRAM’S PARTICIPANTS BEING BLACK IN MONTREAL – FRANCOPHONE PROGRAM Aïcha Morin-Baldé, Cassandre Grégoire, Kimberley Ann Surin, Nitsé Mathelier, Tania Doumbe Fines BEING BLACK IN MONTREAL – ANGLOPHONE PROGRAM Amelya Hempstead, Dee Edouard Williams, Devantie Johnson, Melannie Jonas, Steve Deku BEING BLACK IN TORONTO Bethlehem Tsegaye, David Peddie, Selina McCallum, Shani McKenzie, Uranranebi Agbeyegbe BEING BLACK IN HALIFAX Lily Nottage, Dena Williams, Kardeisha Provo, Tyler Simmonds The Fabienne Colas Foundation’s Being Black in Canada represents Canada’s largest mentorship, training, and creation program to be entirely dedicated to Black filmmakers. This important initiative, created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation’s Youth and Diversity Program, aims to train, mentor and empower the next generation of Black Filmmakers in Cinema and Television. Being Black in Canada was created to make up for the blatant lack of diversity and the lack of Black People in front and behind the camera in Canada. It gives a voice and a platform to creators who would not otherwise be seen or heard. The Foundation actively promotes equal opportunities for Black Filmmakers while fostering Diversity on our screens that unfortunately showcase content that is too white for a truly diverse society. In 2020, the Program allowed 20 underserved emerging Black Filmmakers in Montreal, Toronto, and Halifax to create their first short documentaries. In 2021, the program has also opened in Ottawa, Calgary, and Vancouver to welcome and support 35 new Black artists each year. The program provides FREE training, mentorship, professional equipment, editing studios, professional crews to assist them from beginning to the end of their filmmaking process. Then, we will premiere their films at the Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax Black Film Festivals, as well as elsewhere. The 2019 BBIC films were also broadcast on CBC (Toronto & Halifax), Tele-Quebec (Montreal), TFO (Toronto).