TORONTO – Mustafa Ahmed is making history as the first artist to win the Prism Prize twice.
The Sudanese-Canadian musician and director, who performs simply as Mustafa, earned this year’s award with his self-directed music video for the song “Name of God.”
The clip features several striking images, including the Toronto-based artist dancing in his living room with friends and riding on the back of a motorcycle draped in the Sudanese flag.
“Name of God” was selected by a jury of more than 120 professionals from the music and visual arts industries.
They considered a short list of 10 Canadian music videos that included “Blame Brett” by the Beaches, “Demons” by Allison Russell and “I’m Good” from last year’s winner Snotty Nose Rez Kids.
Ahmed receives $20,000 as part of the award. He previously won the Prism Prize in 2022 for his deeply personal, self-directed music video “Ali.”
Among the other winners, this year’s $5,000 audience award went to Palestinian-Canadian artist Nemahsis who’s based in Toronto. The win is shared with directors Norman Wong, based in Toronto, and Amy Gardner, based in New York, for their music video “I Wanna Be Your Right Hand.”
Toronto hip-hop artist Tobi received the $2,500 Willie Dunn Award, given to a trailblazer in the Canadian music community.
It allows the performer, born Oluwatobi Ajibolade, to select an emerging Canadian creative to receive an additional $2,500. He chose Nigerian-Canadian multidisciplinary artist Niyi Adeogun.
The Prism Prize began in 2013 and is a division of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, which also runs the Canadian Screen Awards.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2024.
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