TORONTO BLACK FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATES ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY!
FEBRUARY 16 – 21, 2022 | ONLINE
#TBFF22: 200 FILMS from 30 COUNTRIES +
Opens with the Canadian Premiere of Krystin Ver Linden’s ALICE
Starring Emmy Award Winning Actress, Keke Palmer
And Grammy Award Winning Rapper, Common
Amplifying Black Voices and Uplifting Black Talent with a Thought-Provoking Programming that Challenges Conventions and Leaves a Distinctive Mark on our Times
The Toronto Black Film Festival dedicates its 10th edition to the late Sidney Poitier
Full Program & All Access Passes at TorontoBlackFilm.com
(Toronto, January 21, 2022) – The Toronto Black Film Festival (TBFF), presented by TD Bank Group (TD) in collaboration with Global News, is celebrating its 10th anniversary, February 16 – 21, with a bigger and stronger ONLINE programming! Created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, TBFF commemorates this important milestone with a record number of 200 films from 30 countries.
Part of the TD 2022 Black History Month Series, the Festival will present 18 World premieres, 28 International premieres, 60 Canadian premieres, 18 Ontario premieres and 25 Toronto premieres. The TBFF All Access Passes and individual tickets are on sale now on the Festival’s website.
For the last decade, TBFF has become Canada’s largest celebration of Black History Month, attracting hundreds of thousands of festivalgoers, of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. Year after year, through its bold and diverse programming, the Toronto Black Film Festival has been a necessary platform for Black artists who would otherwise remain invisible. Coming together at the Toronto Black Film Festival has allowed members of all cultural communities to better understand one another.
“It’s been an honour and a privilege to spotlight Black artists and Black stories in Toronto for the last 10 years. Torontonians have shown tremendous support towards our cause at this pivotal moment in our history. Thanks to the support of thousands of festivalgoers and the creativity of the artists, the Toronto Black Film Festival 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
TBFF kicks off on February 16 at 7pm with Krystin Ver Linden’s Canadian premiere of ALICE; starring Emmy Award-winning actress, Keke Palmer and Grammy Award-winning rapper, Common. Inspired by the true events ALICE tells the story of a woman of servitude who narrowly escapes her oppressor, to discover the surprisingly mind-bending reality that exists beyond the tree line. Then, as of 9pm EST all the films will be accessible online. The Festival will close with Paul Tom’s documentary feature, ALONE, about unaccompanied minors who left their home country behind to start over in Canada in hopes to live a better life.
The TBFF Black Market (Presented by Canadian Heritage, Bell Fund, Telefilm Canada, and the Toronto Arts Council), returns with an exciting blend of cutting-edge thinking FREE panel discussions with renowned industry professionals who will share real-world experience on today’s most critical filmmaking and social issues. The TBFF Kids Festival is back this year with new and exciting activities for the whole family on Family Day (Feb. 21). 35 emerging Black filmmakers of Fabienne Colas Foundation’s Being Black in Canada program from Montreal, Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa, Calgary, and Vancouver will present their short films thanks to the support of Netflix, National Bank, Telefilm Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Creates and various local partners. Finally, festivalgoers can cap off their day with the TBFF Live Performance Series – on Facebook – showcasing different genres of music, representing the Afrocentric community. This virtual line-up includes Rudy Ray Collective, Donovan Locke, Warrior Love Band, Waleed Abdulahmid & Africa Kush Ensemble.
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, among others. Some of #TBFF22’s must-see feature films are: Alice, Black Mail, Jim Button and the Wild 13, Queen of Glory, The White Line, Vuta N’Kuvute. Furthermore, some of the thought-provoking documentaries – presented by Canada Media Fund – include Alone, Frank Bey: All my Dues are Paid, Gemmel & Tim, Murder in Paris, President, Zinder, The Ants and the Grasshoppers, Target: St. Louis Vol. 1, Feisty Fighter – The Marnesba Tackett Story, She Dreams at Sunrise, the Fabienne Colas Foundation’s Being Black in Canada series and many more!
