Jordan Betine, producer of Killer of Men, with his parents and, on the left, Uche Nwankwo, candidate for City Council, Waverly West. Image credit: Sunday Adeola.
Dozens of local filmmakers and cinema lovers gathered at the Winnipeg Art Gallery on Sunday evening, October 4, 2026, to celebrate the second annual BEST (Black Emerging Screen Talents) Film Competition 2026.
The gala event showcased short films from emerging Black storytellers across Manitoba and beyond, recognizing outstanding artistic achievement while tackling the financial barriers facing independent filmmakers.
Five Black emerging filmmakers screened their work. The top honor of the night, the Best Film 2026 Award, was awarded to Killer of Men, a hard-hitting narrative exploring diaspora connectivity, directed by Jordan Betine. The film swept multiple categories, securing awards for Best Sound, Best Cinematography, and Best Director.
Jordan Betine, Producer of Killer of Men, with Awards
“Incredibly talented filmmakers with stories worth telling aren’t struggling because they lack imagination,” said Sammah Ori, Executive Director for Business Development and Marketing at BEST Film Studios, during an impassioned address. “They are struggling because imagination has a price tag. Cameras, locations, production, and post-production all cost money.”
Ori highlighted that last year’s inaugural competition was entirely self-funded by the organizers to prove the concept before community partners and government entities stepped in to expand its scope. “Tonight, one filmmaker leaves this room with $20,000 in production support. If enough people put down a plank, someone who couldn’t cross yesterday moves to the other side tomorrow,” Ori told the crowd.
Joy Loewen, vice-president of industry development at the Canada Media Fund, said she grew up in Steinbach, in the 1970s. “There wasn’t folks like me,” she said. “There wasn’t families like ours.”
Loewen praised the festival’s quick growth. “At the [Canada Media Fund], we believe deeply in representation, and we are committed to put our money where our mouth is,” she said. She said the prize gives an emerging filmmaker breathing space to take the next big step.
The Manitoba Ministry of Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism received the Award of Excellence for its public support of the creative sector. Ronaldo Nacionale received the Lifetime Achievement Award. He said he first wanted to be a filmmaker more than 30 years ago and urged the nominees to keep going. “Please continue, because there is nothing that should get in your way,” he said.
Jordan Betine, producer of Killer of Men, with Jeslyn Abraham, Miss North America World Universal 2026.
The competition saw heavy engagement from attendees, who controlled 15 per cent of the final vote through live QR-code scoring alongside an 85 per cent weighted score from the jury panel. Audience members also directly voted for the lead acting performance categories.
Eric Orjiakor won Best Actor for Killer of Men, while Hunter Burgin won Best Actress for her role in Why Don’t We.
Why Don’t We also took Best Art Director for Monet Kops and Best Screenplay for Axelle Oule. Andrew Opar and Jake Erxlenben won Best Editing for On Your Own.
In the final ranking, Parallel placed fifth, On Your Own fourth, and God’s Power third.
Host Titi said the event was “five times bigger than the last outing.” Titi called it “wonderful to see that film is not dead.”
Actor Ayo Solanke said he enjoyed seeing “people here gathered to celebrate independent film.” Killer of Men was his favourite, he said, and he was “not surprised” it won.
Guest Dami, who also makes films, called the event “breathtaking.” Dami said the discussion about music matched their own process, adding that “sound is really pivotal.”
Guest Bukunmi said the event showed what a community can do. “When you have a community, there’s more opportunities,” Bukunmi said.
As the night wrapped up, festival organizers encouraged community members, sponsors, and aspiring storytellers to continue supporting local cinema initiatives to ensure Manitoba remains a sustainable hub for diverse storytelling.
Sunday Adeola, U Multicultural.