The 2021 Hire Higher Grant

The first iteration of the Hire Higher Grant wrapped up in 2022, with fantastic shorts from our three finalists Karimah Zakia Issa, Tyler Evans, and quami.xyz. It was such a pleasure working with these amazing filmmakers, and it’s been a phenomenal pleasure to see their visions turn into such great projects.

In fact, Karimah Zakia Issa’s short film SCARING WOMEN AT NIGHT and Tyler Evans’ short film DIASPORA premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. Congratulations to Karimah and Tyler, their entire production team, and the cast and crew that made this all happen!

We would like to thank our sponsors for supporting the Hire Higher Grant in its infancy. Huge shoutout to the following: COMMON GOOD, PANAVISION, WFW, REDLAB, and Inclusive Stylists.

Rolling out this grant for the first time only reinforced how many talented emerging Canadian creatives are out there, with fresh ideas and strong voices.