Testimonials
“[FILM 5] formalized my interest, connected me to the community, and showed me what was possible, and how.” ― Thom Payne, 2015/16
“Completely opened a new career path to me that I am at the beginning of but very grateful for and excited about.” ― Margaret Donahoe, 2020/21
“The program gives a ton of perspective about so many facets of filmmaking. I learned a ton of the logistical elements but also grew as a writer and built relationships with people I continue to work with. It’s an invaluable program, and I appreciate my time in [FILM 5] very much.” ― Adam Myatt, 2018/19
“FILM 5 and the programs I took at AFCOOP were the educational foundation that got me into the film industry. [FILM 5] was the most valuable thing that’s ever happened to me. Between the hands on education and the network of people you get to know, [FILM 5] was vital for my career starting point. The cost of the courses are so reasonable that nearly anyone can afford to take part.” ― Chloe Chaytor, 2017/18
“The FILM 5 program was the perfect program to kickstart my career as a filmmaker. I am now in the works on several other short films, which I feel confident entering into after the incredible tools and resources given from the program. I have made many friends and connections through the program, which I am extremely grateful for. I am proud to call myself an alumni of FILM 5.” ― Brielle LeBlanc, 2020/21
“When I say FILM 5 was one of the best experiences in my life, I truly mean it! I first participated in FILM 5 as a trainee in 2017 and then went on to make my own FILM 5 in 2020/2021. The workshops, the mentors and new friends made through the program, have provided a great source of inspiration to me as an artist. As someone who has never gone to film school, I am so grateful for the support of AFCOOP and look forward to future experiences in the industry because of this amazing organization. 😀 THANK YOU!” ― Samantha Horak, 2020/21
Past Participants
2021
Dear Dad, F*@# You! – Samantha Horak (Writer/Director), Andrew Cooper (Producer)
DOORS – Alexandra McDonald (Writer/Director), Shelby McDonald (Writer/Producer)
MAID – Melānie Mendez Munden (Writer/Director), Sandrella Mohanna (Producer)
The Year Long Boulder – Brielle LeBlanc (Writer/Director), Seán Galway (Producer)
2020
The Agnostics – Rebecca Falvey (Writer/Director), Meghan Hubley (Producer)
Baduk – Induk Lee (Writer/Director), Kelsey Power (Producer)
First Kiss – Margaret Donahoe (Writer/Director), Caroline Whelan (Producer)
There is Enough for Everybody – Jinos Akhtarkhavari (Co-Writer/Director), Ehsan Yazdani (Co-Writer/Producer)
2019
“I wouldn’t be involved in the local film industry if not for FILM 5. [FILM 5] gave me the knowledge and skills to start making films and helped me connect with other artists and industry professionals.” ― Nicole Slaunwhite, 2018/19
Baggage – Adam Myatt (Writer/Director), Lisa Buchanan (Producer)
Cockblock – Tamar Dina (Writer/Director), Cormekia Clayton (Producer)
Faith – Keelin Jack (Writer/Director), Victoria Jeha (Producer)
Welcome Ahlan wa Sahlan – Nicole Slaunwhite (Co-Writer/Director), Tim Hanley (Co-Writer/Producer)
2018
“FILM 5 helped bring my filmmaking dream to life and led to creating my own production agency. ― Israel Ekanem, 2017/18”
Drown the Lovers – Israel Ekanem (Writer/Director), Monica Bell-Ekanem (Producer)
Greenness – Tori Fleming (Co-Writer/Director), Morgan Salter (Co-Writer/Producer)
It All Ends – Jessica Smallwood (Co-Writer/Director), Andrew Mortimer (Co-Writer/Producer)
Passage – Henry Colin (Writer/Director), Chelsea Hoyt (Producer)
2017
