Morningside

Fresh off his feature-length debut Bite of Mango, Ron Dias confidently tackles an ambitious script that celebrates community, supported by a stellar ensemble cast including Kiana Madeira, Lovell Adams-Gray, and Fefe Dobson.

Morningside is first and foremost a love letter to the Scarborough neighbourhood it’s named for, and is crafted with care and authenticity that celebrates the resilience of its community. The film offers a vivid portrait of the intertwining lives of a vibrant set of characters within a community centre, set against the backdrop of looming gentrification. 

This is the story of a young man with a dream of starting his own resort in Jamaica as he struggles to be a better man. It’s the story of a teen influencer who aspires to musical stardom and may actually possess the talent to realize that goal. It’s the story of a security guard with hopes of making it on the police force. But it's also the story of the tragic ripple effect of gun violence and how that shatters these lives…

In Morningside, Dias attempts a far more challenging narrative than his first feature and that risk pays off.

Content advisory: gun violence

–Richard B Pierre