TrueSail Movie Academy Award (TMAA) is an initiative executed by the founders of True-Sail Production & Motion Pictures Inc., also filmmakers with good knowledge of the movie industry. TrueSail Movie Academy Award (TMAA), is a Toronto based Movie Award organized to encourage, promote and to honor excellence in filmmaking not only here in North America, but also the Worldwide at large. With this being TMAA’s first inaugural award edition, the idea for TIMAA’s is influenced by ambitious filmmakers who understand the importance of getting recognized for the abundant creative ideas indie filmmakers bring in and to be acknowledged for their filmmaking achievements on the big stage.

TMAA'S Objective:

Our objective is to encourage and to promote filmmakers and their respective craft, connect them with other players in the industry while playing a role in the positive direction of their filmmaking careers.

Awards & Prizes

We award the best independent filmmakers after a comprehensive evaluation and selection process. All official selection gets a LAUREL as a Nominee to receive an award. After the selection process has been concluded, our jurors will select from the list of nominees, the winners for each category who will receive a Trophy!

We will have a one-day Live Screening followed by an Award Ceremony and winners from each category will have the opportunity to walk on the Red Carpet, have media interviews prior to and after receiving their Awards live on stage.

This year’s event will be held at The Toronto York Woods Theatres. Filmmakers will have access to the TMAA’s Red Carpet and other Social Activities, Interviews, Awards Ceremony and Networking opportunities here in Toronto, Canada.

LIVE SCREENING & AWARDS INFORMATION

TMAA’s Awards will take place on the 6th of October at the prestigious Toronto York Woods Library Theaters. All Films nominated to receive an award under the following categories: Best Short Film, Best Music Video, Best Trailer, Best Visual Effects, with a limited number of selections of films from the “Best Feature” category will be screened live during the event. The TMAA Award ceremony will kick off immediately after the last film is screened live. There will be media coverage, live performance, Red Carpet and the handing of awards. We are working on a suitable venue for an after party for filmmakers and film-lovers in attendance to make the night a pleasant one.

IMPORTANT SUBMISSION FEE NOTICE:

Submissions fee for Best Feature Film automatically qualifies films into all categories. However, during the selection process selected films will be placed into different categories. This means that your film may qualify for one or multiple categories giving filmmakers the chance to win one or multiple awards. All this for one submission fee. Jury’s decision is final!

AWARDS CATEGORIES:

Judging & Award Levels

Each year the TrueSail Movie Academy Award (TMAA) will receive multiple entries. TMAA will celebrate creativity by honoring good craftsmanship through the following award categories: Audience Award, Jury Award, Best of Show, Awards of Excellence, Nollywood Jury Awards, The TrueSail Award For Outstanding Black Film, Awards of Merit and Awards of Recognition.

Best Feature
Best Canadian Feature
Best Nollywood Feature
Best Bollywood Feature
Best Caribbean Island Feature
Best International Feature
Best Feature (By A Black Filmmaker)
Best Asian Feature
Best LGBT Feature
Best Feature (By A Female Filmmaker)
Best Feature (By A First-Time Filmmaker)
Best Short Film
Best Music Video
Best Music Nonvisual
Best Trailer
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Director
Best Producer
Best Web Series
Best Horror
Best Thriller/Action
Best Comedy
Best Animated film
Best Sci-Fi
Best Student film
Best Documentary
Best Editing
Best Cinematography
Best Visual Effects
Best Original Music Score
Best in Show
Best Costume
Best Art Director

Screenplay Over 45 pages
Screenplay under 45 pages

Humanitarian Award

TrueSail Movie Academy Award (TMAA) is a competition that recognizes humanitarian services both in our community and globally. Each year the TrueSail Movie Academy Award (TMAA) grants its annual Humanitarian Award for dedicated service to multiple sectors which include but not limited to areas such as: Entertainment, Social Justice, Welfare, Political, Environmental, Wellness, or Conscious Awareness issues. Films meeting these criteria and recognized at the Award of Excellence level can be nominated for the Humanitarian Award by any of the judges. All nominated films are then reviewed at the end of each year and awards granted. Each year the judges will select one Grand Prize winner and award Outstanding Achievement and Award of Distinction to all deserving films

Sister Competitions

The TrueSail Movie Academy Award (TMAA) sister competitions are the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF) (www.tinff.net) honoring the best films at the same time celebrates outstanding independent films. TINFF’s key objective is to be a leading film festival in Toronto that celebrates diversity in our beautiful city. TINFF’s focus is to advance creative, independent film direction through diversity, innovation, and uniqueness by capturing the series of movements and experiences in a single film. Both TMAA and TINFF share administrative offices but have independent judging and judging results from each competition and have no way of influence the outcome of the other.

Rules & Terms

Rules & Regulations:

•The competition is open to films from Canada and across the globe without boundaries which includes Nollywood, Bollywood, USA, Asia, and International entries. Please check individual categories and submit suitable categories to your project.

• Feature films are 30 minutes in length or longer. Short films are under 30 minutes in length. All non-English speaking films must be presented in their original version with English subtitles.

• All Entries with or without distribution deal are welcome.

• Films previously entered may be eligible for one additional re-entry in subsequent years.

• Entries must be submitted for pre-screening through our online submission platform. If you use a secured link, you are REQUIRED to keep us updated with passwords.

• Works in progress are accepted. We cannot promise that we will be able to watch re-edited submissions. Please only submit works in progress if submitting close to the final deadline.

• TMAA’s confirms that it has the permission to privately screen your film(s) during the selection process, and /or at any other awards event. Submission of a work implies that the awards organizers can employ moving video and image excerpts and reproduce video/stills for exhibition promotion. Credit will be given to any filmmaker or screenwriter if such material is used in awards promotion. The Original copyright holder retains all rights to their work.

• You may submit multiple entries but must pay an entry fee for each.

• If the movie has nudity or sex. The movie should have a strong storyline; however, we are strictly not accepting any movies about porn, animal cruelty.

• To submit a Film for the award consideration, Applicants must complete the registration process at the online submission platform and pay the required fee by the deadlines. Submissions must be postmarked or an online submitted via submission platform. Submitted DVDs must contain one version only of the Film “Watermarked,” in the original language of production, with English subtitles if the original language is not English.

• DVDs must be labeled in the following manner: Title. Production company name, phone number, and address. Director’s name. Length of minutes and submission platform tracking number.

• Where the applicant chooses to forward a DVD instead of an online screener, the Applicant is responsible for ensuring that the submitted DVD screener plays in its entirety on an industry-standard DVD player. If TMAA is unable to view the DVD, TMAA is under no obligation, to contact the Applicant in order to obtain a replacement DVD.

• TMAA will not review multiple versions of a submitted Film. Only one version of the Film may be submitted. If multiple versions are submitted, TMAA will view only the version that was received first.

• Note! DVD screeners will not be returned.

• All Films must be sent by way of prepaid shipping. TMAA will not accept cash-on-delivery shipments or be responsible for duties, taxes or customs brokerage. Charges are to be billed to the sender. TMAA is not responsible for and will not accept shipments incurring expenses for terminal charges, duties, taxes or customs brokerage. Shipping and customs charges are to be billed to the sender. Any shipping charges incurred by TMAA will be billed back to the Applicant.