North Bay Film Festival 2023 | November 17-19
Celebrating Excellence: Meet the Winners of the 2024 North Bay Film Festival
Exciting news from the recently concluded North Bay Film Festival 2024! We are thrilled to announce the winners who truly captivated our audiences and showcased incredible talent this year.
The Audience Choice Award went to Anora, directed by Sean Baker. This gripping film about a sex worker from Brooklyn whose fairytale romance is threatened by powerful forces, left a lasting impact with its compelling narrative and powerful performances.
In the Canadian Shorts category, we proudly awarded the Canadian Shorts Award to Camping, a beautifully crafted stop-motion short directed by Sacha Kai Michaud, Alyssa Ashmore, and Nicole Calfchild. This community-driven project gave voice to those with lived experience of homelessness, making it a poignant and timely piece.
The Student Shorts Showcase Award was awarded to Terry’s Little Village, directed by Jack Kukolic. This heartfelt film tells the story of 70-year-old Terry Wilson’s fight to preserve his childhood home from encroaching development, a powerful reminder of the importance of safeguarding history.
Finally, the 48-Hour Film Competition saw God Dose, directed by Zach Dom-Steward, take home the top prize. Created in just 48 hours, this thrilling short follows a woman’s chaotic experience on a bad trip and highlights the raw creativity and skill of local filmmakers.
Join us in celebrating these outstanding films and the talented creators who brought them to life!
We would also like to extend our thanks to the Feature Film Selection Committee and the Short Film Jury for their dedication and support in making this year’s festival a success.
2024 Canadian Shorts and Student Showcase Jury:
• Lauren Bennie
• Tyler Levesque
• Melissa Johns
2024 48 Hour Film Competition Jury:
• Seb Godin
• Cindy Hinds
• Jason Manella
Anora
Audience Choice Award Winner
Anora, a sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.
139 mins | 2024 | United States
Dir: Sean Baker
Language: English, Russian, Armenian
Camping
Canadian Short Showcase Winner
Camping is a stop-motion short, that follows the story of Shawna, a young woman living in an urban encampment as she attempts to find housing. This was a community project, written by people with the lived experience of being unhoused.
7 Mins | Canada | 2023
Dir. Sacha Kai Michaud, Alyssa Ashmore, Nicole Calfchild
Language: English
Terry’s Little Village
Student Short Showcase Winner
Terry Wilson is a 70-year-old lifelong resident of Meadowvale Village, Ontario’s first heritage district. As development looms and begins to destroy Terry’s favourite place in the world, he recreates pieces of history in his backyard, crafting an oasis where it feels like nothing has changed. A beautiful tribute to his childhood, his mother, and his town, Terry passionately fights to preserve history in a world that’s too anxious for change.
6 Mins 45s | Canada | 2024
Dir. Jack Kukolic
Language: English
God Dose
48-Hour Film Competition Winner
Congratulations to God Dose, the First Place Winner of the 2024 North Bay Film Festival 48HR Film Competition! Directed by Zach Dom-Steward, this thrilling short follows a lady’s chaotic experience on a bad trip, showcasing the raw creativity and impressive talents of its filmmakers who brought this captivating story to life in just 48 hours.
5 Mins 59s | Canada | 2024
Dir. Zach Dom-Steward
Team Members: Tyler Levesque, Jordan Sallie, Jasmine Beatty, & Zach Dom-Steward
Explore the magic of quick-turn filmmaking and witness their creativity on our website here