# Justin Simms

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Justin_Simms
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Justin_Simms.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Simms
> Source revision: 1257166373
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{short description|Canadian film director and screenwriter (born 1973)}}
{{Infobox person
|image =
|imagesize =
| name        = Justin Simms
| birth_date   = {{Birth year and age|1973}}
| birth_place  = [Labrador City](/source/Labrador_City), [Newfoundland and Labrador](/source/Newfoundland_and_Labrador), [Canada](/source/Canada)
| death_date   =
| death_place  =
| othername   =
| occupation  = {{hlist|[Film director](/source/Film_director)|[Screenwriter](/source/Screenwriter)|[Film editor](/source/Film_editor)}}
| yearsactive = 
}}

'''Justin Simms''' (born 1973) is a [Newfoundland and Labrador](/source/Newfoundland_and_Labrador) filmmaker, born in [Labrador City](/source/Labrador_City), a co-founder of Newfound Films, and is now based in [St. John's](/source/St._John's%2C_Newfoundland_and_Labrador). His first feature film was ''[Down to the Dirt](/source/Down_to_the_Dirt)'', an adaptation of [Joel Hynes](/source/Joel_Hynes)'s novel that Simms directed and co-wrote, which was named best Atlantic feature and best screenplay at the [Atlantic Film Festival](/source/Atlantic_Film_Festival). He was the director of the film ''Hold Fast'' (2013) based on the novel of the same name by Newfoundland author [Kevin Major](/source/Kevin_Major). His most recent feature film adaptation is ''[Away From Everywhere](/source/Away_From_Everywhere)'' (2016), based on the [Chad Pelley](/source/Chad_Pelley) novel of the same name, which had its world premiere at the [2016 Cannes Film Festival](/source/2016_Cannes_Film_Festival) as part of [Telefilm Canada](/source/Telefilm_Canada)’s Perspectives Canada program.<ref name="Bradbury">{{cite news|last1=Bradbury|first1=Tara|title=Local films highlighted at Atlantic Film Fest this week|url=http://www.thetelegram.com/Living/Entertainment/2016-09-14/article-4641049/Local-films-highlighted-at-Atlantic-Film-Fest-this-week/1|accessdate=3 October 2016|work=The Telegram|date=14 September 2016}}</ref> 

His non-fiction credits include the [National Film Board of Canada](/source/National_Film_Board_of_Canada) documentaries ''Hard Light'' (2011), winner of the Founder's Prize at [Yorkton Film Festival](/source/Yorkton_Film_Festival);<ref name="Ng">{{cite news|last1=Ng|first1=Danielle|title=Let the Daylight Into the Swamp wins best of fest Golden Sheaf|url=http://playbackonline.ca/2013/05/28/let-the-daylight-into-the-swamp-wins-best-of-fest-golden-sheaf/|accessdate=3 October 2016|work=Playback|date=28 May 2013}}</ref> ''[Danny](/source/Danny_(2014_film))'' (2014), co-directed with [William D. MacGillivray](/source/William_D._MacGillivray); and the short ''Hand.Line.Cod.'' (2016), which premiered at the [2016 Toronto International Film Festival](/source/2016_Toronto_International_Film_Festival).<ref name="Pennell">{{cite news|last1=Pennell|first1=Josh|title=Filmmaker Justin Simms answers 20 Questions|url=http://www.thetelegram.com/Living/2013-08-31/article-3369056/Filmmaker-Justin-Simms-answers-20-Questions/1|accessdate=3 October 2016|work=The Telegram|date=31 August 2013}}</ref><ref name="Tobin">{{cite news|last1=Tobin|first1=Melissa|title='Truly a special place': Fogo cod fishing documented in TIFF premiere|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/hand-line-cod-tiff-fogo-1.3759874|accessdate=3 October 2016|work=CBC News|date=14 September 2016}}</ref>

In 2024 he released ''Sons'', a documentary film about his process of grappling with the question of how to model a positive [masculinity](/source/masculinity) to his young son Jude.<ref>Elizabeth Whitten, [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/justin-simms-film-sons-1.7376559 "Newfoundland filmmaker explores raising son in era of toxic masculinity"]. [CBC News](/source/CBC_News) Newfoundland and Labrador, November 9, 2024.</ref>

==Filmography==

===Features===
*''[Down to the Dirt](/source/Down_to_the_Dirt)'' (2008)
*''Hold Fast'' (2013)
*''[Danny](/source/Danny_(2014_film))'' (2014) (co-directed with [William D. MacGillivray](/source/William_D._MacGillivray))<ref name="McGregor">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/danny-williams-documentary-premieres-at-atlantic-film-festival-1.2764205|title=Danny Williams documentary premieres at Atlantic Film Festival|last=McGregor|first=P.|date=12 September 2014|work=[CBC News](/source/CBC_News)|accessdate=15 September 2023}}</ref>
*''Away From Everywhere'' (2016)
*''Hand.Line.Cod'' (2016)
*''Becoming Labrador'' (2019)
*''Sons'' (2024)

===Short films===
*''The Audience'' (2001)
*''Heartless Disappearance Into Labrador Seas'' (2002)
*''Ashore'' (2002)
*''The King Hunt'' (2004)
*''Face Machine'' (2006)
*''Punch-Up at A Wedding'' (2006)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|1100152}}
*Watch [https://www.nfb.ca/explore-all-directors/justin-simms/ documentaries by Justin Simms] at NFB.ca

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simms, Justin}}
Category:1973 births
Category:Living people
Category:People from Labrador City
Category:Film directors from Newfoundland and Labrador
Category:Canadian male screenwriters
Category:Writers from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Category:21st-century Canadian screenwriters
Category:21st-century Canadian male writers
Category:Screenwriters from Newfoundland and Labrador
Category:Canadian documentary film directors

{{Canada-film-director-stub}}
{{Newfoundland-stub}}

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Justin Simms](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Simms) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Simms?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.