EMPz 4 Life

Last updated
EMPz 4 Life
Directed by Allan King
Produced byAllan King
CinematographyMark Ellam
Edited by Nick Hector
Music byChris Ellis
Production
company
At Home in the Hood Films
Release date
  • September 9, 2006 (2006-09-09)(TIFF)
Running time
113 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

EMPz 4 Life is a 2006 Canadian documentary film, directed by Allan King. [1] Made in conjunction with writer Joseph Jomo Pierre, the film profiles a small group of Black Canadian youths living in the troubled Toronto neighbourhood of Malvern, who are enrolled in an after-school math tutoring program run by social worker Brian Henry in an effort to keep them in school and not out on the streets. [2]

Contents

The film takes its title from graffiti in the neighbourhood, referring to Empringham Drive. [1]

The film premiered on September 9, 2006, at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival, [3] but was distributed primarily as an episode of TVOntario's documentary series The View from Here in February 2007. [4]

It was King's final film, as his planned next film was in production but not completed at the time of his death in 2009. [5]

Awards

The film was a shortlisted nominee for the Donald Brittain Award, and Mark Ellam was nominated for Best Photography in a Documentary Program or Series, at the 22nd Genie Awards in 2007. [6] The film was also shortlisted for the Directors Guild of Canada's DGC Award for Best Documentary Film. [7]

Impact

The film received renewed attention in 2025 as the subject of a possible "curse", as several of the youths from Henry's program who appeared in the film are now dead or in prison. [8]

References

  1. 1 2 Geoff Pevere, "Toronto's troubled youth in focus; Seen through eyes of social worker: Documentary has no easy answers". Toronto Star , September 9, 2006.
  2. ↑ Betsy Powell, "King's doc tackles race; Festival offering headed to television Film sheds light on Malvern area youth". Toronto Star , September 14, 2006.
  3. ↑ "Quick Hits on big films". Toronto Star , September 3, 2006.
  4. ↑ Anthony Rinehart, "Close-ups in the fight against the thug life". The Globe and Mail , February 23, 2007.
  5. ↑ Bruce Kirkland, "Canadian Filmmaker Allan King dead at 79". Edmonton Sun , June 16, 2009.
  6. ↑ "TV dramas lead the field for Gemini Awards". CBC News, August 28, 2007.
  7. ↑ Guy Dixon, "Polley battles zombies at Directors Guild awards". The Globe and Mail , August 14, 2007.
  8. ↑ Betsy Powell, "The boys of ‘EMPz 4 Life’: How life, death and murder haunt the ‘hero’ of this acclaimed Toronto documentary". Toronto Star , December 20, 2025.


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