The Toronto Black Film Festival (TBFF), presented by TD Bank Group (TD) in collaboration with Global News, is celebrating its 11th anniversary with a return to IN-PERSON programming, and an online component, from February 15-20, 2023! Created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, the game-changing Toronto Black Film Festival will bring innovative, powerful, diverse, and bold programming to Toronto audiences, while also maintaining online accessibility.
Part of the TD 2023 Black History Month Series, the Festival will present 125 films from 20 countries – including 37 World premieres, 18 International premieres, 37 Canadian premieres, 18 Ontario premieres and 7 Toronto premieres. The TBFF All Access Passes and individual tickets are on sale now on the Festival’s website.
TBFF is Canada’s largest celebration of Black History Month, attracting hundreds of thousands of festival goers of all ages and ethnic backgrounds both in-person and online. Year after year, through its audacious and diverse programming, the Toronto Black Film Festival has been a catalyst and necessary platform for Black artists who would otherwise remain invisible. The Toronto Black Film Festival is a movement that allows members of the Global Majority and other communities to come together to learn about and better understand one another.
The Festival’s opening night will take place on Wednesday, February 15th at 8PM at the Isabel Bader Theatre with the Ontario Premiere of Matt Waldeck’s LOVELY JACKSON (USA), followed by a Q&A session with the director and subject Rickey Jackson. The film is exonerated prisoner Rickey Jackson’s daring first-hand account of the psychology of survival and spiritual fortitude required to withstand 39 years of wrongful incarceration for a murder he didn’t commit.
The Toronto Black Film Festival will also pay tribute to award-winning Writer, Producer and Director Jennifer Holness as part of the opening night celebrations.
#TBFF23 will close February 19th, 2023 at the Carlton Cinema with the Canadian Premiere of Frank Berry’s AISHA starring Letitia Wright and Josh O’Connor (Ireland). Aisha, a young Nigerian woman seeking asylum in Ireland is floundering in a maze of social services and bureaucracy. As her situation becomes increasingly dire, Aisha struggles to maintain hope and dignity against the looming threat of deportation.
