The Joy Awards are administered by the Linda Joy Media Arts Society out of Halifax, and among their 2015 recipients is local arts champion, Joshua Jamieson, for his short film based on a poem by Carmelita McGrath, from her Winterset-nominated collection, Escape Velocity.

“The poem was written beautifully and created vivid scenes in my head that I felt would translate to film exceptionally well,” he says of the origins of the script. The film, Waiting Outside, is being co-produced with Ruth Lawrence.

The award includes $7,500 in rental services from Atlantic Studios Cooperative, $2,000 in postproduction services, and $500 towards production equipment rental from the Newfoundland Independent Filmmakers Cooperative, and $1,200 in script consultations by John Doyle.

Past winners of the NL Joy Awards include Roger Maunder, Christian Sparkes, and Jordan Canning. “When I found out, I had to re-read the letter four or five times. I genuinely didn’t believe what I was reading at first, and my mom was sitting next to me at the time trying to figure out what was going on,” Jamieson said.

“To be in the company of these past recipients, including my co-producer Ruth, is a privilege. I have deep respect for my fellow Newfoundland and Labrador filmmakers. It’s truly an honour, and a wonderful reassuring vote of confidence for this project, and for me as an arts practitioner.”

The short film, which has been endorsed by the Canadian Cancer Society-NL (CCS-NL), focuses on a single father who is fighting for his life while striving to make the best possible one for his eight year old son.