Black and Immigrant Stories

    View Full Program

    Films

    be•long

    Still We Thrive

    Nanay

    Frozen Out

    Fish

    Rompiendo Olas

    Esther & Sai

    On The Surface

    Could Have, Should Have

    Wholeness

    Filmmakers

    A man with curly dark hair and a friendly expression is wearing a checkered shirt against a plain gray background.

    Adán Avalos

    Adán Ávalos is a filmmaker and scholar dedicated to blending theory and practice in art. Drawing from his Mexican migrant labor roots, he creates documentaries and installations that honor the lives and experiences of migrant communities.

    A person with vibrant purple hair sits cross-legged on a rocky shore, surrounded by a serene lake and mountains in the distance under an overcast sky.

    Anaïsa Visser

    Anaïsa Visser is a biracial (Dutch and Pakistani) filmmaker and arts administrator based in Vancouver. Founder of Women & Gender Diverse Filmmakers of BC, she’s won awards such as the 2017 Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award. Anaïsa’s work focuses on mental health, immigration, and inclusivity for disabled communities.

    A man wearing a hat and sunglasses stands in front of a tiled wall with orange and white stripes.

    Campbell X

    Campbell X is a writer/director known for the award-winning queer romantic comedy Stud Life, voted one of the top 10 Black British films by The Guardian. Currently developing his second feature, he co-founded the Wahala Film Fund for QTIPOC short films.

    A smiling young woman with long dark hair sits in a casual setting, surrounded by what appears to be a cafe or restaurant environment.

    Emilie Cheung

    Emilie is a shorts director based in the UK. After training with the BFI Film Academy in 2016, she made her directorial debut at 17, with a commission from Channel 4’s ‘Random Acts’, for her short film ‘Pas De Deux’. She’s since gone on to direct a variety of projects; from social media commercials for ‘Adolescent Content’, to narrative shorts, including Underwire nominated ‘Walk of Shame’. sid

    The image depicts a woman with dark skin and curly hair wearing a burgundy turban-style headpiece, gold hoop earrings, and a white top against a plain purple background.

    Jameelah Nuriddin

    Jameelah Nuriddin is a film producer, program director, and award-winning editor with over 10 years in commercial production. An NAACP award-winning actress from Atlanta, she co-founded Imaginese Youth Workshops, using storytelling to drive social change and mentor young artists globally.

    A smiling woman with short dark hair wearing a blue floral blouse against a plain light background.

    Rosie Choo Pidcock

    Rosie is a biracial Chinese Canadian actor and filmmaker based on Unceded Coast Salish Territories (Vancouver). She produced and starred in Thank You For Ghosting and Chime Me Again, with additional credits including Batwoman and Resident Alien. Her work delves into grief, feminine solidarity, and navigating multiple identities.

    The image depicts a close-up portrait of a young woman with curly, dark hair and a thoughtful expression on her face. The background is dark, creating a dramatic contrast that draws the viewer's attention to the subject's features.

    Sideah Alladice

    Sideah is a Vancouver-based filmmaker passionate about honest storytelling. She creates immersive, emotional narratives and runs Mutton Media while studying Broadcast and Digital Journalism at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

    A young woman with long, dark hair and a warm smile, set against a plain gray background.

    Thea Loo

    Thea Loo is a Vancouver-based producer and director with a BFA in Film Production. She develops diverse narratives, including the Filipino-Canadian digital dramedy "Soule." A participant in Reelworld's Producers Program, Thea highlights underrepresented communities, focusing on Asian Canadian experiences. In 2024, she won the Northern Lights Canadian Prize at VIFF for her feature length documentary based on this short.

    The image shows a young woman with long dark hair wearing a light purple shirt, standing in a natural outdoor setting with blurred foliage in the background.

    Hao Zhou

    Zhou is a filmmaker from Southwest China, making films in narrative and documentary genres.​ ​ Favourite film: Days of Being Wild

    The image shows a young woman with long dark hair smiling at the camera, with a body of water and a cityscape in the background.

    Yao Liu

    Ziyao Liu is a Chinese writer/director/editor based on earth. Being a transplant from China and now living in LA, she creates compelling narratives of a personal nature that finds humor in the absurdity of existence, to generate empathy and appreciation of the collective human experience.

    Jurors

    Johnnie Hobbs

    Alli Simon

    Yolo Akili Robinson

    Catalina Matamoros

    Robin Means Coleman

    Naghmeh Farzaneh

    Christopher Yip

    Keith Chau

    A man with a beard wearing a gray sweater sits on a leather sofa in a room with a plain white wall.

    Calvin Walker

    Calvin J. Walker (he/him) is an award-winning Dallas filmmaker, poet, and artivist. A self-taught storyteller, he creates work across film, TV, stage, and digital, focusing on social justice, spirituality, and mental health. He’s also a husband and father of three.

    A smiling young woman with long dark hair sits in a casual setting, surrounded by what appears to be a cafe or restaurant environment.

    Emilie Cheung

    Emilie is a shorts director based in the UK. After training with the BFI Film Academy in 2016, she made her directorial debut at 17, with a commission from Channel 4’s ‘Random Acts’, for her short film ‘Pas De Deux’. She’s since gone on to direct a variety of projects; from social media commercials for ‘Adolescent Content’, to narrative shorts, including Underwire nominated ‘Walk of Shame’. sid