“Monday Mourning” unfolds through the mysterious journey of Daniel, portrayed by Dominic Bogart, who returns home after a prolonged absence, igniting a series of enigmatic and emotionally charged encounters, particularly with his sister, played by the talented newcomer Claire Haller. Bogart’s portrayal of Daniel highlights his adeptness in conveying deep emotional narratives, a skill previously noted in lead roles like the 2012 Sundance hit “I Am Not a Hipster,” directed by Destin Daniel Cretton.
To date, “Monday Mourning” has won 6 awards out of 13 nominations across the global film festival circuit. Aside from the IMPA, its awards include:
- Best Student Film for Dustin Kahia and Best Acting Duo for Dominic Bogart and Claire Haller at the Cal Film Festival.
- The Always Late TV Movie Awards recently honored Dominic Bogart with his third Best Actor award for his role in “Monday Mourning,” which also received nominations for Best Director of a Short Film for Dustin Kahia, Best Short Drama, and Best Actress in a Short Film for Claire Haller.
- Internationally, the film was awarded Best Student Short Film at the Istanbul International Spring Film Festival and Best Actress at the Milan Shorts Film Festival.
Adding to its series of achievements, over the weekend, “Monday Mourning” was selected as an Official Selection of the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF), which recently became a qualifying event for the Canadian Screen Awards. The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is Canada’s equivalent of the Oscars.
Building on the success of “Monday Mourning,” Director Dustin Kahia is gearing up for his feature directorial debut with “Crosspoint,” a sci-fi thriller co-written with Tian Kok. The project is currently in the financing and packaging stage. Despite initial delays, the project is moving forward, with principal photography tentatively scheduled for spring 2025, promising another intriguing exploration of human stories against the backdrop of compelling narratives.
