Photo: Still from the short film, The Difference Between Us, written and directed by Dabi Anele (NSI Intro to Production – Manitoba Edition)

National Canadian Film Day celebrates our stories and the incredible achievements of filmmakers while connecting our cultures and shared values.

This year, we are excited to share the award-winning short film The Difference Between Us written and directed by Dabi Anele, who collaborated with co-participants from last year’s NSI Intro to Production – Manitoba Edition to bring the film to life.

For today only, The Difference Between Us is available for exclusive viewing above from 12 a.m. CT to 11:59 p.m. CT.

After watching the film, enjoy the Q+A below with Dabi Anele and the National Screen Institute’s communications and outreach manager Abiola Agbayewa, introduced by Sarah Simpson-Yellowquill, manager of programs and development.

Q+A with Dabi Anele

We hope you’ll watch (and rewatch) the film while it’s still available on our website. Include us in your #CanFilmDay celebrations by tagging us (@nsicanada), @canfilmday and @reelcanada on Instagram.

Enjoy this massive, one-day celebration of Canadian cinema!

About The Difference Between Us

Rebecca, a young white woman, learns unexpected news that unsettles the already fragile dynamic with her boyfriend — a relationship built more on expectation than love. Beneath it all lies a long-suppressed longing for Emmanuel, her closest friend, a Black man she’s never dared to love openly.

One impulsive night brings buried feelings to the surface leading to a tense conversation where they confront their fears and what they really want.

The Difference Between Us explores race, desire and the courage to choose your own path over the one prescribed.

About writer/director Dabi Anele

Dabi Anele is an award-winning filmmaker whose incisive storytelling examines the complexities of human connection. His short film The Difference Between Us won Best Student Film at the Black Actors and Film Guild Canada’s Canadian Black Screen Awards 2025, establishing him as a compelling new voice in cinema.

With a multifaceted background spanning acting, screenwriting, directing, advisory and production, Dabi’s work is informed by his training at the National Screen Institute and experience across Canadian television. His filmmaking combines technical precision with emotional resonance, creating narratives that challenge audiences while remaining grounded.

Instagram: @itsdabii_

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NSI Intro to Production – Manitoba Edition offered hands-on training to refugees and newcomers to Manitoba who arrived in Canada within the last five years and were interested in working in film and television. The program began with online workshops focused on scriptwriting, followed by a six-day, in-person workshop where participants collaborated on a short film written by one of their peers.

2024 NSI Intro to Production participants:

• Roula Al-Kayal
• Dabi Anele
• Alireza Bayat
• Katnancy Cumti
• Heady Fortuna
• Vira Mylyan-Monastyrska
• Elijah Oyibu
• Hossam Presly
• Sukhmanpreet Singh
• Kateryna Starikova

All participants resided in Winnipeg, Manitoba at the time of training.

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NSI Intro to Production – Manitoba Edition was funded by Program Partner Manitoba Arts, Culture and Sport in Community Fund, Strategic Sponsors Telefilm Canada and Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada, Provincial Sponsor Manitoba Film and Music, Industry Supporters Reel Canada and On Screen Manitoba. Core Funders: Manitoba Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism and the City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council.