By George Kozera for Mr. Will Wong
The TORONTO BLACK FILM FESTIVAL (TBFF), presented by TD, celebrated the kick-off of its 11th edition this past Wednesday, where the opening night festivities were awash with panache and style. From February 15 to 20, 2023, TBFF will present 125 films from 20 countries and moviegoers will have the option to watch these live at the theatre or online. Two highlights of the evening included Founder Fabienne Colas presenting Writer/Producer/Director Jennifer Holness with the 2023 Career Achievement Award (who gave a heartfelt and inspired speech) and Director Matt Waldeck searing Documentary, LOVELY JACKSON, about Rickey Jackson’s 39-year incarceration for a crime he did not commit. Filmed in muted black and white and using recreations and live interviews, the Documentary was provocative and life affirming and both gentlemen basked in the positive audience response.
Check out the website TorontoBlackFilm.com for titles, dates, times and venues to discover new and exciting Cinema.
(Photo credit: George Kozera)
The Toronto Black Film Festival (TBFF), presented by TD Bank Group (TD) in collaboration with Global News, is celebrating its 11th anniversary with a return to IN-PERSON programming, and an online component, from February 15-20, 2023! Created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, the game-changing Toronto Black Film Festival will bringinnovative, powerful, diverse, and bold programming to Toronto audiences, while also maintaining online accessibility.
Part of the TD 2023 Black History Month Series, the Festival will present 125 films from 20 countries – including 37 World premieres, 18 International premieres, 37 Canadian premieres, 18 Ontario premieres and 7 Toronto premieres. The TBFF All Access Passes and individual tickets are on sale now on the Festival’s website.
TBFF is Canada’s largest celebration of Black History Month, attracting hundreds of thousands of festivalgoers of all ages and ethnic backgrounds both in-person and online. Year after year, through its audacious and diverse programming, the Toronto Black Film Festival has been a catalyst and necessary platform for Black artists who would otherwise remain invisible. The Toronto Black Film Festival is a movement that allows members of the Global Majority and other communities to come together to learn about and better understand one another.
The Festival’s opening night will take place on Wednesday, February 15th at 8PM at the Isabel Bader Theatre with the Ontario Premiere of Matt Waldeck’s LOVELY JACKSON (USA), followed by a Q&A session with the director and subject Rickey Jackson. The film is exonerated prisoner Rickey Jackson’s daring first-hand account of the psychology of survival and spiritual fortitude required to withstand 39 years of wrongful incarceration for a murder he didn’t commit.
WOMAN MEETS GIRL also is a Short Film screening at the Festival. It takes place over a vodka-fueled game of Never Have I Ever, Annabelle (Enuka Okuma), a 42-year-old virgin and Tessie (Chelsea Russell), an 18-year-old homeless sex worker, challenge each other to expose their vulnerabilities, revealing their differences and similarities AND an undeniable chemistry emerges between them. More about it here.
The Toronto Black Film Festival will also pay tribute to award-winning Writer, Producer and Director Jennifer Holness as part of the opening night celebrations.
Jennifer Holness is the first Black woman in Canada to win a CSA for best writing, she is the 2021 Indiescreen Producer of the Year and a 2022 WIFT Creative Excellence Award winner. Her recent feature doc, Subjects of Desire, has won numerous festival awards and was a 2021 TIFF top 10 film. Her TV series include Shoot The Messenger and Guns, with the latter winning 5 CSA’s and garnering a prestigious Rose d’Or nomination. Her narrative feature films, Home Again and Love, Sex and Eating the Bones have screened around the globe, with Bones winning a Best First Feature award at TIFF. She is a Founder and the Inaugural Chair of the Black Screen Office and is an Executive Board Member of the CMPA.
#TBFF23 will close at the Carlton Cinema with the Canadian Premiere of Frank Berry’s AISHA starring Letitia Wright and Josh O’Connor (Ireland). Aisha, a young Nigerian woman seeking asylum in Ireland is floundering in a maze of social services and bureaucracy. As her situation becomes increasingly dire, Aisha struggles to maintain hope and dignity against the looming threat of deportation.
“The Toronto Black Film Festival is back in person (and online) for what promises to be an exciting and inspiring 11th edition. We are thrilled to be spotlight more Black artists and authentic Black stories in Toronto. Thanks to the support of thousands of festivalgoers and the creativity of the artists, the TBFF has made big strides creating awareness about the industry’s severe lack of diversity. With the support of our loyal partners, we will continue to leverage the power of the arts for even more social and economic impact.”- stated Fabienne Colas, President and Founder of the Black Film Festivals in Montreal, Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa, Calgary, and Vancouver
Additional programming, including the must-see FCF’s Being Black in Canada series, includes:
THE TBFF BLACK MARKET
Presented by Canadian Heritage, Bell Fund, Telefilm Canada, Canada Council for the Arts
February 16-17 Daniels Spectrum, February 18 Carlton Cinema and February 19 on Facebook
The Black Market series returns In Person and Online with an exciting blend of progressive and innovative thinking FREE panel discussions with renowned industry professionals who will share real-world experience on today’s most critical filmmaking and social issues
In-Person Panels
● NETWORKING: The How–To Rules for Approaching People in the Entertainment Industry
● FEDERAL FUNDING SUPPORT FOR FILM AND TV, PRESENTED BY TELEFILM
● A CAREER IN ANIMATION VOICE-OVER, CO-PRESENTED BY ACTRA TORONTO
Online Panels
● SCRIPT SUPERVISOR THE UNSUNG HERO OF THE SET
● THE ROLE OF UNIONS AND AGENCIES IN THE FIGHT FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
FABIENNE COLAS FOUNDATION’S BEING BLACK IN CANADA
Presented by NETFLIX, in collaboration with the National Bank, and supported by Telefilm Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts.