Dirty Milk – Yalitsa Riden (Writer/Director)
Duet – Andrew Coll (Writer/Director), Mohammad Mallahi (Producer)
Horizontal Concavity – Koumbie (Writer/Director), Kevin Hartford (Producer)
2016
“[FILM 5] educated me on what to expect from a film production in Nova Scotia and beyond. [FILM 5] inspired me to continue learning how to make film, mostly by making more films and learning on the job. [FILM 5] connected me to a bunch of like-minded, creative, hardworking, and motivated people to collaborate with. My sustained interest in making film is 100% because of the experiences I’ve had and the people I’ve met through AFCOOP and FILM 5.” ― Kevin Hartford, 2015/16
Black Guitar – Devin Casario (Writer/Director), Todd Fraser (Producer)
Charlie’s P.O.C. – Kevin Hartford (Writer/Director), Thom Payne (Producer)
Tipping Point – Stephanie Young (Writer/Director), Jake Ivany (Producer)
Nightcall – Nicole Holland (Writer/Director), Jessica Smallwood (Producer)
2015
Bound – Daniel Boos (Writer/Director), Lynn Matheson (Producer)
Paper Thin – Jeff Parker (Writer/Director), Dominic Fegan (Producer)
Sleeping Beauty– Sarah Gignac (Writer/Director), Andrea Levesque (Producer)
Una Forma de Partier: A Way To Go – Joshua Young (Writer/Director), Charles McLearn (Producer)
2014
The Hold Up – Struan Sutherland (Writer/Director), Andre Pettigrew (Producer)
Hero D – Dave Mullins (Writer/Director), Sahar Yousefi (Producer)
I Am Syd Stone – Denis Theriault (Writer/Director), Colin Davis (Producer)
Playing House – Nicole Steeves (Writer/Director), Jenna Murphy (Producer)
2013
EDNOS – Stephanie Clattenburg (Writer/Director), Naomi-Joy Blackhall Butler (Writer/Producer)
Green – Heather Young (Writer/Director), Brittany Amos (Producer)
Nigredo – Kristen Swinkles (Writer/Director), Bretten Hannam (Producer)
Two Penny Road Kill – Lisa Rose Snow (Writer/Director), Lora Campbell (Producer)
2012
Car 210 – Matt MacIsaac (Writer/Director), Mike Hall (Producer)
Irene – Vicki Donkin (Writer/Director), Colin Tanner (Producer)
Lucky – Josh Denaro (Writer/Director), Jenn Millington (Producer)
Torturous – Angus Swantee (Writer/Director), Brent MacRae (Producer)
2011
Deep End – Bretten Hannam (Writer/Director), Rob Evong (Producer)
First Words – Fabien Melanson (Writer/Director), Simon Thibault (Producer)
Sandwich Crazy – Brittany Amos (Writer), Michael Doucette (Director), Evan Elliot (Producer)
Those Forgotten – Alyssa Buchanan (Writer/Director), Evan Jobb (Producer)
2010
Rhonda’s Party – Ashley McKenzie (Director), Christine Comeau (Writer), Nelson MacDonald (Producer)
Dream Girl – Caley MacLennan (Director), Eric Duncan (Producer)
Like Father – Jesse Harley (Writer/Director), Chris Turner (Producer)
Senior Barista – Jason Levangie (Writer/Director), Marc Tetreault (Writer/Producer)
2009
Two Men, Two Cows, Two Guns – Pardis Parker (Writer/Director), Laura MacKenzie (Producer)
DWB – Reed Jones (Writer/Director), Ryan Boon (Writer/Producer)
Super Science – Joel MacKenzie (Writer/Director), Mark Purdy (Writer/Producer)
Daddy’s Little Girl – Luckas Cardona (Writer/Director), Janice Villagomez (Producer)
2008
Pawnshop – Evany Rosen (Writer), Andrew Bush (Director), Angus Swantee (Producer)
Golden Age – Namir Ahmed (Writer/Director), Tom Power (Producer)
Paperhearts – Joey Adrian MacNeil (Writer/Director), Herb D’Entremont (Producer)
Ugly Girl – Sarah Byrne (Writer/Director) Rebecca Sharratt (Producer)
2007
Moving Day – John Davies (Writer, Director) , Jason Eisener (Producer)
You Can’t Do That on Film Anymore – Greg Jackson (Writer, Director), Jessica Brown (Producer)
