Latest posts from National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI)

Joseph Kay (NSI Totally Television) has been interviewed by The TV Junkies about the second season premiere of CBC’s This Life.

Joseph talks characterization and storylines for the cast of This Life, and dissects his characters’ motivations for doing what they do.

And fair warning: contains spoilers.

The National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI) recently handed out the latest round of awards in the NSI Online Short Film Festival.

• Bosco’s Guitar, directed by Matt Handy, won the $1,250 A&E Short Filmmakers Award for best film;
• Johntae Lipscomb won the $1,000 Brian Linehan Actors Award for his work in Bosco’s Guitar; and
• Molly McGlynn won the $1,000 Corus Fearless Female Directors Award for best direction by a female for Given Your History.

All winners also receive a complimentary Friend membership to the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.

The award selection was made by an independent jury: producer and industry exec Karen Swerdfeger, filmmaker and professor John Kozak and Sharon Switzer, an artist and curator.

Our jurors had this to say about the films:

A&E Short Filmmakers Award for best film: Bosco’s Guitar

Karen Swerdfeger: “Bosco’s Guitar did a beautiful job dramatizing real-life events and the strength of the human spirit even in the most devastating of times and situations.”

John Kozak: “Director Matt Handy tells the challenging story of a boy surviving the Burundian genocide and he does it with sensitivity, power and an impressive visual creativity.”

Sharon Switzer: “I was truly impressed with the storytelling power of Bosco’s Guitar. Although anchored in tragedy and despair, this short skillfully brings the main character, and the viewer, to a place of hope and beauty.”

Director Matt Handy said, “It’s an honour to win in the NSI Online Short Film Festival. I hope this attention brings more people to experience Bosco’s incredible true story of survival and humanity. Thank you for supporting our film and filmmakers across the country.”

Brian Linehan Actors Award: Johntae Lipscomb for Bosco’s Guitar

Karen: “With a large part of the film resting solely on his performance, Johntae Lispcomb did an exceptional job pulling the audience in so it could respond with empathy. You could do nothing but pause until you knew Bosco was going to be OK.”

John: “Young actor Johntae Lipscomb gives a subtle and nuanced performance as a boy whose anger, fear and mistrust resists unexpected kindness.”

Sharon: “Johntae Lipscomb managed to convey a world of complex emotions despite hardly saying a word as the young star of Bosco’s Guitar.”

Johntae Lipscomb said, “This is amazing!! I’m very honored to have won the Brian Linehan Actors Award. This is great news.”

Corus Fearless Female Directors Award: Molly McGlynn for Given Your History

Karen: “Molly McGlynn has presented very complex emotions – grief and fear – within the framework of a very ‘simple’ story and ‘simple’ filmmaking. But these filmmaking choices lead to capturing amazing performances, gorgeous natural scenes and a general feeling of closeness to these characters and their lives.”

John: “Director Molly McGlynn demonstrates an impressive mastery of her craft in this compelling story of two sisters reconnecting after the death of their mother.”

Sharon: “Molly McGlynn created a seriously powerful film that captures the emotionally fraught relationship between two sisters in a very believable story.”

Director Molly McGlynn said, “The Corus Fearless Female Directors Award is my first directing award and I couldn’t think of a more amazing one to receive! I am so grateful to Corus for this kind acknowledgement and to the NSI and my producer Laura Perlmutter for realizing what was once a ‘what if’.”

About the jury

Karen Swerdfeger is the former co-producer of Canadian Comedy Shorts, former manager of development for The Comedy Network and is currently acting as director of development for Big Jump Productions.

John Kozak worked in the film industry in Canada for over 20 years and is currently associate professor in the Department of Theatre & Film at the University of Winnipeg where he has taught filmmaking for the past 15 years.

Sharon Switzer is an artist and curator, as well as the founder and director of the Toronto Urban Film Festival (TUFF), celebrating 10 years of bringing one-minute films to commuters on the TTC.

The NSI Online Short Film Festival is made possible through the support of Festival Partner Telefilm Canada; Supporting Sponsors Entertainment One, Super Channel, Corus Entertainment, Blue Ant Media, The Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation and Breakthrough Entertainment; Award Sponsors A&E Television Networks, The Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation, Corus Entertainment and Blue Ant Media; and Industry Partner the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.

All media enquiries

Laura Friesen, Manager, Communications & Alumni Relations
Phone: 204.957.299 or email: laura.friesen@nsi-canada.ca

Avi Federgreen has launched a Northwest Territories instalment of Indiecan20K, an initiative that supports first-time feature filmmakers.

Indiecan20K NWT will select one filmmaker from the territory to receive production and post-production services, funds and mentorship to help complete his or her first feature.

The Sun At Midnight director, Yellowknife-based Kirsten Carthew (NSI Features First) will serve as mentor alongside Avi Federgreen.

The Government of the Northwest Territories’ NWT Film Commission will also provide support on the winning project.

Two new films in this week’s NSI Online Short Film Festival from directors Becca Johanson and Kristina Mileska.

A Perfect Vacuum

A Perfect Vacuum | Comedy, 5:49, English, BC, 2016 | Director: Becca Johanson

Four walls and an abusive owner stand between a tiny robot and its quest for adventure.

Asteroid

Asteroid | Drama, 11:00, English, ON, 2015 | Director: Kristina Mileska

As her grandfather’s condition worsens, Astrid flees into her imagination where the two of them can never be separated.

• • •

Call for films / submit by December 2

Films are now being accepted through FilmFreeway until Friday, December 2, 2016.

If your film is programmed, you have a chance of winning up to $4,750 in cash awards. We accept films released after January 1, 2011.

Your film must be less than 30 mins long. Drama, comedy, animation, documentary, sci-fi, horror, music video and experimental are all eligible and must be made by a Canadian writer, director or producer.

Submit your film

• • •

The NSI Online Short Film Festival is made possible through the support of Festival Partner Telefilm Canada; Supporting Sponsors Entertainment One, Super Channel, Corus Entertainment, Blue Ant Media, The Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation and Breakthrough Entertainment; Award Sponsors A&E Television Networks, The Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation; Corus Entertainment and Blue Ant Media; and Industry Partner the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.

My Millennial Life, a documentary directed and co-produced by Maureen Judge (NSI Global Marketing), has several upcoming screening this fall and recently wrapped up two screenings at Raindance in London.

My Millennial Life plays at the Community Film & Arts Festival in Toronto on October 11 and at the Toronto Public Library on December 1 as part of the Thought Exchange series. Maureen will be in attendance for a Q&A following the screening.

My Millennial Life is an intimate and entertaining documentary featuring five 20-somethings. It’s set against the backdrop of high unemployment, underemployment and uncertainty. The film presents the dreams and disappointments of the millennials as they navigate love, life, work and becoming a grown-up.