Details
Union:
Non union
Area of media:
Short Film
Network:
Paid?:
Yes
Rates:
Principal: $200/day, Actor: $148/day
Deadline:
Sept 26, 2025
Shooting starts:
Oct 3, 2025
Shooting finishes:
Oct 5, 2025
Cities for response:
Toronto
Comments
Always Tomorrow will be shot on 16mm film. For this coming-of-age arthouse project, naturalistic performances and emotional restraint are key. Performers must be comfortable with minimal takes and precise direction due to limited film stock. For characters with Farsi dialogue, pronunciation coaching and transliteration can be provided. Content warning: This film explores violent themes, portrayed subtly rather than graphically.
Storyline
A day in the life of Jelani, a Black-Iranian teen in Toronto, navigating cultural expectations, peer pressures, and the quiet hope of the basketball court—until a tragic event changes everything.
Roles
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Lead | Jelani | Male 18 - 25 Years old |
Description (Male, 17, Black-Iranian or Mixed Heritage)A quiet but emotionally rich teenager navigating multiple identities. Jelani is introspective, observant, and deeply torn between the pull of the streets and his desire to rise above them. He is the son of an Iranian mother and a Black father. Athletic, but not flashy—basketball is his way out. He carries the tension of dual heritage and the weight of expectation. Jelani speaks basic Farsi at home; coaching and transliteration available. Performer must believably play 16–18 and be comfortable with basketball fundamentals (dribbling, shooting). LEAD | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Principal | Treezy | Male 18 - 25 Years old |
Description (Male, 18, Black)A local hustler with charisma and edge. Treezy is slick, funny, and knows how to survive. He has ambition and charm but lives by his own rules. He genuinely cares for Jelani and acts like a big brother, but he's also trying to pull Jelani into the game. Can shift from warm to threatening in a moment. Performer must have comfort with fast-paced, natural dialogue and show emotional complexity, street smarts, and heart PRINCIPAL | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Principal | Kyle | Male 20 - 29 Years old |
Description (Male, 20s, Black)A hostile presence on the street. Confronts Jelani and tries to rob him. Acts out of desperation and bravado. A man hardened by his environment. Needs to feel threatening without becoming a caricature. PRINCIPAL | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Actor | Maman | Female 40 - 55 Years old |
Description (Female, 42, Black-Iranian)Jelani’s mother. Strong, traditional, and quietly loving. She represents structure, discipline, and the cultural root Jelani is drifting from. Her love is expressed through discipline and care. Wears a hijab. Speaks entirely in Farsi. ACTOR | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Actor | Kamran | Male 20 - 29 Years old |
Description (Male, 20s, Black-Iranian or Mixed Heritage)Jelani’s older brother. Calm, cool, and streetwise. Kamran is removed but watchful—a quiet protector. He's detached from family life but remains part of the picture, dispensing wisdom without getting too involved. He's crossed lines in his past, but now prefers to stay low. ACTOR | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Actor | Sambo | Male 30 - 39 Years old |
Description (Male, 30s, Black)A plainclothes police officer. Efficient, aggressive, professional. His presence introduces tension—he is both part of the community and the system. Not villainous, but not heroic either. This role requires some running (brief foot chase). ACTOR | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Actor | Store Clerk | Female 40 - 69 Years old |
Description (Female, 40s-60s, BIPOC)A familiar figure in the neighbourhood. Shows quiet compassion to Jelani without needing to say much. ACTOR | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Actor | Church Caretaker | Male 50 - 69 Years old |
Description (Male, 50-60s, Any Ethnicity)A working-class man who oversees the church. Offers Jelani reminders of responsibility. A grounded fatherly figure, a stabilizing presence. ACTOR | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Background | Boy on Bike | Male 6 - 9 Years old |
Description (Male, 6–8, Black or Mixed-race)Energetic and playful. A spark of hope. Performer must be able to comfortably ride a bicycle. BACKGROUND | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Background | Detective | All 30 - 55 Years old |
Description (Any Gender, 30s–50s, Any Ethnicity)Non-speaking character at crime scene. BACKGROUND | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Background | Neighbours / Community Members | All 18 - 70 Years old |
Description (Any Gender, 18+, Any Ethnicity)Background characters for townhouse exterior and courtyard scenes. BACKGROUND | ||