AXT Behind the Screen: Short Film Showcase (Private Event)

Happy New Year! Access Threshold is starting 2026 off strong with a fantastic AXT Behind the Screen Short Film Showcase, and you won’t want to miss it.

About the Event

AXT Behind the Screen isn’t your typical screening and Q&A. It brings together industry leaders and brilliant emerging creatives for open exchange and collaboration. Designed as both an experience and a dialogue, it briefly dissolves the distance among creatives, industry, and the audience, offering an immersive, interactive approach to learning while celebrating our shared love of film.

Each AXT Behind the Screen event blends:

• The engagement of a Q&A
• The intimacy of a fireside chat
• The collaborative spark of a roundtable
• A moderated dialogue shaped around a specific industry perspective

The Showcase: Toronto PoGMI Short Films

On Friday, January 23, Access Threshold is hosting a series of short films by a group of talented Toronto PoGMI creatives. Drawing from various genres, the evening will feature docudramas, sci-fi, hard-hitting dramas, dark comedies, music videos, and more.

Films Screening:

• KWA GOGO ANGA (To My Elders), dir. Chifundo Thangata
• DOW, dir. Sofi Asali
• FRIED RICE, dir. Lola Oguntuase
• CRY BABY CRY, dir. Esther Caszo
• WHAT THEY DON’T TELL YOU, dir. Keisha James
• YOU DON’T READ ENOUGH, dir. Emilia Michalowska
• JGS, dir. Kadhja Bonet
• LAST STOP, VEGAS, dir. Brandon Darcel
• PERFORMANCE ANXIETY, dir. Trey Anderson

The Q&A: Film Festival Strategies

Following the screening, join us for an interactive Q&A with Access Threshold co-founder Carolyn Mauricette, Eric Bizzarri, Co-founder and CEO of Future of Film Showcase (FOFS), and the filmmakers themselves. Together, they’ll discuss film festival strategies and how short filmmakers navigate the festival landscape, offering invaluable insight for emerging creatives looking to get their work seen.

The Workshop

The evening will close with an immersive workshop and key takeaways facilitated by Access Threshold co-founder Keda Edwards Pierre, giving attendees practical tools and strategies to take away and apply to their own creative journeys.

Why Attend AXT Behind the Screen?

AXT Behind the Screen is a space where real conversations happen, where emerging creatives get direct access to industry trailblazers, and where the love of film becomes a catalyst for connection and growth. This Short Film Showcase is a celebration of PoGMI talent, a masterclass in navigating the festival circuit, and a community experience all in one evening.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Event Details

• Date: Friday, January 23, 2026
• Time: 6:30 PM
• Location: Downtown Toronto (location confirmed after RSVP)
• RSVP to secure your spot