2024 Windsor International Black Film Festival (WIBFF) Event Schedule

August 16 - August 18, 2024

353 Freedom Way, Windsor, Ontario, N9A 3A7, Canada.

Award Winning Films

THE COOL AND THE STRONG

by Sheldyn 'Sam' Moor

Best Children’s Film

BOTTLED UP

by Sekai Smart-Macaulay

Best Female Film

NICOLE LATISHA HOWARD

in “Chosen”

Best Female Director

CHARLES UWAGBAI

in Kipkemboi

Best Male Director

EMPOWERED

by Zayd Milkias

Best Documentary Short

CLASS OF HER OWN

by Boaz Dvir

Best Documentary Film Feature

HOOD MEDITATIONS: MANIFESTING A LICK

by Sakinah Iman

Best Experimental Film

BEHIND GATES

by Cosson Chinnopoh

Best African Film

AFFAIR DE FAMILLE

by Dariel Kirengo

Best Short Film

SHANE MARRIOT

in “Subtext”

Best Supporting Actor

SAKINAH IMAN

in "Hood Meditations"

Best Actress

GOOD GIRL

by Sunita Miya Muganza

Best Sound

WATCH NIGHT WATCH OUT

by Bridgett Ladd

Best Costume

WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE

by Musing Derick Tenn

Best Editing

WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE

by Musing Derick Tenn

Best Make-Up

KIPKEMBOI

by Charles Uwagbai

Best Cinematography

KIPKEMBOI

by Charles Uwagbai

Best Black Feature Film

JACKKNIFE

by Adam Jack

Best Picture

Opening Night

Entry Fee: FREE (Donations are welcome)

  • 5:00 PM: Doors Open/Red Carpet with CBC’s Josiah Sinanan
  • 6:00 PM: Opening Song/Poem and Land Acknowledgement
  • 6:10 PM: Welcome and Introductions
  • 6:20 PM: Panelist Introductions and Panel Discussion
  • 7:00 PM: Q&A Session
  • 7:15 PM: Closing Remarks
  • 7:20 PM: Special Thanks
  • 7:25 PM: Short Film Screening – “The Cool And The Strong” by Sheldyn Sam Moore

Film Screenings 3pm - 11pm

Entry Fee: $10 per person at the door (cash)

  • 3:00 PM: Affaire de Famille by Dariel Kilengo (France, 15 min)
  • 3:30 PM: Triggered Created and written by Carlos Anthony, Directed by Sean Diamond
  • 4:15 PM: A Fork In Love’s Road by Bree K. Jones (United States, 10 min 16 sec)
  • 4:30 PM: The Light of Truth: Richard Hunt’s Monument to IDA B. Wells by Rena Segal (United States, 1 hr 10 min)
  • 5:45 PM: Requiem by Alexandria Morgan (United States, 11 min 54 sec)
  • 6:00 PM: Good Girl by Sunita Miya Muganza (Canada, 12 min 40 sec)
  • 6:30 PM: How’s A Man Made by Edward L. Varnie (United States, 18 min 30 sec)
  • 6:50 PM: Chez Dr. Bello by Badewa Adeseye (Nigeria, 18 min 4 sec)
  • 7:30 PM: Kipkemboi by Charles Uwagbai (Nigerian-Canadian, 1 hr 25 min)
  • 9:00 PM: Bottled Up by Sekai Smart-Macaulay (Jamaica, 11 min 59 sec)
  • 9:15 PM: When The Levees Broke by Musing Derrick (Cameroon, 1 hr 28 min 54 sec)

Closing Night

Entry Fee: FREE (Donations are welcome)

  • 6:00 PM: Doors Open/Red Carpet with CBC’s Matt Allen
  • 7:30 PM: National Anthem and Opening Remarks
  • 8:00 PM: Awards Presentation
  • 9:00 PM: Closing Remarks

Meet Our Red Carpet Hosts

Josiah Sinanan

Windsor’s first Black International Film Festival kicks off next weekend, the first of its kind in the city. Vice president Christie Nelson and filmmaker Carlos Anthony say it provides a lens into a variety of differing Black experiences not usually portrayed in film. They sit down with CBC Windsor’s Josiah Sinanan.

Matt Allen

Windsor’s Black community has worked together to bring the city its first Black film festival. Host Matt Allen speaks to the event’s vice president, Christie Nelson, alongside filmmaker Carlos Anthony, to hear why the event holds such significance.

Panel Discussion

Carlos Anthony is a multi-talented screenwriter, producer, playwright and novelist who addresses the historically silenced experiences of Black men. With a background in Advertising & Marketing, he learned effective communication and storytelling. Through diverse work experiences, he empathized with individuals from various backgrounds, observing the impact of factors like education, class, culture, and immigration status on masculinity. As a survivor of loss, abuse, and addiction, Carlos draws from his personal struggles, using art as a healing tool to break generational curses. He lives in Windsor, Ontario with his family and is involved in various initiatives, including directing operations at the Windsor Black International Film Festival and co-founding the CBC Millennial X filmmaking program. Carlos’ creative work spans web series, short films, best-selling novels, essays, and viral short story series, exploring themes such as Black adolescence, fatherhood, relationships, addiction, and more.

