TORONTO — The CBC and Toronto International Film Festival have announced a new award in honour of late Canadian filmmaker Charles Officer.
TIFF says the $25,000 award will be presented to a writer/director whose body of work reflects Officer's "values, artistry and vision."
Officer, who died in December, was known for helming films that reflected the tough realities faced by Black communities, including 2008's "Nurse.Fighter.Boy" and 2020's "Akilla's Escape."
The director also co-founded the Black Screen Office, a non-profit organization that works to make Canada's screen industries equitable and free of anti-Black racism.
TIFF says the nomination criteria for the new award will be released in the spring.
The recipient of the award will be selected by a jury and announced at next year's Canada's Top Ten reception, which TIFF holds annually in celebration of its picks for the best Canadian films of the year.
A celebration of 2023's Top Ten list, held Thursday, championed films including "BlackBerry," "Hey, Viktor!" "Solo," "Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person," "Kanaval," "The Queen of My Dreams," Seagrass," "Someone Lives Here," "Tautuktavuk (What We See)" and "Seven Veils."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 25, 2024.
The Canadian Press
