RGT x BWF Short Film Night

On Wednesday, November 8, MUFF’s discussion-based spinoff series Reel Girl Talk joined forces with Black Women Film! Canada for an incredible evening powered by works and insights made by Black Canadian women in film.

In September, RGT and BWF put an open call for short films directed by Black women who are either Canadian citizens or permanent residents. The diversity of the submissions we received was truly remarkable, ranging from narrative dramas to innovative animated projects to compelling documentaries. After careful deliberation, we chose seven films of varying lengths and subject matters to participate in our Short Film Night. (Check out descriptions of each film here.)

We were so excited to have almost all of the film’s directors with us at Imagine Carlton Cinemas on November 8 (we missed you, Noncedo Khumalo!). One representative from each film joined us for the post-screening panel, which was lead by none other than BWF’s Ella Cooper. We thank Ella greatly for leading such a rich discussion with these inspiring young filmmakers, as well as the wonderfully supportive audience for cheering them on as they shared personal anecdotes and analysis on the industry as a whole.

Speaking of our audience, we were beyond thrilled to have a MORE THAN SOLD OUT turnout for this event. Not only did we sell every seat in the theatre, but the RGT team had to bring in extra chairs to help accommodate the overwhelming demand. The energy in the room was truly remarkable, with audience members responding and engaging with every single film and filmmaker.

All and all, the Reel Girl Talk and Black Women Film! Canada Short Film Night was an event we will never forget. We wish Madga Uculmana-Falcon, Christian Anderson, Brittney Marvell, Noncedo Khumalo, Keeya King, Kelly Fyffe-Marshall, Samah Ali, Ayisha Gariba, Maya Morgan and Misha Louise-Gilchrist the best of luck as they continue their careers. We can’t wait to see more of their work on screens across the country and the world.

And thank you, once again, to Black Women Film! Canada for collaborating with us on this event, the final Reel Girl Talk for the foreseeable future (more on that in a minute!). We truly respect the work that they are doing for Black women in film and look forward to supporting them for years to come.

With the MUFF Society screenings ending after next month’s Little Women event, we are not sure what’s next for Reel Girl Talk. That being said, we started this series to start some conversations about the representation of women in front of and behind the camera, and we will be looking for new ways to do that online and off. In the meantime, we hope you’ll keep looking for opportunities to engage with and, better yet, listen to women who work in and/or who love film.