The Being Black in Canada 2019 series, part of the Fabienne Colas’ Youth & Diversity Program, gave a voice and a platform to 15 emerging Black filmmakers in Montreal, Toronto & Halifax who, after dedicated training and mentorship, created their first short films on the theme: Being Black in Canada.

 

BEING BLACK IN MONTRÉAL

  • Marina Mathieu, F
  • Alexa Carrenard, Le dilemme de Ma
  • Justice Rutikara, Le Muzungu québécois
  • Stella Lemaine, Prendre sa lumière
  • Sara-Claudia Ligondé, Rest is a right

 

BEING BLACK IN TORONTO

  • Sharine Taylor, Tallawah Abroad
  • Adrian Wallace, Black Sun
  • Yasmin Evering-Kerr, The Onyx Butterfly
  • Valerie Amponsah, Joseph and Margaret
  • Omolola Ajao, YYZ
  • Yvano Wickham-Edwards, #BLACK

 

BEING BLACK IN HALIFAX

  • Francesca Ekwuyasi, Black and Belonging
  • Latesha Auger, Journey of self-love
  • Bradley Bright, Normal
  • Harmony Adesola, Youth, Hip-Hop and Halifax

 

THE PARTNERS

Being Black in Canada, created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation and Funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, produced by Zaza Production, was made possible with the collaboration of:

MONTREAL: La SODEC, Montreal Black Film Festival, Quebec Arts Council, Montreal Arts Council, L’Inis.

TORONTO: Toronto Black Film Festival, Oya Media, Pathway2industry.

HALIFAX: Halifax Black Film Festival, Screen Nova Scotia, Current Studio et AFCOOP.

Fabienne Colas Foundation’s « Youth & Diversity » Program

F, directed by Marina Mathieu – 9 min 39 sec I Canada I 2019 

F has the most common benign tumor in women in Canada, fibroids. Afro-descendant women are the most affected by this disease and no one knows why. The film represents the quest of Marina Mathieu, the director, to prevent an unavoidable evil by informing and educating about the problem. She denounces the lack of research, support, and solutions for all women, but especially her racialized sisters. 

 

Le dilemma de Ma’ (Ma’s dilemma), directed by Alexa Carrenard  9min 35 sec I Canada I 2019 

“Le Dilemme de Ma’” is a conversation with Montreal visual artist and graffiti artist Maliciouz. She takes stock of her position as a Black woman within the artistic scene, which is failing to make room for Montreal’s diversity. Between the frustration of being constantly labeled and the desire to freely express who she is, Maliciouz invites us on her quest for identity, a symbol of hope for the next generations of Quebecers in an exponentially multi-ethnic Montreal. 

 

Le Muzungu québécois, directed by Justice Rutikara – 9 min 55 s I Canada I 2019 

Can you be both a Quebecer and an African? In a comical tone, Justice walks through African microcosms of Montreal to discuss the importance and paradoxes of the ethnocultural identities of immigrants and the children of immigrants in Quebec.  

 

Prendre sa lumière (Take your spotlight), directed by Stella Lemaine – 11 min 11 sec I Canada I 2019 

Through scenarios and testimonials from Black actresses, “Prendre sa lumière” addresses the harsh reality of the lack of diversity on screen in Quebec as well as the issue of certain stereotypical roles offered to racialized people. 

 

Rest is a right, directed by Sara-Claudia Ligondé – 9 min 17 sec I Canada I 2019 

Rest is a right explores and demystifies the stereotype of the strong black woman who is too often required to be excellent, perfect, and successful, which can lead to depression, overwork and other forms of mental or physical illness. 

 

 

Fabienne Colas Foundation’s « Youth & Diversity » Program

The Onyx Butterfly, directed by Yasmin Evering-Kerr – 6 min 16 s I Canada I 2019

The Onyx Butterfly follows Jordan as he grapples with the societal pressures of being a black male in a traditionally white feminine landscape while also struggling against the cultural gender expectations placed upon black men. The film aims to explore the psychological impact of stereotypes on a black male who is determined to redefine black masculinity.

