GIFTS

A short film by 14 year old filmmaker Morgana McKenzie: "At age six, Jan was miraculously revived after her body was retrieved from the frozen river that consumed her parents. Now, after a lifetime of experiencing visions of others' pain and suffering, thirteen year old Jan hopes to intervene on fate and prevent a murder."

  • Morgana McKenzie
    Director
  • Morgana McKenzie
    Writer
  • Gavin McKenzie
    Writer
  • Charlene Laporte
    Producer
  • Laura Gray
    Key Cast
  • Spencer Burnside
    Key Cast
  • Rebecca Tsang
    Key Cast
  • Ainsley Burnside
    Key Cast
  • Dave Johnson
    Original Music
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Thriller
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 59 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 4, 2014
  • Production Budget:
    3,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth)
    Seattle, WA
    April 26, 2014
    World Premiere
    ** Best Emerging Female Filmmaker; Prodigy Camp Scholarship
  • ASK Film Festival
    Prishtina Kosova
    April 30, 2014
    ** Best Editing
  • Future of Cinema Film Festival
    Interlochen, MI
    October 25, 2014
    ** Best of the Fest
  • CineYouth
    Chicago, IL
    May 10, 2014
    ** Best Thriller
  • Calgary International Film Festival
    Calgary, Canada
    September 21, 2014
    ** Best Narrative Short (YYC Program)
  • Thurrock International Film Festival
    Thurrock England
    September 22, 2014
    British Premiere
    ** Nominated Best Under 18
  • Highway 61 Film Festival

    October 4, 2014
    ** 1st Place Student Short
  • ITSA Film Festival
    Sonora, CA
    November 8, 2014
    ** Best Horror (Student)
  • Toronto International Film Festival Next Wave Jump Cuts
    Toronto, Canada
    May 20, 2014
  • All American High School Film Festival
    New York City
    October 25, 2014
  • Heartland Film Festival
    Indianapolis, USA
    October 17, 2014
  • Lovett School High School Film Fest
    Atlanta, GA
    May 3, 2014
Director Biography - Morgana McKenzie

Morgana McKenzie is a 15 year old filmmaker living in Ottawa, Canada. Morgana’s extensive visual arts experience naturally led her to filmmaking.

In the past three years, Morgana created short films screened internationally. Her 2014 short film “GIFTS” has screened at over 20 festivals and won 8 awards, including Best Emerging Female Filmmaker and a Prodigy Camp scholarship at NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth); Best Thriller at CineYouth; and Best of the Fest at the Future of Cinema Film Festival.

In April 2015 Morgana was awarded "Best Director Under 25" at the inaugural Ottawa Independent Video Awards.

Morgana released two short films in 2015: "We All Go the Same", an authorized music video about a dark fairy with a taste for vengeance; and, "Kurayami no Wa", an apocalyptic thriller set in winter.

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