Above: Karen Chapman, who won for her pitch of “Cocoon”

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The CaribbeanTales Toronto Film Showcase has named the award winners of this past weekend’s competition.

This year was the eighth edition of the showcase, which featured 10 feature-length films and 35 shorts in official competition.

“My primary concerns in judging these movies were: how does the film succeed in projecting a cinematic Caribbean tale that deserves to be specially recognized and shared because it harps on the universal longing to break barriers towards valuing cultural diversity and minding gaps? ” said Camilo Antonio, Jury Chair for this year’s Feature Length Awards.

The winners were selected by a jury including Antonio (Chair); Director of Tourism for the Government of Antigua and Barbuda in Canada, Erica Henry Jackman; writer and social media specialist Bridget “Bee” Quammie; documentary filmmaker Melissa Gomez; and, filmmaker and Associate Professor at NYU’s Tisch School, Ian Harnarine.

The winners are listed below:

Best Feature Documentary: Miquel Galofre and Amanda Sans for Songs of Redemption

Best Narrative Feature: Terracino for Elliot Loves

Best Narrative Feature – Special Mention: Mary Wells for Kingston Paradise

Audience Award: Mary Wells for Kingston Paradise

Best Narrative Short (Under 40 minutes): Shirley Bruno for Things I See and Dominique Telemaque for Cinco Minutos Para Mi Pais

Perfect Pitch Award: Karen Chapman for Cocoon