Award-Winning Canadian Thriller
SWAY
directed by Charlie Hamilton and Zachary Ramelan
starring and produced by Emmanuel Kabongo

TRAILER

In Theatres February 6
Cineplex Yonge & Dundas
Cineplex Morningside

The acclaimed Canadian thriller SWAY, directed by Charlie Hamilton and Zachary Ramelan, opens theatrically in Toronto at Cineplex Yonge & Dundas and Cineplex Morningside, marking a major homecoming for a film that has built powerful momentum on the festival circuit.

Anchored by a commanding lead performance from Emmanuel Kabongo, who also serves as producer on the film, SWAY follows a respected Black community leader whose carefully constructed world collapses over the course of a single day. When his brother goes missing, a dangerous blackmail scheme surfaces, and long-buried secrets claw their way into the open, Sway is forced to confront how far he will go to protect those he loves, and what the cost of that protection may be.

A tense, dialogue-driven thriller with the propulsion of a cinematic stage play, SWAY explores brotherhood, power, accountability, and men’s mental health, all set against the pressure cooker of an urban environment where public image and private truth rarely align.

The film stars Emmanuel Kabongo alongside Mishael Morgan, Lovell Adams-Gray, and a standout supporting cast. It was filmed entirely in Toronto over just seven days, with 90 percent of the cast and crew identifying as BIPOC, underscoring the production’s deep commitment to authentic representation both on screen and behind the camera.

SWAY also marks a major creative milestone. It is the first feature film for producer and lead actor Emmanuel Kabongo, writer and director Charlie Hamilton, and co-director Zach Ramelan. For Kabongo, the project is deeply personal. Having fled the war in Congo as a child, later turning down a basketball scholarship to pursue acting, his journey to producing and leading a feature film in North America mirrors the film’s own themes of risk, reinvention, and survival.

Since its debut, SWAY has built strong momentum on the international festival circuit, earning multiple Best Picture and Best Actor awards, including top honours for Emmanuel Kabongo and Mishael Morgan, and recognition from juries across North America. The film has also amassed more than 20 nominations, underscoring its impact with audiences and festival programmers alike.

Distributed in Canada by Raven Banner Releasing.

Running Time: 90 minutes
Genre: Thriller, Drama