Parallel Minds
Nominated for Best Director
Benjamin Ross Hayden, Director
Benjamin Ross Hayden is an Indigenous (Metis) film director from Western Canada. The youngest filmmaker in Canada accepted to the Telefilm Canada micro program in the roles of director, writer, and producer whose films have premiered at over 60 international film festivals worldwide. In the past two years, Hayden has directed and written two feature films within one year. Hayden is currently in postproduction from directing and producing his third theatrical feature, "The First Encounter" with a theatrical guarantee in Landmark Cinemas across Canada. Hayden’s storytelling is visual and character-driven, exploring social and political topics from the Métis perspective with a high concept scope and distinct style. Vice Magazine lauded his first feature, The Northlander, as “One of Indigenous Cinema’s Most Important Films.”
The Northlander (2016) has sold to over thirty territories and premiered at fifteen international film festivals including ImagiNATIVE Film Festival, and Montreal World Film Festival, with numerous broadcasts on APTN. Hayden's sophomore feature, "Parallel Minds" stars Greg Bryk (Ad Astra, Saw V) and Tommie-Amber Pirie (Killjoys - Syfy), and will be distributed in Canada by levelFILM. Agophobia (2013) is Benjamin’s first award-winning science fiction that premiered at over twenty international film festivals including Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival, won Best Film at the Academy Award-qualifying Rhode Island Film Festival, is preserved in National Cinematheque of Mexico City, and distributed by Shorts International on iTunes and Amazon worldwide.