Celebrate National Canadian Film Day with a screening of AKILLA’S ESCAPE, in loving memory of Charles Officer.

This National Canadian Film Day, join Regent Park Film Festival and BIPOC TV & Film as we pay homage to the legacy of a great Canadian filmmaker, Charles Officer. We are thrilled to present a FREE screening of Akilla's Escape, followed by a panel discussion led by Charles’ close peers.

Our panel will include cast and crew from the feature film including producer actor Thamela Mpumlwana (Sheppard/Young Akilla), actor Donisha Rita Claire Prendergast (Faye), co-writer Motion, and producer Jake Yanowski, and will be Moderated by RPFF’s Sarah-Tai Black. Together, they will be reflecting on Officer’s lasting impact on our community and the Canadian film world.

This evening of remembrance, camaraderie, and appreciation for the work of a remarkable filmmaker will take place at Scotiabank Theatre on Wednesday, April 17th at 6:30 PM.

Please note that this is a FREE event and spaces are limited. Seats are available on a first​-come​-first​-serve basis. Please arrive 10 minutes before the screening to reserve your seat.

This screening is produced in partnership with Reel Canada, presenters of National Canadian Film Day.

Jake Yanowski is a Canadian-American producer based in Toronto where he is partner at Canesugar Mediaworks, a boutique production house, that he operated with acclaimed filmmaker Charles Officer for nearly a decade. Jake produced the award winning feature documentary Al Purdy Was Here which premiered at TIFF 2015 and played in over 50 locations Canada-wide. He also helped produce Ron Mann’s feature film Altman in 2014 and produced The Skin We’re In in 2017, which showcased journalist & activist Desmond Cole, for CBC Television.  He produced the feature documentary Invisible Essence: The Little Prince, which premiered in early 2019, and was supported by the Little Prince Estate. The film has played in over twenty countries and has been released in the US and internationally on Netflix. His most recent production Akilla’s Escape, a crime noir starring acclaimed New York slam poet and actor Saul Williams, written and directed by Charles Officer premiered at TIFF 2020 and was released across the US and Canada, with further distribution in Europe, Latin America and Asia. The film won 5 Canadian Screen Awards, out of 8 Nominations. He is currently in development on a wide range of television series and feature films. 

Donisha Prendergast, a filmmaker, actress and advocate hailing from Jamaican Reggae Royalty, Bob & Rita Marley’s lineage, traverses the globe, preserving and sharing stories to propel societal advancement. With a rich tapestry of experiences spanning documentary filmmaking, motivational speaking, and international activism, she catalyzes change at the intersection of art and social justice. Collaborating with luminaries like Beyoncé and Sean Paul, her productions amplify marginalized voices and champion cultural preservation. As founder of Humanity Ova Vanity, she pioneers initiatives fostering artistic integrity and community engagement. With an indomitable spirit and commitment to inclusion, Donisha shapes narratives that resonate globally, embodying the ethos: humanity over vanity.

Motion is an award-winning screenwriter, producer, playwright, poet and emcee based in Toronto, with work featured across Canada, the U.S, the Caribbean, Europe and Africa. She is co-writer with director Charles Officer of the award-winning feature film Akilla’s Escape (Canesugar Filmworks), winning the Canadian Screen Award for Best Original Screenplay, and premiering at TIFF 2020. As a writer and producer, she has worked on TV series such as Coroner (CBC/CW),  Diggstown (CBC/FOX) and Robyn Hood (Global), on animated series Behind the Beats, and as Co-Executive Producer and writer on the award-winning series Revenge of the Black Best Friend (CBC Gem). Her productions for stage include the Dora-Award nominated Oraltorio: A Theatrical Mixtape with DJ L’Oqenz (Soulpepper/Obsidian Theatre),  Aneemah’s Spot (Summerworks), Loveleigh’s Logue (Billie Holiday Theatre 50in50, NYC), and Rebirth of the Afronauts in the award-winning series 21 Black Futures (CBC Arts/Obsidian).  Motion has published two poetry collections Motion in Poetry and 40 Dayz (Women’s Press), as well as in Everything Remains Raw (GooseLane), 21 Black Futures Anthology (Playwrights Canada Press), and The Black Notes (Insomniac Press). She is also creator of Griots to Emcees: Culture, Performance & Spoken Word at York U. in Toronto.

Thamela Mpumlwana is a Canadian actor known for establishing himself as a talented presence in film and television. Beginning his career as a child actor in 2013 starring in THE WARRIOR AND THE SAVIOUR as well as PEG+CAT  (2013-2014), Thamela has gone on to appear in more recent series including CW’s IN THE DARK, DEPARTURE, TRANSPLANT, and most recently in a recurring role in PRETTY HARD CASES. Mpumlwana performance in Charles Officer’s AKILLA’S ESCAPE (2020) earned him a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.