Non-profit organization Humanity Ova Vanity (HOV) has launched a new mentorship program in honour of the late filmmaker Charles Officer.

The HOV Charles Officer Mentorship is designed to support Jamaican-Canadian filmmakers with one-on-one mentorships and immersive sessions to aid project development and professional development. Applications for the program will open in May, according to a press release.

The program has been developed to broaden the understanding of the Black experience and stories in Canada, added the release.

HOV’s focus includes promoting cultural sensitization and education and arts, film and heritage preservation. It was founded in 2022 by Donisha Prendergast, who starred in Officer’s Akilla’s Escape (2020).

Prendergast said in a statement: “Charles Officer told stories from a nuanced perspective that originates from his experience of being a Canadian born child of Jamaican parents. He was exposed to the poetry and pain of life in Toronto and how stories and visuals could help to speak in ways some couldn’t. His curiosity and intentionality as a human and writer-director has left an indelible mark in the pages of Canadian film history.”

Toronto-born writer, director, producer and actor Officer died last year at the age of 48. His contributions to the screen industry include co-founding the Black Screen Office in 2020.

Officer made his feature debut with Nurse.Fighter.Boy (2008). His films also include Unarmed Verses (2017) and his television work includes CBC’s The Porter and Coroner.

Earlier this year, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) announced a partnership with CBC to create an annual $25,000 award in memory of Officer.

The inaugural recipient of the award will be announced at TIFF’s 2025 Top Ten event.

Photo by Emma McIntyre