 

Joseph, Margaret & I, by Valerie Amponsah – 8 min 06 s I Canada I 2019

Initially a film about the filmmaker’s parents’ immigration journey from Ghana to Canada and how that impacted their life, the film takes a life of its own and becomes a story of forgiveness and healing of Joseph’s substance abuse with his wife Margaret and daughter, Valerie.

 

Black Sun, directed by Adrian Wallace – 7 min 55 s I Canada I 2019

The film follows Sherri Bonnelli, a white woman who raised and lost her black son, as she looks to advocate for anti-gun violence through her community activism. We also follow Kelly Fyffe-Marshall, a black filmmaker, as she aims to shed emotional intelligence through the creation of her first feature, “Summer of the Gun” based on one of Toronto’s deadliest summers.

 

YYZ, directed by Omolola Ajao – 5 min 30 s I Canada I 2019

The film YYZ is an intimate portrayal and discussion between that of a Nigerian-Canadian family and their last-born child. For Omolola and her family, their first night in Toronto was spent at Pearson airport – that night full of anticipation, expectation, and fear. Specifically looking back at her family’s journey, as well as their present and future, this film focuses on the feelings of rootlessness and loss of identity that often accompany immigration.

 

Tallawah Abroad, directed by Sharine Taylor – 7min 10 s I Canada I 2019

Little Jamaica, a neighbourhood in Toronto’s west end, was a once-thriving hub for Black and Caribbean business owners until the ills of gentrification reared its ugly head. Vernal Small, the owner of the 47-year old business Jamall Caribbean Custom Tailor, is now tasked with confronting how the construction of the incoming light rail is shifting the dynamic of his community, changing their future and slowly erasing their presence in the process. Tallawah Abroad aims to discover how Small, residents and other business owners have been affected and are or have prepared themselves for the adjustments on the horizon.

 

#Black, directed by Yvano Antonio – 4 min 20 s I Canada I 2019

Canada’s black youth have a responsibility to lead the next generation, but social media are disillusioning them. They’ve made progress, but there’s still plenty of work to be done. It’s up to them to hold themselves accountable and use social media to their advantage.

Fabienne Colas Foundation’s « Youth & Diversity » Program

SHORT SYNOPSIS

The Being Black in Canada series, part of the Fabienne Colas’ Youth & Diversity Program, gave a voice and a platform to four emerging Black filmmakers who, after dedicated training and mentorship in 2019, created their first short films on the theme: Being Black in Halifax.

 

Normal, directed by Bradley Bright – 10 min 48 s I Canada I 2019

Normal is about how Bradley and his father and sister and are the only 3 people in Canada that have a rare bone disease and how they are coping. It is a gentle, yet emotional story about his journey and a film that not only explored Bradley to share his narrative, it allowed him to hone his animation craft.

 

Journey of Self Love, directed by Latesha Auger – 11 min 34 s I Canada I 2019

Journey of Self Love has received critical praise from audiences and media alike. Based on Latesha’s emotional journey through the social services system as a young child, her emotional journey highlights her experiences. It’s a brave exploration of how she tacked her healing process, leading her to purse her dream of storytelling.

 

Black & Belonging, directed by Francesca Ekwuyasi – 12 min 43 s | Canada | 2019

Black & Belonging was created by a writer, filmmaker, and visual artist from Lagos, Nigeria. Her work explores themes of belonging, faith, family, queerness, consumption, and loneliness. Black & Belonging examines how black artists across various mediums in Halifax find belonging and community through their craft.

 

Youth, Hip Hop Halifax, directed by Harmony Adesola – 9 min 14 s I Canada I 2019

Youth, Hop Hop Halifax was created out of sheer frustration by a young black immigrant who, after moving to Halifax, discovers the younger hip hop scene floundering. The artist talks to other young emerging black hip hop muscians in the Halifax area. We hear about the struggle have their art validated, understood and appreciated in a city that is typically more open to celebrating other forms of music.