Being Black in Montreal: July 1st, 2020 on Télé-Québec at 8PM, then on telequebec.tv.
Being Black in Toronto & Being Black in Halifax: September 19, 2020 on CBC & CBC Gem
Montreal, June 25, 2020 – Being Black in Canada, a pan-Canadian initiative from the Fabienne Colas Foundation’s Youth and Diversity Program and produced by Zaza Production, will make its Television debut this year throughout Canada.
To make up for the blatant lack of diversity and the lack of Black People in front and behind the camera in Canada, the Fabienne Colas Foundation created the program which aims to train and empower the next generation of black filmmakers in Cinema and Television. To achieve this, the program has put together several initiatives, among which is the Being Black in Canada series (Montreal, Toronto, Halifax) which aims to give a voice and a platform to creators who would otherwise not be seen or heard. The Foundation promotes equal opportunities for Black filmmakers while fostering Diversity on our screens that are too white for a diverse society.
Being Black in Canada represents Canada’s largest mentorship, training, and creation program to be entirely dedicated to Black artists. In 2019, the program enabled 15 young filmmakers, aged 18 to 30, to create 15 documentary shorts of approximately 10 minutes each. Filmmakers addressed the issue of social integration of people from black communities in Canada through the powerful medium of film. The 15 promising filmmakers were guided through the many steps in audiovisual production (Researching, Screenwriting, Interviewing, Directing, Editing, Post-production, Promotion, Touring in Festivals etc.) and creation of a documentary. This process was carried out under the professional tutelage of industry professionals with professional equipment and dedicated mentorship.
“Black artists represent the most marginalized and underserved group in the Canadian arts community. We are therefore pleased to collaborate with CBC and Télé-Québec which, by broadcasting on television and on the web the 15 films of the Being Black in Canada series, amplify the voices of our young black filmmakers at an important time of our history. This marks a concrete step towards greater inclusion of diversity on Canadian Television.”- said Fabienne Colas, Executive Producer of the Series and President of the Fabienne Colas Foundation
Created in Montréal in 2014, the series was held in 2019 in three cities in Canada: Montréal, Toronto & Halifax, in collaboration with the Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF), the Toronto Black Film Festival (TBFF) & the Halifax Black Film Festival (HBFF).
The 15 films have been presented as world premieres at the Montreal International Black Film Festival in September 2019. The 15 filmmakers also screened their films as Ontario Premieres at the Toronto Black Film Festival and then as Canadian Atlantic Premieres at the Halifax Black Film Festival in February 2020. The film screenings were followed by talks to discuss the socio-economic issues and black realities in cinema and society, particularly their respective provinces and share possible solutions for better inclusion of black youth in the community. The filmmakers met and talked to impactful people in the position to inspire and facilitate change; they learned from top people in the film industry and in our communities.
Being Black in Montreal – Short films presented on Télé-Québec on July 1st, 2020 – 8PM (EST)
F, directed by Marina Mathieu – 9 mn 39 s I Canada I 2019
Le dilemme de Ma’, directed by Alexa Carrenard – 9 mn 35 s I Canada I 2019
Le Muzungu québécois, directed by Justice Rutikara – 9 mn 55 s I Canada I 2019
Prendre sa lumière, directed by Stella Lemaine – 11 mn 11 s I Canada I 2019
Le repos est un droit (Rest is a right), directed by Sara-Claudia Ligondé – 9 mn 17 s I Canada I 2019
Being Black in Toronto – Short films presented on CBC on September 19, 2020 – 7PM (EST)
The Onyx Butterfly, directed by Yasmin Evering-Kerr – 6 min 16 s I Canada I 2019
Joseph, Margaret & I, directed by Valerie Amponsah – 8 min 06 s I Canada I 2019
Black Sun, directed by Adrian Wallace – 7 min 55 s I Canada I 2019
YYZ, directed by Omolola Ajao – 5 min 30 s I Canada I 2019
Tallawah Abroad, directed by Sharine Taylor – 7min 10 s I Canada I 2019
#Black, directed by Yvano Antonio – 4 min 20 s I Canada I 2019
Being Black in Halifax – short films presented on CBC on September 19, 2020 – 8PM (AST)
Normal, directed by Bradley Bright – 10 min 48 s I Canada I 2019
Journey of Self Love, directed by Latesha Auger – 11 min 34 s I Canada I 2019
Black & Belonging, directed by Francesca Ekwuyasi – 12 min 43 s | Canada | 2019
Youth, Hip Hop Halifax, directed by Harmony Adesola – 9 min 14 s I Canada I 2019
Being Black in Canada, created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation and Funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, was made possible with the collaboration of:
MONTREAL: Montreal Black Film Festival, la SODEC, 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.
About the Fabienne Colas Foundation
The Fabienne Colas Foundation (FCF) is a not-for-profit cultural organization dedicated to building bridges and advancing education through the arts as well as to support the creation, production, promotion and dissemination of cinema, the arts and culture in Canada and elsewhere. To fulfill its mission, the Foundation put together 7 festivals and programs to break barriers, celebrate diversity, foster togetherness, understanding and inclusion. Since its inception in 2005, its initiatives/festivals have showcased and supported over 2,000 artists and attracted close to 1 million festivalgoers in Canada, the USA, Haiti and Brazil. The Foundation mostly promotes Black culture in Montréal, Toronto, Halifax, New York City et Salvador de Bahia (Brazil); and Quebec culture in Port-au-Prince. www.fondationfabiennecolas.org
For interview inquiries, please contact
Véronique Fecteau, publicist : 514-893-0772 veronique@perfecteaucomm.com
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