Jacqueline Castel’s My Animal (pictured) led the winners at the 2023 Toronto-based horror-focused film festival Blood in the Snow, which ran from Nov. 20 to 25.

My Animal won three awards — referred to as the “Bloodies” — overall, including Best Director for Castel, Best Screenplay for Jae Matthews and Best Cinematography for Bryn McCashin. Produced by Andrew Bronfman and Michael Solomon and distributed by Photon Films, the film stars Bobbi Salvör Menuez and Amandla Stenberg in a twisted werewolf romance.

Cody Kennedy and Tim Rutherford’s The Last Video Store (Genco Pictures) won two awards, including Best Picture, as well as an editing honour for Kennedy.

Barret Mulholland’s Last County, produced by Nina Bains and David J. Phillips, picked up another two prizes, with Kaelen Ohm winning Best Lead Performance in a Feature and Gord Rand with Best Supporting Acting Performance in a Feature.

A full list of winners is available on the festival website.

LIFT names second-ever recipient of Josephine Massarella Artist Award

The Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) has announced Métis artist Marnie Parrell as the 2022 Josephine Massarella Artist Award Recipient.

Established in memory of filmmaker Massarella, who died in 2018 after a brief illness, the award is aimed at supporting women artists aged 50 and over who have taken an absence of five years or more from their practice. Parrell — who is the second-ever recipient of the award — earns $2,000 toward the research, professional development and production expenses for a film. LIFT also provides in-kind services to a maximum of $2,000, including equipment and facilities.

The announcement of the award was postponed due to “unexpected delays.” The Josephine Massarella Award funds three iterations of projects, with the final intake opening in 2024.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to raise more money in the future to keep the project going, as we feel it is unique to focus on supporting female-identifying artists 50 years and older,” Chris Kennedy, executive director of LIFT, tells Playback Daily.

Netflix renews support for Norman Jewison Film Program

Netflix has committed its support for the Canadian Film Centre’s (CFC) Norman Jewison Film Program as a lead partner for a second consecutive year.

The program is aimed at boosting the careers of emerging to mid-level Canadian directors, writers, producers and editors through workshops, industry sessions, collaborations, and mentorships. Applications for the program close on Jan. 31, 2024, according to a news release. The 2024 cohort will be announced in early July, with the five-and-a-half month long program scheduled to run from July 15 to Dec. 13, 2024.

With files from Taimur Sikander Mirza

Image courtesy of Photon Films