The Canadian drama film Village Keeper directed by Karen Chapman has won Best Feature at Gender Equity in Media Society (GEMS)’s 20th annual GEMFest. It stars Oluniké Adeliyi (who won the award for Best Performance) as a widow living in the Lawrence Heights, Toronto, where she tries to protect her children from neighborhood violence.

Impact – Feature award went to Inay (Mama) directed by Thea Loo, a documentary examining the phenomenon of Filipina women who came to Canada under the Live-In Caregiver Program to support their families, focusing in particular on its impact on their children who were left behind in the Philippines. The documentary film also won Best Editing for Anna Chiyeko Shannon.

Singing Back the Buffalo, a reimagining of North America through the lens of buffalo consciousness, won Best Documentary, Best Direction for Tasha Hubbard, and Best Musical Score for Melody McKivor.

This year’s festival featured an inspiring selection of films and stories from around the world, with awards given in categories spanning screenwriting, short films and features with impactful themes.

“GEMFest is an opportunity for courageous storytelling and creative excellence to shine,” says Anaïsa Visser, Executive Director of GEMS. “Each of these award-winning projects reflect the power of authentic voices in film and continue to justify the importance of creating space for diverse narratives. We’re incredibly honoured to celebrate the talent that makes this festival a beacon for change.”

GEMFest 2025 Award Winners

SCREENPLAY COMPETITION AWARDS:

Best Feature – Poisonous by Jasleen Kaur

Best TV Pilot – Young Hags by Corina Bizim and Maddy Hillis

SHORT FILM AWARDS:

Impact – Short – Karateka (Director: Florence Fauquet)

Best Performance – Carmen Sylvestre in Lumen

Best Cinematography – Nina Wells for Vivie

Best Editing – Grace Zhang for Lovin’ Her

Best Direction – Geneviève Tremblay & Milla Cummings for Passageways

Best Short – Is Gay Marriage Next? (Director: Emily Clark)

BEST OF BC AWARDS:

Best of BC (Award 1) – February Sixteenth Nineteen Forty-Seven (Director: Jessica Miinguuaqtii)

Best of BC (Award 2) – Little Miss Sleepy (Director: Jenny Lee-Gilmore)

Best of BC (Award 3) – NiiMisSak: Sisters in Film (Director: Jules A Koostachin)

FEATURE FILM AWARDS:

Impact – Feature – Inay (Mama) (Director: Thea Loo, DP: Jeremiah Reyes)

Best Performance – Olunike Adeliyi in Village Keeper

Best Cinematography – Negin Khazaee for One Must Wash Eyes

Best Musical Score – Melody McKivor for Singing Back the Buffalo

Best Editing – Anna Chiyeko Shannon for Inay (Mama)

Best Screenplay (Festival) – Sepideh Yadegar for One Must Wash Eyes

Best Documentary – Singing Back the Buffalo (Director: Tasha Hubbard)

Best Direction – Tasha Hubbard for Singing Back the Buffalo

Best Feature – Village Keeper

INDUSTRY AWARDS:

Lifetime Achievement in Advancing Equity:
Tracey Friesen (posthumous)

Emerging Changemaker Award:
Doaa Magdy

Leadership in Education Award:
Sharon McGowan

Artistic Achievement Award:
Jules A. Koostachin