Producers Shehrezade Mian and Alexx Bryant led the honourees at the Women in Film & Television Toronto (WIFT Toronto)’s 14th annual Showcase awards.

The WIFT Showcase took place on Tuesday (May 9) at Toronto’s TIFF Bell Lightbox, and featured eight short films from women and non-binary filmmakers from Canada. The shorts compete between four awards — three juried awards and one by audience vote — which all come with cash prizes from the Foundation for WIFT Toronto.

Mian (pictured left) won Best in Showcase for the narrative short There Are No Children Here, which she produced and directed. The prize comes with $2,000, as well as a $2,500 certificate for services from post-production outfit Company 3 Toronto, and a meeting with distribution company Mongrel Media co-president Andrew Frank.

There Are No Children Here tied with the documentary short Reel Black: Our Film Stories, produced by Bryant (pictured middle), for the Audience Choice award. The two producers will receive the $2,000 cash prize, and a $2,500 certificate from equipment rental company Grande Camera.

Reel Black: Our Film Stories also won Best Writing, which comes with a $2,000 cash prize, a consultation with story editor Jamie Gaetz, and a sit-in at two CBC writing rooms, as well as a copy of Final Draft. The short doc was written by Tristen Sutherland, Émeraude Domingos Mbuku and Ayan Tani.

Rounding out the winners is Cailleah Scott-Grimes (pictured right), who won Best Directing for the narrative short Overgrown, which they wrote, directed, produced and edited. The award comes with a $2,000 cash prize, a meeting with DGC Ontario chair Annie Bradley and membership to Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto.

WIFT Toronto also announced a number of changes to its board of directors, following its annual general meeting last week.

Karthiga Ratnasabapathy, head of video, Canada, Apple, and Anne Schneerer, associate VP, TV and motion picture group, National Bank of Canada were elected as first-time board members.

Other new additions to the WIFT Toronto board were Laura Heath Potter, head of communications, Canada, Paramount Streaming, and Julie Kumaria, SVP, marketing and content distribution, Hollywood Suite. Both previously served on the board of directors for the Foundation for WIFT Toronto.

Several new additions were also elected to the foundation board, including writer and showrunner Emily Andras; Rhonda Britton, senior manager, talent acquisition, Cineplex; and Michelle Plaskon, senior director, finance, administration at Playback parentco Brunico Communications.

Outgoing WIFT Toronto board members include Hasbro’s Noora Abu Eitah, Blue Ant Media’s Sam Linton, and director Sarain Fox. National Bank of Canada’s Carolyn Allain and Casey House’s Janet Chant have departed the foundation board.

WIFT Toronto board chair Argie Eliopoulos, director, partnerships and events, Canadian Film Centre, was among the 11 total re-elected board members. Foundation board chair Jenn Kuzmyk, executive director, Banff World Media Festival, and VP and publisher of Playback, was also re-elected, along with six other foundation board members.

Images courtesy of WIFT Toronto