The Forest City Film Festival is proud to announce a new addition to our awards ceremony. The Dorothy Downs New Voices Award is designed to recognize an outstanding emerging Ontario filmmaker whose first or second feature film has been presented in this year’s festival. This $4,000 juried cash prize will be awarded annually by the FCFF’s Founding Executive Director.
Dorothy Downs founded the Forest City Film Festival in 2015 after noticing the lack of opportunities for regional film artists to showcase their films and be celebrated in their own community. At the time, it was apparent that London needed a film festival as it was the only city of its size in North America that didn’t have a long-standing and successful film festival. It was the missing element of the arts in this city and would provide the film industry in the region a time to come together and grow. It was then that Dorothy decided to create the Forest City Film Festival, she brought together a small group of people around her kitchen table, created a board of directors and over the next decade built an organization dedicated to casting the spotlight on storytellers in Southwestern Ontario. After stepping back from the Executive Director role last year, to let the next generation continue to grow this wonderful festival, Dorothy has created an award to continue her commitment to celebrating filmmakers in this city.
Upon speaking with Dorothy, we learned why this award is so important:
What was the most important aspect for you in founding the Forest City Film Festival?
“When I think about why I created and gave so much energy to the Forest City Film Festival, it always comes back to one thing: giving emerging filmmakers a place to be seen, encouraged, and celebrated. Supporting new voices has been at the heart of the festival from the very beginning.”
You’ve done so much to support new filmmakers already, what made you feel an award was needed?
“Over the years, the festival has found many ways to nurture and champion talented creators, but I wanted to ensure that commitment would always remain a visible part of its future. The Dorothy Downs New Voices Award is my way of helping to create that lasting connection.”
What role in particular do you feel emerging filmmakers play in the industry that proves they deserve to be recognized?
“Without the fresh perspectives that emerging filmmakers bring to the Canadian film community, our culture would stagnate. Every new voice brings fresh perspectives and new ways of seeing the world. It is a privilege to support those artists as they begin their journeys.”
What do you intend for this award to accomplish, both now and in the future?
“My hope is that this award not only recognizes and shines a light on exceptional talent, but also encourages filmmakers to keep creating, keep taking risks, and keep sharing their voices. After all, new voices are not just the future of film—they are the reason the festival exists.”
Throughout her tenure, Dorothy has strived to nurture the festival’s growth, building an ecosystem that increases audience attendance and community engagement year after year. Over the years, as well as creating our festival and getting it on its feet as an event that makes London proud, she founded the Forest City Youth Film Festival, which provides a dedicated filmmaking competition for regional high school students. Additionally, she introduced special programming like: the Deep Dives series creating vital spaces for the community to connect, discover, and be educated on important topical issues. The Music Video Competition, celebrating the connection of music and film. The Ontario Screen Creators Conference, bringing the industry to London to give our regional filmmakers a place to connect, learn and grow. The Lifetime Achievement Award, (now the Impact Award), to celebrate the people connected to this region who have made a big impact on us, the industry and our culture.
After ten lively years of building this festival while creating space for new artists to share their stories, Dorothy has now passed on the torch as Executive Director so that the next generation can further advance what she has started. She remains involved as Consulting Artistic Director, maintaining her commitment to the festival and supporting its continuing vision. Ultimately, the Dorothy Downs New Voices Award stands as a lasting extension of this legacy, championing and investing in filmmakers at the most pivotal stages of their careers.
