Justin Oakey

Justin Oakey is a Canadian film director.

Early life

Oakey was born in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Career

Oakey's debut feature film Riverhead was released in 2016.

He began his career as an editor before beginning to direct short films and music videos. His most noted short film, Flankers, was released in 2014, and was screened at various film festivals, including winning the award for best short film at the National Screen Institute's NSI Short Film Festival in 2016.

Following Flankers he entered production on Riverhead, which premiered at the Atlantic International Film Festival in 2016. His second feature film A Fire in the Cold Season, followed in 2019.

His third narrative feature film, Hangashore, premiered at the 2025 Atlantic International Film Festival. It has won a number of awards, including the DGC Award for Best Director and a Special Jury Prize for Best Cinematography at the Canadian Film Festival.

He has also continued to work as an editor, both on his own films and on work by other directors. His most noted credits as an editor is on the 2025 horror film Dolly, and the 2023 fantasy film The King Tide, for which he won the award for Best Atlantic Editor at the 2023 Atlantic International Film Festival, and the award for Best Editing in a Feature Film at the 2024 Canadian Cinema Editors awards.

Filmography

Director

Year Title Type Ref.
2013 The World Is Burning Short
2014 Flankers Short
2016 Riverhead Feature
2019 A Fire in the Cold Season Feature
2023 The Dogs of Petty Harbour Documentary
2025 Hangashore Feature

Editor

Year Title Director Type Ref.
2008 V.C.R. Student Short
2010 Ludibrium Jonathan Balazs Student Short
2013 Mitten Amanda Row Short
2016 Riverhead Justin Oakey Feature
2018 Incredible Violence G. Patrick Condon Feature
2019 A Fire in the Cold Season Justin Oakey Feature
2019 Melody Anna Wheeler Short
2020 Under The Weather William D. MacGillivray Feature
2021 A Small Fortune Adam Perry Feature
2023 The Dogs of Petty Harbour Justin Oakey Documentary
2023 Blood for Dust Rod Blackhurst Feature
2023 The King Tide Christian Sparkes Feature
2024 Pearls Mike Simms Short
2025 Oliver Andrew Strickland Short
2025 Hangashore Justin Oakey Feature
2025 Dolly Rod Blackhurst Feature
2026 The Outer Threat William Woods Feature
2026 Purgatory Lindsay Lanzillotta Feature

References

  1. 1 2 "Filmmaker Justin Oakey making waves with 'Flankers' short film". CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, July 25, 2015.
  2. 1 2 Andrew Sketchley, "Riverhead: Small Town Violence In Newfoundland". The East, September 15, 2016.
  3. ↑ Jordan Pinto, "NSI names Online Short Film Fest winners". Playback, April 12, 2016.
  4. ↑ Andrew Robinson, "C.B.N. has a role in new film". The Telegram, May 9, 2016.
  5. ↑ Wendy Rose, "'A Fire in the Cold Season' sizzles". The Telegram, October 1, 2020.
  6. ↑ Kelly Townsend, "AIFF unveils four Atlantic features as world premieres for 45th festival". Playback, July 23, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Newfoundlanders Win Big at Atlantic International Film Festival". VOCM, September 24, 2023.
  8. ↑ Taimur Sikander Mirza, "CCE Awards winners announced". Playback, June 21, 2024.
  9. ↑ https://nsi-canada.ca/film/the-world-is-burning/
  10. ↑ Andrew Robinson, "C.B.N. has a role in new film". The Telegram
  11. ↑ "Newfoundlanders Win Big At Atlantic International Film Festival" VOCM
  12. ↑ Matt Grobar, "Fantastic Fest Lineup: ‘Black Phone 2,’ ‘Sisu: Road To Revenge,’ ‘ Shelby Oaks,’ ‘Primate,’ ‘Vicious’ & More Set For 20th Anniversary Edition" Deadline August 14, 2025.
  13. ↑ Andreas Wiseman, "Constance Wu, Mark O’Brien & William Fichtner Wrap Under-The-Radar Sci-Fi Pic ‘The Embers And The Stars’ Deadline November 1, 2024.
  14. ↑ Etan Vlessing, [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/j-k-simmons-abby-elliott-purgatory-1236508760/ "J.K. Simmons, Abby Elliott, John Reynolds Enter ‘Purgatory’ Dramedy (Exclusive)", Hollywood Reporter February 24, 2026.