The Charles Taylor Theatre and Media Arts Association is a not for profit cultural association that produces The Emerging Lens Cultural Film Festival. The mandate of the Charles Taylor Theatre and Media Arts Association is to educate, empower and inspire by honouring the influence of African Canadian and other cultural filmmakers and to bring recognition to their work. To acknowledge the educational power of video, media arts and theatre that is rich in wonder, honest compassion and wisdom. To present the unique work of our cultural filmmakers and to create a larger appreciation for their cultural stories. To be a training ground for our youth storytellers, filmmakers and performers.
The Emerging Lens Independent Cultural Film Festival runs 4 days in mid April each year. Every night the screenings begin with a cultural performance as it is important for us to culturally locate what we do within our community by shaping our festival within our own culture. This is then followed with the screening of the films, an in-depth question and answer session with the filmmakers with the audience and lastly a networking reception with the filmmakers.
Our theme is "Through Our Eyes". We chose this theme for several reasons as we believe every year we come together for the festival, creates greater opportunities and possibilities for our filmmakers and artisans in this medium to tell their stories through their eyes.
*****Canada Screen Awards Eligible Festival***
Youth Inspiration Award
Inspirational Griot (Story teller in Swahili) Award
Emerging Lens Festival Fav
Best Music Video
Best Short Film
Best Animation
Best Feature Length
Audience Choice Awards
We also conduct a Pitch Session where the winner gets a membership to produce their next digital work through one of our partners, Centre for Art Tapes
