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***

Awards & Prizes

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

Rules & Terms

Films should be submitted through a digital media file or online link such as vimeo, youtube, etc.

Films must be 1 min to 20 mins in length

Films must reflect the Canadian / Nova Scotian / Multicultural Diasporic experience or be created by a filmmaker of color.

Awards and Official Selections are based on overall merits of the films and are at the sole discretion of the jury and programming committee.

More than one entry may be submitted. Each must be submitted separately.

Filmmaker will assume shipping costs of material and print to The Emerging Lens Film Festival.

ELFF reserves the right to make any necessary changes in event scheduling or programming.

The selection committee' and jury's decisions are final.

Please do not send press kits with your entry. We will contact you should we need press materials after your film is selected.

Entrants agree to indemnify and hold us, including our volunteers, our directors, and our sponsors and affiliates harmless against all claims arising out of entry or participation in The Emerging Lens Film Festival.

All responses by ELFF will be made by email.

If selected, your film could be programmed to be screen on our partner streaming network, A Cultural Explosion TV - ACE TV.

Official Selections will be contacted approximately one month prior to the festival.

By submitting your film to The Emerging Lens Film Festival you agree that you have read, understood, and agree to all the aforementioned festival rules and guidelines.
61 Reviews
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  • Stephanie Daye

    Emerging lens is becoming one of THE prime cultural events for black filmmakers. We are blessed that it’s here, growing and expanding every year. If it wasn’t for this festival, “Open Hearts: Leslie and Claudette” wouldn’t have received the attention it deserved! Thank you!

    April 2026
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much for your kind words and dedication to putting out heavy content in such a beautiful way! We look forward to finding how we can help further getting their story into the world!

  • Vicky Plancher

    Excellent festival. Well organized and a strong presence on social media which helped people who support 'Dorsin & Brown' to follow its journey at the festival from afar. I really enjoyed being part of this festival.

    April 2026
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so very much Vicky for your kind words and your pilot!! The jury was highly impressed with the story and our audiences are looking forward to the future series!!!

  • Imole Ladipo

    Amazing festival. Our film 8:38 was selected and won Best International Short film award and we are so grateful.

    April 2026
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much Imole! Your work was absolutely STUNNING!! High points form the jury! The best of luck for the journey it will have, the story and visuals were so strong!

  • Chattrisse Dolabaille

    Thrilled that our short film Little Dreams was included in the 2026 Emerging Lens Cultural Film Festival -- and especially happy to have won Best Short Film! While no one from our team was able to attend in person, we truly hope to another time. We really appreciated being told how the audience reacted, since we couldn't be there. Cheers!

    April 2026
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  • Ashwin Agrawal

    Thank you for hosting such a wonderful festival. I feel honoured that my film was accepted at Emerging lens. The communication by festival team is very prompt they make you feel valued and respected unlike some festivals where you feel you are talking to a wall which never responds. Thank you again Will submit in future as well.

    April 2025
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