Musing Derick is a multiple award-winning film producer and director from Cameroon. He is also a knight of the Cameroon Order of Merit. Derick has made significant contributions to the Cameroonian film industry, particularly with the success of three movies to his credit amongst others: Therapy (as the director) and The Fisherman’s Diary (as the tech director), and most recently NGANU (as director) which were all accepted on Netflix. Additionally, he founded FilmRoom, a local movie streaming platform that gained over 2000 paying subscribers within 48 hours of its launch. His wide network and influence in the entertainment industry make him a prominent figure in the movie sector.

Isoken Ibie is the CEO of ISK Production, ISK Consulting, and the founder of the Nigerian Canadian Resettlement Center in Toronto. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from the University of Benin, Nigeria, and multiple certifications in counselling, mental health, and mediation. An award-winning filmmaker, Isoken produced Complicated Lies, earning numerous awards and nominations worldwide, and co-produced When Love Hurts. She is recognized for her extensive community involvement and mentorship, having served in various leadership roles in organizations like Women Helping Women Foundation, Nigeria Filmmakers in North America, and Toronto Nigeria Lions Club. Her contributions have earned her several prestigious awards, including the President’s Volunteer Service Award and recognition among the 50 influential women from Edo State, Nigeria.

Kemi Ilesanmi A seasoned actor/filmmaker, with extensive experience in acting for over 25years, Kemi has had opportunities to train under some of the best in the industry, from the likes of Tony Godman, RMD, Mike Bamiloye and Jennifer Valance.  She has been in more than 30 productions span from films, TV and commercials notably among them are Too Hard to Bear, House on the Rock, The Diaspora, See No Evil (Season 8), Broken Records, and Niagara Prepared. Kemi’s first shot at filmmaking was in 1999 when she co-produced Foundational Course and Abolorunja.  Since she relocated to Canada in 2018, she has written and produced a couple of short movies such as, Let Go and Let God, My Tongue My Power, Red Alert and Boundless Anger under her brand name, Morning Dew Production (MDP).  Though she holds a Master’s degree in social work, her passion and love for the creative world supersedes other career paths. Kemi is married and blessed with beautiful children.

Sakinah Iman is a Caribbean-American 22-time international award-winning filmmaker, award-winning actress and Certified Health Educator of Jamaican and Garifuna descent from Brooklyn, NY. For over 15 years, Sakinah has devoted her artistic abilities to creating art that engages audiences in sociopolitical change, using theatre arts such as spoken word, comedy, drama, and music. Sakinah has produced, directed, and starred in multiple short films, of which, won 22 Best Short/Music Video Awards, selected and placed in a total of 53 film festivals worldwide. One of her films, He Wants To Know My Number, was licensed by a major television network, Showtime-ViacomCBS.

Katrina Medalle is a Tkaronto-born, Mississauga-raised multidisciplinary artist and advocate, navigates the dynamic artistic and digital realm with resilience and ingenuity. Emerging from limited resources, she founded a thriving creative consultancy, evolving into a skilled Unit Production Manager and Producer, and demonstrates adaptability in screenwriting, independent filmmaking and young-adult fiction. As an artist, writer, curator, and filmmaker, Katrina cultivates inclusive communities and creates safe spaces for authentic expression by expertly assembling teams across Pilot Programs, TV Series, Short Films, Editorial Photography, Runway Production, Live Performances and Dance. She embraces transformative leadership, advocating for BIPOC representation in the arts, and sets higher production standards by promoting diversity.

Special Kace, her brainchild, reflects her commitment to empowering Artists and Women in Leadership. Katrina is the co-founder and Managing Director of North Love Arts, an artist collective in the pursuit of unity and collaboration; creating systemic, educational and social economic change through storytelling of film, literature, music and movement. As Toronto Dance Theatre’s Communications Director, Katrina unites academic and administrative expertise with her artistic practice, contributing a mosaic of collaboration and self, on a mission to elevate the Arts ecosystem. 

Join us for an incredible celebration of Black filmmakers, thought-provoking discussions, and community engagement at the 2024 Windsor International Black Film Festival!

For more information, sponsorship opportunities, or to reach a member of our team, please email christie@wibff.com or call 1-519-254-0110

WIBFF 2024 Sponsor

Special Thanks To:

University of Windsor

Black Scholars Institute

Dr. Camisha Sibblis

Filmmakers

Film Enthusiasts

Local Media

City Council

Members of Parliament

Friends, Family, and Our Loving Community