Sarah Deakins is a graduate of the University of Victoria theatre program and has extensive stage and screen credits. The first short film Deakins penned and starred in, Late, was selected as part of Telefilm Canada’s Not Short On Talent Program in Cannes. As writer/director, her short, Greece, produced by Brightlight Pictures, has collected over 25 awards on the festival circuit. She is the creator/writer/director on an anthology series called In Person, in development with Brightlight Pictures. The 35 min pilot episode, Yellow, has toured festivals as a stand-alone short and won multiple awards, including the Audience Award at Dances With Films. Deakins’ most recent short film, Greatness, is an inspiration piece for Happenstance, the dramatic web series she is developing to be shot in Toronto in 2021.
In March 2020, Deakins was selected for the Women In the Director’s Chair (WIDC) Career Advancement Module in Vancouver. She subsequently received WIDC’s Telefilm Talent to Watch Program nomination and mentorship award for her web series Happenstance. Deakins is also developing her first dramatic feature film, VIOLET, which was selected among the top 40 in the 2020 Academy Nicholl Fellowship Screenwriting Competition.
Awards & Nominations
Late (short, written by)
Best Actress in a Short Film Nominee, Leo Awards
Winner, Brian Linehan Actors Awards
Greece (short, written, directed, produced by):
Winner, Best Shorts Competition
Best International Short Film, Rendezvous Film Fest
1st Place Narrative Short, Los Angeles Reel Film Festival
Best Short Film – Drama, Action On Film Fest
Award of Excellence Winner, Loose Shorts, Drama, WRPN Film Competition
Award Of Excellence Winner, Short Film, The Indie Fest
Award Of Excellence, Short Film, The Accolade Competition
Best Short Film, Winter Film Awards
Platinum Winner, Narrative Short, International Independent Film Awards
Award Of Merit, Short Film Drama, Depth Of Field IFF Competition
Best First Time Director, American Movie Awards
Best Writing In A Narrative short film, Sophie Awards
Platinum Winner, Directing, International Independent Film Awards
Award Of Excellence, Women Filmmakers, The Accolade Competition
The Xristos Award, Action On Film Fest
Audience Award, Toronto Independent Film FestivalAudience Award
Wild Sound FF
Best Actress, Los Angeles Reel Film Festival
Award Of Excellence, Leading Actress, The Indie Fest
Best Actress, TOFF Festival
Exceptional Merit Award, Lead Actress, Depth Of Field IFF Competition
Best Actress In A Short Film, Action On Film Fest
Best Actress Nominee, Maverick Movie Awards
Best Actress in a Short Film Nominee, Leo Awards
Award of Excellence Winner, Editing, WRPN Film Competition
Best Editing Nominee, Maverick Movie Awards
Best Cinematography, Los Angeles Reel Film Festival
Award of Excellence Winner, Cinematography, WRPN Film Competition
Best Cinematography Nominee, Maverick Movie Awards
Honourable Mention, TOF Festival
Honourable Mention, Canada Shorts Film Festival
Honorable Mention, Santa Monica International Indie FF
Audience Special Mention Award, TOFF Film Fest
Special Mention, I Filmmaker International Film Festival, Marbella
Best Picture Nominee, Maverick Movie Awards
Best Screenplay Nominee, Maverick Movie Awards
Daily Short Pick, Film Shortage
Yellow (short, written, directed, produced by):
Best Director, Winter Film Awards NYC
Audience Award, Pilots, Dances With Films Festival
Award of Excellence: Women Filmmakers, Best Shorts Competition
Best Actor, Leo Awards
Best Cinematography, Wake Forest Film Festival
Award of Excellence: Actor: Leading, Best Shorts Competition
Award of Excellence: Actress: Leading, Best Shorts Competition
Award of Excellence Special Mention: TV – Pilot Program, Best Shorts Competition
Honourable Mention – Athens International Monthly Art Film Fest
Best Female Director – Phoenix Short Film Fest
Best Canadian Film – Toronto Film Magazine Fest
Winner Best Canadian Short Film – Hollywood North Film Awards
Winner Best Director of a Canadian Short Film – Hollywood North Film Awards
Best Writer in a Canadian Short Film, Nominee – Hollywood North Film Awards