Justin Simms

Justin Simms
Born1973 (age 50–51)
Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Occupations

Justin Simms (born 1973) is a Newfoundland and Labrador filmmaker, born in Labrador City, a co-founder of Newfound Films, and is now based in St. John's. His first feature film was Down to the Dirt, an adaptation of Joel Hynes's novel that Simms directed and co-wrote, which was named best Atlantic feature and best screenplay at the Atlantic Film Festival. He was the director of the film Hold Fast (2013) based on the novel of the same name by Newfoundland author Kevin Major. His most recent feature film adaptation is Away From Everywhere (2016), based on the Chad Pelley novel of the same name, which had its world premiere at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival as part of Telefilm Canada’s Perspectives Canada program.[1]

His non-fiction credits include the National Film Board of Canada documentaries Hard Light (2011), winner of the Founder's Prize at Yorkton Film Festival;[2] Danny (2014), co-directed with William D. MacGillivray; and the short Hand.Line.Cod. (2016), which premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.[3][4]

In 2024 he released Sons, a documentary film about his process of grappling with the question of how to model a positive masculinity to his young son Jude.[5]

  1. ^ Bradbury, Tara (14 September 2016). "Local films highlighted at Atlantic Film Fest this week". The Telegram. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  2. ^ Ng, Danielle (28 May 2013). "Let the Daylight Into the Swamp wins best of fest Golden Sheaf". Playback. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  3. ^ Pennell, Josh (31 August 2013). "Filmmaker Justin Simms answers 20 Questions". The Telegram. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  4. ^ Tobin, Melissa (14 September 2016). "'Truly a special place': Fogo cod fishing documented in TIFF premiere". CBC News. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  5. ^ Elizabeth Whitten, "Newfoundland filmmaker explores raising son in era of toxic masculinity". CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, November 9, 2024.