🎬 IBDFF 2025 GALA AWARDS PROGRAM OVERVIEW

​

📅 Date: Saturday, May 31, 2025
🕑 Time: 12:30 PM – 10:47 PM
📍 Note: Multiple activities take place simultaneously. All award winners should proceed to the red carpet for interviews after receiving their award.

​

🌟 Red Carpet Coverage

• Red Carpet Host: Nina Bai

​

🎧 Event Hosts & Featured Talent

• Awards Ceremony Hosts: Jessica Myrie & Emilian Andrew

• National Anthem Performer: Mackeba Myrie – “O Canada”

• Event DJ: DJ Terance Narpatty (aka DJ Lion​

 

🕑 FULL EVENT SCHEDULE

​

🎞 PRE-GALA AWARD SCREENING

​

🕐 12:30 PM – 4:18 PM
Featured Films:

• Even Me 2.0

• The Pages Of My Heart: Volume 2

• STEP DAD (Closing Film)

• ​

📸 RED CARPET & ARRIVAL EXPERIENCE

🕓 Begins at 4:00 PM

Location: Gala Awards Lounge
Activities:

• Red Carpet Networking

• Media Interviews

• 360° Photo Booth

• Free Professional Headshots & Special Portraits

 

🏆 AWARDS CEREMONY OPENING PROGRAM

🕔 5:15 PM – 5:30 PM

• Hosted by: Jessica Myrie & 

• Emilian Andrew

Opening Segment Includes:

• Host Self-Introduction

• Land Acknowledgement

• “O Canada” – Performed by Mackeba Myrie

• Music Throughout by DJ Terance Narpatty (DJ Lion)

 

🍽 DINNER & NETWORKING

🕠 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Enjoy:

• Full Hot Meal

• Live Music

• Intermission Film Screenings:

  • Fall

  • What Happened to Bass Street

  • Dear Josephine

  • Never Turn Back

 

🎙 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS & INDUSTRY CONFERENCE

🕡 6:30 PM – 6:38 PM – Guest Speakers

• Mayor Shaun Collier – Video Message

• Chazz Okparanta – President, Chazz Financial Inc. & Chairman, IBDFF/BAFGC

• Sterling Lee – Deputy Mayor & Regional Councillor (Keynote)

 

🕟 6:40 PM – 6:55 PM – Industry Conference – Amplified

• Panel Topic: Representation Matters: Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in Film

• Format: Film Industry Panel Discussion

 

🎞 TRAILERS & SPONSOR RECOGNITION

🕔 6:56 PM – 7:00 PM

• IBDFF 2025 Official Trailers

• Julie Roy – Executive Director & CEO, Telefilm Canada (On Screen)

• Sponsor Spotlights:

  • Telefilm Canada

  • Chazz Financial

  • Town of Ajax & Ajax Public Library

 

🏅 AWARD PRESENTATIONS & ENTERTAINMENT

​

Awards Will Be Presented By:

• Deputy Mayor Sterling Lee

• Members of Ajax Council

• Chazz Okparanta, Chairman of IBDFF & BAFGC

 

🎖 7:00 PM – 7:15 PM – Awards + Red Carpet Interviews

• Awards Presentation + Winners' Red Carpet Interviews

​

🎵 7:15 PM – 7:25 PM – Live Performance

• Performer: Joy Cleste

 

🎖 7:25 PM – 7:40 PM – Awards + Red Carpet Interviews

• Awards Presentation + Winners' Red Carpet Interviews

 

🎬 INTERMISSION FEATURE SCREENING

🕢 7:40 PM – 8:10 PM

• Aneaus: The Boy Who Could Dance

 

🎤 COMMUNITY REMARKS & EVENING AWARDS CONTINUE

​

🕗 8:10 PM – 8:15 PM

• Guest Speaker: Nancy Henry, Councillor, City of Ajax (Ward 2)

 

🎖 8:16 PM – 8:31 PM – Awards + Interviews

• Awards Presentation + Winners' Red Carpet Interviews

​

🎵 8:32 PM – 8:42 PM – Live Performance

• Performer: D4wnatello

​

🎖 8:43 PM – 8:58 PM – Awards + Red Carpet Interviews

• Awards Presentation + Winners' Red Carpet Interviews

​

🎶 LIVE PERFORMANCES & AWARDS

🎵 9:00 PM – 9:10 PM

• Performer: Flavius Tyrone

​

🎖 9:11 PM – 9:26 PM– Awards + Interviews

• Awards Presentation + Winners' Red Carpet Interviews

​

🎵 9:27 PM – 9:37 PM

• Performer: CHXXX

​

🎖 9:38 PM – 9:53 PM– Awards + Interviews

• Awards Presentation + Winners' Red Carpet Interviews

​

🎞 LATE NIGHT SCREENINGS & FINAL AWARDS

🎬 9:54 PM – 10:04 PM

• Intermission Screening – On Screen Presentation

​

🎖 10:05 PM – 10:20 PM – Awards + Interviews

• Awards Presentation + Winners' Red Carpet Interviews

​

🎬 10:21 PM – 10:31 PM

• Final Intermission Screening – On Screen

​

🎖 10:32 PM – 10:47 PM – Final Awards & Closing Remarks

• Final Set of Awards Presentation

• Red Carpet Interviews

• Closing Remarks by: Mr. Isioro T. Jaboro, Founder of IBDFF

 

 

🎉 THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING IBDFF 2025

• See You at IBDFF 2026!

​

​