Falling Inside – Rosemary Hanson (Writer, Director), Heather Wilkinson (Producer)
A Change in Tempo – Ron McDougall (Writer/Director), Todd Jackson (Producer)
2006
The Wake of Calum MacLeod – Marc Almon (Writer/Director), Nona McDermid (Producer)
Crossing Over – Cam Erais (Writer/Director), Nick Murphy (Writer/Producer)
The Pulp $5 – Rob Calnen (Writer/Director) Craig Layton (Producer)
Nimby – Grace Junkie (Writer) ,Evan Brown (Director), Edwin Pavey (Producer)
2005
The Changing Room – Kyle Cameron (Writer/Director), Jeff Wheaton (Producer)
Kona – Siddhartha Fraser (Writer/Director), Kevin Fraser (Producer)
Mine – Joanne Kerrigan (Writer/Director), Bruce McKenna (Producer)
The War Poet – Paul McNeill (Writer/Director), John Feron (Producer)
2004
Driven – Gillian Matheson (Writer/Director), Ron McDougall (Producer)
Don’t, Don’t Break Up With Megan – Jay Dahl (Writer/Director), Sandra Larson (Producer)
2003
Reality – Michael Sanderson (Director), Marrianne Lecocq (Producer)
Masquerade – Patrick Blackie (Writer, Director), Sean Beckwith (Producer)
Planely Dreaming – Becky Parsons (Writer, Director), Selena Landon (Producer)
The Crawlers – Jennifer Tilley (Writer, Producer), Steven Kriszan (Director)
2002
Lighter Game – Chris Fost (Writer/Director), Sean Doyle (Producer)
Shredded – Ruby Boutilier (Writer/Director), Craig Moore (Producer/Writer)
2001
Red Glove – Ameesha Joshi ( Director), Robert Blackie (Producer)
Trombone Trouble – Deanne Foley (Writer/Director), Bronwen Kyffin (Producer)
2000
Zoe’s Waltz – Jennifer Zimmer (Writer/Director), Natasha Ryan (Producer)
A Fair Tale of Two Grudgelings – Jason Goodyear (Writer/Director), Will Fraser (Producer)
1999
Wound Up – Andrea Dorfman (Director), Margaret Harrison (Producer)
1998
Ethan’s Walk – John Hillis (Writer/Director), Sean Kelly (Producer)
1997
Helen’s Inheritance – Lee-Ann Gillan (Writer/Director/Producer), Marcia Connolly (Writer, Director)
Terminal Lunch – Scott Simpson (Director), Craig Cameron (Producer), Evangelo Kioussis (Producer)
For Alice – Allan Munro (Producer/Director), David Middleton (Producer, Writer)
Bird in the House – Michael Greer (Director), Ron Foley MacDonald (Producer), Iain MacLeod (Writer)
1996
Roids – David Middleton (Writer/Director), Evangelo Kioussis (Producer)
1995
Cherries – Thom Fitzgerald (Writer/Director), Shandi Mitchell (Producer)
Recent FILM 5 Film Achievements:
- Bound (2015) won Best Short Film at the Screen Nova Scotia Awards.
- The Hold Up (2014) won the Shart Select Award at the Shärt International Comedy Film Festival, Best Ensemble Cast at the Austin Comedy Short Film Festival, and Best Humour Film at San Diego Comic-Con.
- I Am Syd Stone (2014) won Best Canadian Short Film at Silver Wave Film Festival 2014 and was picked up for distribution by UK distributor Peccadillo Picture’s Series “Boys on Film.”
- The lead actress from Two Penny Road Kill (2013) Shelley Thompson won Outstanding Female Performance in a Short Film at the 2013 ACTRA Awards. Two Penny Road Kill won Best Short Film at Silverwave Film Festival 2013.
- Torturous (2012) won “Best North American Short Film” at the 2013 Nevermore Film Festival in North Carolina and “Best Horror-Comedy Short Film” at Buried Alive! In Atlanta.
- Lucky (2012) won “Audience Choice Award” at the 2012 Atlantic Film Festival.
- Rhonda’s Party (2010) won 2 awards at the National Screen Institute’s Short Film Festival: the A&E Short Filmmakers Award and the Shaw Media Fearless Female Director Award and the CBC Short Film FaceOff.
- FILM 5 production The Wake of Calum MacLeod was nominated for the 2008 Genie Award in Best Live Action Short Film.