Sheridan College has announced that seven current Bachelor of Film and Television students have received grants from media company NBCUniversal (known for NBC network and Universal Pictures) to develop film and television projects of their own creation this summer.
"This summer," said Sheridan in a statement, "students in Sheridan’s Bachelor of Film and Television program will develop new films that bring their authentic and diverse stories to life, and reflect the places and spaces that have defined their unique experiences."
The projects are being completed "thanks to support from NBCUniversal," which last Fall announced a partnership with Sheridan to provide bursaries and grants to film and television students who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or from a racialized community.
What specifically the projects are differ based on their subject matter, ranging from a fictitious short film to documentary to an audio work and everything in between.
According to a press release, the subjects for each of the projects range "from an examination of growing up as Black and transgender, to the sacrifices new immigrants make in Canada, and a look at Korean popular culture’s influence in North America."
Thirty students applied for the grants. The seven projects awarded are:
- Futures for Rent by fourth-year student Andressa Back. This 13-minute short follows a Latinx woman in Canada who dreams of being a writer but drives an Uber to make ends meet.
- Women at the Store by Martin Restrepo is a story of the sacrifice immigrant mothers make so their children can thrive.
- A untitled documentary on the influence of Korean culture by first-year student Lileean Bardai.
- Mikaila Kelsy’s TWIRL will chronicle the story of being Black and transgender while growing up in Toronto.
- White Elephant by third-year student Taylor Gale will recount the experiences of biracial children living in largely white communities.
- Third-year student Adil Belhadji will create a not-yet titled short horror film inspired by arachnophobia.
- Rachel Millares, also in third year, will use the grant to create a narrative ‘mixtape’ of voice memos from real people, creating an album along with visuals.
NBCUniversal will participate in a showcase of the completed projects this September. The college says these projects "offer students the chance to explore ideas inspired by their own background."
"I see getting this award as a chance to express a story rooted in race, one that expresses and appreciates a lot of those elements that were part of my upbringing in Colombia and are now part of my new life in Canada," says fourth-year student and grant recipient Martin Restrepo.
Each student receiving a creative project grant not only has the opportunity to complete a project of their choosing this summer, but also to take part in a mentorship program with an industry member or a member of Sheridan's alumni community.
Sheridan says their film and television programs "are well known in the industry, and more than 3,000 graduates lead successful careers in the screen and media areas."
More information about these projects is available on Sheridan's website.