Toronto’s Future of Film Showcase will see a new initiative launch for its eleventh year: the Rising Star Award.

The annual award will be presented to two industry members who have served as mentors and inspirations for emerging filmmakers. This year’s recipients are actor Sara Waisglass (Ginny and Georgia, Suze; pictured left) and actor-director Avan Jogia (Victorious, Zombieland: Double Tap; pictured right).

The Future of Film Showcase, which is a home for emerging Canadian filmmakers, will run from June 20 to 23 at Toronto’s Paradise Theatre and via livestream on Instagram. The award-winning films will stream for free across Canada on CBC Gem beginning June 24.

This year’s lineup includes the world premieres of the short films The Sweater, directed by Maziyar Khatam and Anya Chirkova, and Kyath Battie’s Light and Land.

Other shorts include the Canadian premiere of Evan Gareth Hoffman’s Nortel, and the Ontario premieres of Juliette Poitras’s Statu Quo Chouchou and Will Niava and Latigone N’Goma’s Element. Additional films will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Showcase will also recognize outstanding work in the categories of best film, cinematography, sound, picture editing, director and screenplay, as well as the People’s Choice awards.

While the People’s Choice Award is determined by audience vote, the other awards will be selected by a jury consisting of directors Karrar Zahn (In Flames) and Geneviève Albert (Noémie Dit Oui), Vancouver International Film Festival programmer Casey Wei, producer Yona Strauss (Infinity Pool) and cinematographer Paula Muraira (Siento Vértigo).

Image courtesy of the Future of Film Showcase