February 16 – Carton cinema 7pm – 11pm & ONLINE Tickets on TorontoBlackFilm.com
30 emerging Black filmmakers from Montreal, Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver of the Fabienne Colas Foundation’s Being Black in Canada program will present their WORLD PREMIERE short films In-Person at TBFF on Thursday, February 16th. Thanks to the support of Netflix, National Bank, Telefilm Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Creates and various local partners.
The TBFF Kids Festival is back this year with new and exciting In Person activities for the whole family on Family Day, February 20, at the Carlton Cinema from 11am to 7pm.
Finally, festivalgoers can cap off their day with the TBFF Live Performance Series – at Pogue Mahone Pub & Kitchen February 15 – 19, 10pm. Showcasing different genres of music and Spoken Word representing the Afrocentric community. This line-up includes Rudy Ray Collective, Mel Dubé Warrior Love Band, Waleed Abdulahmid & Dieufaite Charles, Shakkoi, Fefe, David Delisca, Amoya Reé and Prince Amoak
This year’s line-up consists of remarkable films, highlighting important topics such as women’s issues, politics, social injustice, discrimination, mental health, arts, sports, accomplishment, and mystery among others.
A few #TBFF23’s must-see feature films are Sheep’s Clothings, Know Your Place, What We Do Next, Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story, and Aisha. Furthermore, some of the thought-provoking documentaries – presented by Canada Media Fund – include Kaepernick and America, Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands, Cesaria Evora, Music Pictures New Orleans, “The Melt Goes On Forever: The Art and Times of David Hammons” the Fabienne Colas Foundation’s Being Black in Canada series and many more!
“Global News has been a proud official media partner of the Toronto Black Film Festival for over a decade. A huge congratulations to the Festival for its year-over-year accomplishments. It has been a privilege to see this event continue its important work and inspire so many people in the GTA.” – Mackay Taggart – Ontario Regional Director of News
The #TBFF23 All Access Passes are available on the Festival’s website:
The All Access Pass (for the Online program) $119.00 +Tx + fees, gives access to the festival’s entire Online program.
The All Access Pass (for the In-Person program) $149 +Tx+ fees, gives access to all In-Person programming.
Individual tickets to the in-person opening film are available for $25, closing film for $20, regular films for $12 and film series are available for $12.
The 11th annual Toronto Black Film Festival, created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, is presented by TD Bank Group in collaboration with Global News – from February 15 to 20, 2023 – IN PERSON & ONLINE.
For full programming and events, visit www.TorontoBlackFilm.com
Author, Entrepreneur and Speaker Stedman Graham currently is in Toronto for the second edition of the Toronto Black Film Festival. Known very much as the Partner of Oprah Winfrey – the Couple have been together since 1986 – Graham will be speaking at TIFF Bell Lightbox tonight for his Nine-Step Plan for Success where the Audience will learn how they can achieve their individual goals and plans. Learn more here.
Graham utilized his time wisely meeting with local Media yesterday, shedding focus on his latest Book Identity: Your Passport to Success. Earlier today, he Co-Hosted Global Television‘s The Morning Show (National Edition), speaking with Liza Fromer, Rosey Edeh and Leslie Roberts. He spoke about his humble beginnings, growing-up with an overwhelming sense of shame with two disabled Brothers, also coping with racial identity issues. “It took me 30 years to realize it isn’t about race”, he says. “Empower yourself and get beyond labels defining your existence.”.
On his Media Mogul Partner, whom hopefully he will be spending Valentine’s Day with tomorrow, he states to him she is “perfection, excellence and being the best you can be.”.
I caught-up with Graham who was heading-over to Sunset Grill on Bloor Street for Breakfast following his appearance, taking a quick minute to greet a growing crowd of Fans hoping to get a Photo with him and of course, he was a Gentleman, shaking hands and accepting graciously compliments how inspiring he is.
The Toronto Black Film Festival currently is taking place in the City, running till Sunday, February 16, 2014. More here.
See our Snap:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
In conjunction with Black History Month, the second Edition of the Toronto Black Film Festival runs from Tuesday, February 11 – 16, 2014. The Festival celebrates Diversity in the Black Communities through Special Events and Films and in addition to commemorating the memory of iconic Nelson Mandela, it celebrates the 20th year of Democracy in South Africa. A Series of Short Films from South African are slated to pay tribute to Mandela.
Stedman Graham, who many of us will recognize as being the longtime Partner of Oprah Winfrey, brings some starpower to the Festival, the Entrepreneur, Bestselling Author and Speaker holding a Conference at TIFF Bell Lightbox on Thursday, February 13, 2014 called The Nine-Step Plan for Success. One of Nelson Mandela‘s favourite Singers, Lorraine Klaasen is set to perform a Concert at Al Green Theatre and also, Author Robert H. King, who spent 32 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, also will be speaking at the Festival.
The Festival was launched today at Carlton Cinemas and a List of Films to screen this year were unveiled including The Forgotten Kingdom (Opening Film), The Retrieval (Closing Film), Blue Caprice (for which we ran a Giveaway!), Angels in Exile (narrated by Charlize Theron), Haiti Untold (features Sean Penn) and several, several more.
For more about the Toronto Black Film Festival, founded by the Fabienne Colas Foundation and presented by Global Toronto, click here.
Some Snaps from today’s Launch including Global‘s Leslie Roberts:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/Toronto Black Film Festival)
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