Toronto – January 8, 2015
Award-winning documentary film Soul on Ice: Past Present & Future has been chosen for a private screening in Washington D.C., with the National Hockey League. Hosted by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis, the screening will take place Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 7:00 PM, at East Street Cinema (555 Eleventh Street NW, Washington D.C.). There will be a short question and answer period including writer and director Damon Kwame Mason and retired NHL veteran and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Grant Fuhr.
The film captured the People’s Choice award for Best Feature film at the 2015 Edmonton International Film Festival. Written and Directed by Toronto’s Damon Kwame Mason and produced by Chester Sit, the film focuses on how black athletes are making a name for themselves in the sport of hockey.
Following the Washington screening, Soul on Ice: Past, Present & Future will return to Toronto and be showcased at the Harbourfront Centre as part of Kuumba, in celebration of Black History Month. The screening will take place on Friday, February 5, 2016 at 7pm at the Studio Theatre (235 Queens Quay West).
Taking over two years to complete, Soul on Ice: Past Present & Future looks at past, present and future black hockey players in all levels of hockey from the minor leagues to the majors. With their numbers on the rise, the film focuses on how the history of black athletes in hockey has influenced and encouraged more youth and their families to put their children into programs, regardless of race.
“Hockey has a long-standing history of great men doing great things but it also has a history hardly spoken of, “ said Damon Kwame Mason, producer, director and writer of Soul on Ice: Past Present & Future. “This film is the story of some great athletes from the past and present who have changed the face of the game called hockey.”
The film introduces us to Brampton’s Jaden Lindo, a young black athlete looking to get drafted in the 2014 NHL Draft. The audience follows Jaden and his parents through the season, seeing the stress and pressure he has to go through to achieve his goal.
Soul on Ice: Past Present & Future includes appearances from hockey legend Don Cherry as well as influential players such as Grant Fuhr who was the first black athlete to win a Stanley Cup and get inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as well as Wayne Simmonds, Devonte Smith-Pelly, and Trevor Daley to name a few. These men talk about their experience of hardship and accomplishments that currently exist for black athletes in hockey today.
About Damon Kwame Mason
Damon Kwame Mason has been working in the Canadian entertainment industry since 1996. Kwame got his name out there thanks to popular radio stations like KISS 92.5 in Toronto where he co-hosted 2 hour hip hop and R&B mix show Da Vibe with DJ Short. In February 2001 Kwame became the weekend announcer on Toronto’s first urban radio station FLOW 93.5. He eventually went on to work for the morning show and became the Saturday night live-to-air announcer.
In addition to hosting, Kwame used his experience and expertise to help launch countless radio stations across Canada and has co-hosted with some of Canada’s most well-known DJs and stars like former NHL tough guy George Laraque.
Not afraid of being in front of an audience, Kwame has made appearances on popular sports shows like Off the Record and was named number 23 on Cabbie’s (Cabbie on the Street, The Score) Top Canadians. His philosophy is summed up like this “There’s nothing to it but to do it, let’s keep it moving.”
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