The Charles Officer Legacy Award
Presented by CBC and TIFF Industry
Now accepting nominations!
In December 2023, the Canadian screen industry lost celebrated and beloved writer, director, documentarian, and filmmaker Charles Officer. To honour his legacy and contribution, CBC and TIFF Industry have partnered on a new monetary award of distinction, the Charles Officer Legacy Award.
The award will recognize a Black director and/or writer whose body of work exemplifies the creative excellence, strong point of view, and community mindedness of our dear friend and colleague Charles.
The Award Recipient will receive
- A $25,000 cash prize
- TIFF Industry Membership, which includes an array of free access to programming year-round at TIFF-Lightbox for one year
- One Industry accreditation to the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival
How to Nominate
Those submitting nominations should articulate how the candidate exemplifies these core pillars in their work:- Creative Excellence: The intention and impact of the nominee's work, including:
- Their creative process
- Their unique style and aesthetic
- Their craft
- POV: What the nominee’s work is saying, including:
- What is at the centre of what they are exploring and examining
- The community or experience they are invested in showcasing
- Their approach to storytelling
- Community: The nominee’s impact, including:
- As a mentor
- As a collaborator
- As a member of community
- As a builder of opportunity
- As an advocate
Submission Guidelines
To be considered for the Charles Officer Legacy Award, the nominating party must submit the following materials:- A nomination letter. Using the core pillars as a guide, a one page summary of the nominee’s most significant contributions.
- Letters of support. Up to 3 letters of support from colleagues, mentors, mentees, peers, institutions etc., endorsing the nominee (maximum 500 words each).
- A list of significant works no longer than one page (including theater and volunteer roles).
- A maximum 500 words Biography of the nominee.
- All documents should be submitted in a single merged PDF and named “THE CHARLES OFFICER LEGACY AWARD - Nomination Submission [NOMINEE NAME]”
- Please email the nomination to industry@tiff.net with the subject line [CHARLES OFFICER LEGACY AWARD NOMINATION - [Nominee Name]
Self nominations will not be accepted.
Eligibility
Nominees must also meet the following criteria:- The award is open to Black writers and/or directors working in film, series, and documentary who have:
- One or more feature films that have premiered at a major film festival, or
- One or more writing and/or directing credits on a series (including digital) commissioned by a network or platform
- Participants need to be:
- Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents
- 19 years of age or older
Key Dates
Nominations open
November 21, 2024
Nominations close
December 27, 2024 at 11:59pm EST
Winner notified by
February 1, 2025
Winner announced
February 6, 2025