Jeff Barnaby facts for kids

Jeff Barnaby (born 1976 – died October 13, 2022) was a talented filmmaker from Canada. He was a director, writer, composer, and film editor. Jeff Barnaby was especially known for his exciting horror movies, like Rhymes for Young Ghouls and Blood Quantum.

Early Life

Jeff Barnaby was born in 1976. His birthplace was a Mi'kmaq reserve in Listuguj, Quebec. He studied film at two colleges: Dawson College and Concordia University.

Film Career

Barnaby started his filmmaking journey by directing short films. His short film From Cherry English won two important awards in 2004. These were the Best Aboriginal and Best Videography awards at the Yorkton Film Festival.

Another one of his short films, File Under Miscellaneous, was also recognized. It was nominated for a Genie Award for Best Live Action Short Drama in 2010.

First Feature Film

Rhymes for Young Ghouls was Jeff Barnaby's first full-length movie. It was shown for the first time at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. The film was released in Canada by its production company, Prospector Films, in 2014. Later, in July 2014, a company called Monterrey Media helped distribute the film in the United States.

For his great work directing this film, Barnaby was named Best Director of a Canadian Film. This award came from the Vancouver Film Critics Circle.

Later Projects

In 2015, the National Film Board of Canada invited Barnaby to join a special project. It was called Souvenir, and it brought together four First Nations filmmakers. They used old film materials to create short documentaries. Barnaby's part in this project was a short film called Etlinisigu'niet (Bleed Down).

Barnaby's second full-length movie was Blood Quantum. It premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. This film was chosen to open the festival's Midnight Madness section. It was also voted as the second favorite film by the audience in that section.

Blood Quantum can be watched on the Shudder streaming service in the U.S. and other countries. In Canada, you can watch it on Crave.

At the 9th Canadian Screen Awards in 2021, Barnaby received more honors. He was nominated for Best Original Screenplay. He also won the award for Best Editing for his work on Blood Quantum.

Personal Life

Jeff Barnaby was a member of the Mi'kmaq people. He was married to Sarah Del Seronde, who is a filmmaker from the Navajo nation. They had one son together.

Sadly, Jeff Barnaby passed away in Montreal on October 13, 2022. He had been battling cancer for a year.

After his death, the imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival and Netflix started a special program. It's called the Jeff Barnaby Grant. This program helps new Indigenous filmmakers create their own movies.

Filmography

• From Cherry English (2004)
• The Colony (2007)
• File Under Miscellaneous (2010)
• Rhymes for Young Ghouls (2013)
• Etlinisigu'niet (Bleed Down) (2015)
• Blood Quantum (2019)