Toronto actor Nabil Rajo wins the Canadian Screen Award for best lead actor in a feature film for his role in the Montreal production of Boost, one of five nominations received for the film.
“You have no idea what this means to a kid from Asmara, Eritrea” Rajo says. “I’ve waited a very long time to see a character like Hakeem on the big screen. Representation does matter.”
Boost is a gritty, fast-paced thriller delving into the lives of two teenage best friends, Hakeem, the son of east African immigrants and Anthony ‘A-Mac’ McDonald, who become entangled with the mob after stealing a car that leads to a windfall of cash, but has dire consequences down the road - forcing Hakeem to make a life-altering decision and define the type of man he will become.
Boost is a rare English feature film set in Montreal and led by a full ensemble black cast. The film is Nabil Rajo’s first lead role.
Supporting actors Jahmil French and Oluniké Adeliyi were also nominated.
Boost was written and directed by Darren Curtis, and produced by Academy-Award winner Bunbury Films in co-production with Havelock Films, and in association with Telefilm Canada. It is distributed by Filmoption International.