From the imaginations of the sixth-year cohort of OYA Black Arts Coalition’s (OBAC) Emerging Filmmakers program comes the short film ‘COCOA BUTTER WISHES’ premiering on May 15, 2024, at the TIFF Lightbox. Celebrating their graduation from the program, the film’s debut marks the end of their eight-month training with the OBAC team.

“We are so excited to kickstart the careers of another group of talented Black artists. The 2024 cohort created an amazing film that tells a story that reflects their artistry and skill that we have been able to build on throughout the last eight months. I couldn’t be more excited to see it on the big screen.”

Ngardy Conteh George, co-founder of OBAC

‘COCOA BUTTER WISHES’ tells the story of an aspiring twenty-something writer (Tia) who struggles to figure out what’s worth wishing for when a jar of cocoa butter turns out to house a genie. “The heart of the story is with each wish Tia comes more to terms with who she is and the things she wants for her life,” said program participant Kaku Kenya.

Created by a team of 16 Black creatives across Toronto, the film was originally written by one OYA Emerging Filmmakers group member who won the pitch competition. Collaborating with the rest of the cohort on writing, producing and directing the project, the final product reflects the 2024 team.

The premiere at the Lightbox doubles as a graduation ceremony for the OYA Emerging Filmmakers team, who now join over 90 alumni, including the host of a Canadian Screen Award-nominated show, KhaRå Martin and award-winning director, writer and actor Ivan D. Ossa. The program was created in 2018 to kickstart the careers of Black youth by providing mentoring, networking, portfolio creation opportunities, and on-site training with industry professionals.

Applications for next year’s OYA Emerging Filmmakers program will be opening in June 2024. For more information on applications, visit here.