The Beard screened last night to a full house as part of the first annual Gladstone Hotel Film Festival! I was absolutely thrilled to have The Beard finally screen in Toronto, but even more so when I was recognized with an award for 'Outstanding Direction'! Along with that I was granted funds from PS Production Services that will go toward production next year!

I can't thank Stephanie Hooker and the Gladstone Hotel Film Festival enough for including The Beard in their first festival outing, and recognizing the direction of the film. Truly appreciative. I would also like to thank friends and family that came out in support of the film and my self, and the awesome cast & crew of The Beard that made all this possible.

So what's next on tap? The Beard is competing in the finals of CBC's Short Film Face Off this Saturday! Voting kicks off for a 24 hr period right after the third episode goes off the air at 8 PM EST. At that time, you can vote for your favorite film here or by phone at 1-877-876-3636.

Episodes of the show can be viewed here ('Films/Schedule' link). For international audiences who may not be able to view the content on the site, you can watch the film below!

Written and directed by Yaz Rabadi, The Beard tells the story of an elderly Sikh (Sam Moses) who has been victimized as a result of his racial appearance, and how he struggles to deal with his given circumstances in the aftermath of the violent attack.