The Toronto Black Film Festival will pay tribute to the late Sidney Poitier by highlighting his contributions to the industry through a video compilation. Sidney Poitier paved the way for generations of Black actors in the 1950s and 1960s as a fine actor, and as an ambassador of America’s long-delayed civil rights movement. At the height of the civil rights movement in 1964, Sidney Poitier became the first Black man to win an Oscar for best actor – for “Lilies of the Field” (1963). Poitier received numerous honorary prizes, including a lifetime achievement award from the American Film Institute, the Cecil B. deMille Award at the Golden Globes; and a special Academy Award in 2002, on the same night that Black performers won best acting awards, Denzel Washington, and Halle Berry. Additionally, in 2009, President Barack Obama presented Poitier with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, praising him for the advancement of “the nation’s dialogue on race and respect.”
“This year, the Toronto Black Film Festival (TBFF) is celebrating a milestone: 10 years! Congratulations to the whole team at the Fabienne Colas Foundation for creating this impactful event that generates significant social and economic benefits for the community. Through the TD Ready Commitment, we are proud to support opportunities like the TBFF that bring people together, even when we’re apart, to celebrate Black Excellence and nurture progressive change.” – Naki Osutei, Vice President, CPB Strategy, Colleague Experience, ESG, TD Bank Group
“For the last 10 years Global News has been proud to be the official media partner of the Toronto Black Film Festival. It has been incredible to watch this important event grow, entertain and inspire residents of Greater Toronto. Congratulations to the Fabienne Colas Foundation on the amazing work it does for Black Filmmakers here in Canada and around the world. Global News wishes The Toronto Black Film Festival continued success, as well as the other local Black Film Festivals we are happy to support across the country.” – Ward Smith, Senior Vice President – Global News
The #TBFF22 All Access Pass is available for only $99, giving access the festivals entire programming. Individual tickets to the opening film are available for $15, regular films for $9 and film series are available for $12.
The 10th annual Toronto Black Film Festival, created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, is presented by TD Bank Group in collaboration with Global News – from February 16 to 21, 2022 – ONLINE.
For full programming and events, visit www.TorontoBlackFilm.com
Get Social #TBFF22
Facebook.com/torontoblackfilmfestival | Twitter @TOBlackFilmFest | Instagram @torontoblackfilmfest
About the Toronto Black Film Festival
Founded by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, The Toronto Black Film Festival is Canada’s largest celebration of Black History Month through Films and much more. TBFF is dedicated to celebrating the very best in cinematic work dealing with the experiences of black people from a diversity of communities. Our mandate is to provide an opportunity for filmmakers from all ethnic backgrounds to shine the spotlight on authentic stories that reflect the realities of black experiences. Along with its sister festivals, the Montreal International Black Film Festival, Halifax Black Film Festival, Ottawa Black Film Festival, Calgary Black Film Festival and Vancouver Black Film Festival, TBFF showcases new voices in cinema and encourages audiences to see the world in new ways. In connecting black films with diverse audiences, we recognize the differences that make us unique while celebrating the shared values that bring us together.
About the Fabienne Colas Foundation
The Fabienne Colas Foundation is Canada’s largest Black cultural organization. Created in 2005, the FCF is a not-for-profit artistic organization dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in Cinema, Art, and Culture in Canada and abroad. Along with Zaza production, the Fabienne Colas Foundation is also the creator of 12 Festivals, including the highly successful Montreal Black Film Festival, the hugely popular Toronto Black Film Festival, the Halifax Black Film Festival as well as the several other successful Festivals in Canada, the USA, Haiti and Brazil. These initiatives/festivals have showcased and supported over 5,000 artists and attracted over 2 million festivalgoers. The Foundation is also the creator of the FCF’s Being Black in Canada program, Canada’s largest incubator dedicated to Black Filmmakers.
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For Media Inquiries:
Talar Adam, Press Relations | press@TorontoBlackFilm.com | 514.833.0274
