The Jamaican film “Diary of a Badman” took two prestigious awards at the 11th annual Caribbean Tales Film Festival held in Toronto, Canada. Jacinth Sutphin won in the “Best Actor/Actress” category, while the film itself, directed by Diemiruaya Deniran, won the award for “Best Feature Film.” The Toronto showing was the film’s Canadian premiere. The festival celebrates established and emerging talents of filmmakers of Caribbean heritage who work throughout the Caribbean Diaspora , including Europe, the Americas, Africa, China, India and the Middle East, in addition to Canada and the Caribbean region. “Battledream Chronicle” directed by Alain Bidard of Martinique took the award in the Caribbean Spirit Feature category; “Si Bondye Vle Yuli (God Wiling, Yuli)” directed by Jean Jean of the Dominican Republic won Best Documentary; “Battledream Chronicle” directed by Alain Bidard of Martinique took the award in the Caribbean Spirit Feature category; by The Akua Benjamin Legacy Project and Ryerson University Executive Producer -Alison Duke was honored as the Best Canadian Presentation; “Ti Coq” directed by Nadia Charlery of Martinique won for Best Short; and “Dreams in Transit“ directed by Karen Martinez of Trinidad and Tobago won in the Caribbean Spirit Short category.

About the “Diary of a Badman”-  He was her assignment. She became his diary. Detective Simone Williams (Jacinth Sutphin), a Jamaican immi-grant to the US, dreams of working undercover on a high profile case. She finally gets her chance to go undercover in an attempt to catch a notorious drug dealer, Winston Bailey aka Bucky. She falls victim to his charming personality; compromising her assignment. Lines begin to blur as she gets in deeper. Over time, Williams develops a close bond with Bailey, and their loyalties are put to the ultimate test.