Miryam Charles is the first recipient of the Charles Officer Legacy Award. The inaugural honour was presented last night at TIFF Lightbox during the opening ceremonies for Canada’s Top Ten. The award was created to honour late filmmaker Charles Officer, whose death on December 1, 2023, at 48 years old inspired an outpouring of grief from members of the Canadian film scene. The award, presented by TIFF and CBC, furthers Officer’s legacy by recognizing an up-and-coming Black filmmaker who “exemplifies the award-winning filmmaker’s creative excellence, strong point of view, and community-mindedness.” It carries a cash prize of $25,000.
The Montreal-based Charles drew wide acclaim for her 2022 hybrid documentary This House (Cette maison). The film explores the death of a young woman in Bridgeport, Haiti, that was ruled a suicide but invites re-examination. This House follows Charles as she investigates the matter alongside the woman’s cousin and a chorus of actors seeking the truth. The film was named to Canada’s Top Ten in 2022 and won numerous festival prizes including the Innovation Award for Best Feature at Montreal’s Festival du Nouveau Cinema. Charles revisited the scene of the crime in her 2023 short All the Days of May, which considers the implications of making a film about loss. In addition to her many short films as a director, Charles also has an acclaimed career as a cinematographer.
Taking the stage and accepting the award from Officer’s sister, Christine, and the CBC’s Lea Marin, who produced Officer’s documentary Unarmed Verses during her run at the National Film Board of Canada, Charles remarked that she never got a chance to meet Officer, but used his success as a benchmark for her own and was honoured to continue his legacy.
“Miryam is a person whose vision, creativity, and commitment to storytelling truly embody the spirit of the award. Her work is extremely bold in its artistic vision, and she leads with a curiosity that pushes a unique style and form in a way that echoes what Charles sought to do on his own,” remarked the awards jury in a statement from TIFF. “Through her unique and powerful voice, Miryam tells stories that are both deeply personal and universally relatable and have an underlying dedication to strengthening her community. Her colleagues praise her commitment to the mentorship of those on her productions and the authenticity with which she engages her community. We’re proud to celebrate Miryam, and know Charles would have jumped at the opportunity for them to connect and learn from each other.”
In addition to the cash prize, Charles receives a TIFF Industry Membership for one year and an Industry pass to the 2025 Festival.
TIFF also announced during the Canada’s Top Ten ceremony that the TIFF Film Circuit, which brings Canadian films to festivals and community groups across the country, will be renamed the Donald Shebib TIFF Film Circuit in honour of the late filmmaker, whose 1970 drama Goin’ Down the Road proved a breakthrough for English Canadian cinema. The recognition comes thanks to a generous donation in honour of Shebib by his son Noah and the 40 Foundation.
Canada’s Top Ten runs this weekend in Toronto. The selections include the feature documentary Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story and the short docs Who Loves the Sun and perfectly a strangeness.
