and The AfriCan Heritage Festival and we intend to celebrate in style. Cinema Noir will be an annual reception each and every year: a place for those working in the industry to mingle, network and connect in a stylish location.

Ticket sales is now closed…

Aka, made his debut feature film Jamie and Eddie: Souls of Strife following a two year struggle to raise production funds for the film, which features a predominantly Canadian cast and was filmed in and around the Ottawa region. What is even more notable is that the film was finally self-financed, using $6000 on credit cards and then meticulously put together by sourcing actors, fight scene choreographers and local crews to shoot and edit over a two year period. Aka leaves his stamp all over the film, taking writing, production, directing, editing and musical scoring credits in his debut work, he is also the co-lead actor in this testament to his own perseverance.

Since returning from L.A at the end of July, Aka has had no real time to dwell on his success and has been busy doing round after round of media interviews, as well as heading straight back into principal photography on the his second feature film – Evol The Movie (www.pascalaka.com)

Be sure not to miss the Toronto premiere of Jamie and Eddie: Souls of Strife as part of the New Faces program taking place at Ryerson University on Sunday September 27, 2:00pm. Click below for Box Office bookings.

Listen to ACTRA professionals – including Karen Woolridge, a steward in ACTRA’s Independent Production department, filmmaker/actress Jani Lauzon Co-Chair of ACTRA Toronto’s Diversity Committee, Tasso Lakas, Toronto Indie Productions coordinator and Indra Escobar, Senior Advisor, Independent and Broadcast Production – who will guide you through the simple steps to working with ACTRA.  ACTRA a mystery? Not after this session!

The presentation will be followed by a Q&A with representatives from ACTRA Toronto.

For all actors wanting to participate in this workshop event, please fill out the registration form below by clicking on the box office link.

The workshop will take place from 2-4.30pm on Saturday 26^th September at the National Filmboard Mediatheque (Atelier Room), 150 John Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3C3, Canada.

There are only 30 spaces available and will be offered on a first come, first served basis!

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) welcomes a new documentary featuring the celebrated Comedian and Actor Chris Rock to its 2009 festival. Chris Rock will also be participating in TIFF’s ever-popular Mavericks series taking place on Monday 14th September.

What more can be said about black people and their hair? Everything.!

Acting as African America’s Michael Moore, Rock goes front and centre in this investigative documentary that is both hilarious and surprisingly informative. It began with an innocent question from his young daughter: “Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?” In black families “good” hair means straight hair, and it’s been the source of pain and envy ever since African slaves first digested European beauty standards. Today, women on limited incomes pay thousands of dollars a year to maintain a straight-hair weave – or expect their men to pay for them.

Rock is bemused as he goes from salon to street corner to industrial giant, but he asks tough, smart questions. Aided by both ordinary people and celebrities – actress Nia Long, author Maya Angelou – he aims to bring common sense to an arena ruled by vanity and warped custom. Still, there’s no denying the incredible creative ferment brought on by this desire to change and improve one’s hair. Visiting an annual contest for black hair stylists, Rock watches as competitors whip up coiffures that seem straight out of science fiction.

For more information please check out the TIFF website following the link below: http://www.tiff.net/filmsandschedules/films/goodhair

For more information on Chris Rock’s appearance at the TIFF Mavericks Series please follow this link below:

http://www.tiff.net/filmsandschedules/films/afternoonwithchrisro