To elevate WIFF’s goal of supporting current and emerging filmmakers, we introduced a series of events through an Industry Program. These events included in-depth panel discussions, workshops and more, featuring industry professionals and nominated filmmakers.
Save the date for WIFF’s Industry Program 2024:
Friday, October 25 & Saturday, October 26
Aeschylus Poulos is the co-founder of Hawkeye Pictures, an award-winning producer of feature films, documentaries, and series. Hawkeye’s inaugural project Sleeping Giant (Cannes 2015), won several international awards, including Best Canadian First Feature at TIFF 2015. In 2023, Brother (TIFF2022) by Clement Virgo, swept the Canadian Screen Awards and was honored with two 2024 NAACP Image Awards. Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe won TIFF’s People’s Choice Documentary Award in 2023. Upcoming releases include Paying For It (TIFF 2024), The Players (WIFF 2024), and the international docuseries Who Owns the World (PBS). Neverman, by TIFF, Sundance, and Berlinale alumnus Rodrigo Barriuso, is set for production in Spring 2025.
Barbara Gilbert is the Acting Media Arts Officer at the Ontario Arts Council, where she manages operating and project programs for media artists and organizations such as distributors, production centres, and film festivals. She also manages the Accessibility Fund in support of Deaf artists and artists with disabilities and co-manages the Artists in Residence (Education) program.
Previously, Barbara was the Executive and Artistic Director of Le Labo: Toronto’s Francophone Media Arts Centre, where she developed and launched artist residency and mentorship programs. In 2018, she was the recipient of the Artist-Run Centres and Collectives Ontario Achievement Award.
J Stevens is a Canadian director and cinematographer. J’s work has spanned many genres, formats, and job descriptions but what remains consistent is their commitment to bringing dynamic, personal, boundary-pushing, and visually captivating 2SLGBTQI+ content to audiences.
J received a Best Directorial Achievement in a Comedy Series nomination at the Directors Guild of Canada Awards 2022 for their work on Astrid & Lilly Save The World. They also directed on the Peabody award-winning series Sort Of. J was named one of Playback Magazine’s ‘Top 10 Filmmakers To Watch 2022’ and was selected for the TIFF Filmmakers Lab 2022 and as one of TIFF’s Every Story Fellows.
J is the founder and president of Spindle Films Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse Canadian filmmakers.
Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah is a Toronto based actor, writer, and director. Living her life at a multitude of intersections, Khadijah’s work is motivated by a pursuit of artistic expression that aims to challenge understandings of visibility and inclusivity. Whether working alongside like-minded artists or producing work through her company, 2Skins Entertainment, Khadijah always strives to create art that amplifies the voices of those who exist in the margins of our society. Her multimedia production company has created a Black femme horror review podcast titled Ghoulz n Gyaldem. As well, her first short film, P!GS, is available for streaming on CBC Gem and after premiering at TIFF 2021 and running an impressive festival tour, her second short film, DEFUND is available for streaming as a Vimeo Staff Pick. Notable acting credits include; The Last of Us (HBO), American Gods (Freemantle/Starz), What We Do In The Shadows (FX), Workin Moms (CBC), Slo-Pitch (Shaftesbury/Boss & Co), and three seasons in the Stratford Festival, North America’s largest repertory theatre festival.
Ali Garrison (BMA – University Michigan, ACTRA, Gemini Nominee) is a singer, educator, performer, thinker and writer based in Toronto, Canada. She is a founding member of The Waverlies and The Nathaniel Dett Chorale with forty years experience in culture-making in Canada, the US and internationally. She collaborates with a great diversity of artists, improvisers and composers, fostering new works for justice and a more harmonious, inclusive world for all. Ali encourages, coaches, facilitates and leads conversations about freeing, embodying, training and amplifying unheard voices. For more than twenty-six years, she has loved teaching voice and singing to people from every walk of life in her private home studio, in schools and abroad.
While working as researcher on Ron Mann’s film “Go Further”, Ron had a wild idea to start a distribution company. As Michael was sitting 3 feet away from Ron when he came up with this idea, Michael appeared to be the best, and only candidate (within a 3-foot radius) to do the job. The rest, as they say, is distribution history. Michael has worked on all Films We Like releases which total over 500 titles, since its inception in 2003.
Sonya Di Rienzo is the co-founder of Hawkeye Pictures, an award-winning producer of feature films, documentaries, and series. Hawkeye’s inaugural project Sleeping Giant (Cannes 2015), won several international awards, including Best Canadian First Feature at TIFF 2015. In 2023, Brother (TIFF2022) by Clement Virgo, swept the Canadian Screen Awards and was honored with two 2024 NAACP Image Awards. Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe won TIFF’s People’s Choice Documentary Award in 2023. Upcoming releases include Paying For It (TIFF 2024), The Players (WIFF 2024), and the international docuseries Who Owns the World (PBS). Neverman, by TIFF, Sundance, and Berlinale alumnus Rodrigo Barriuso, is set for production in Spring 2025.
With close to twenty years of experience working in arts and communications, Alma is an accomplished PR professional with an extensive background in crafting and executing strategic campaigns and working with industry leaders, creatives and media in Canada and internationally. As Managing Partner at Touchwood PR, Alma oversees PR strategy, business development, and client relations and over the years has worked with clients such as Netflix, Cineplex, Telefilm, Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, Pathé International, and more. Prior to joining Touchwood PR, Alma was an integral member of the Communications team at TIFF for six years, managing the press office for the Festival as well as planning and executing publicity campaigns for a number of year-round initiatives and programmes. She was also one of the key members of the Communications team responsible for planning, overseeing and executing the media campaigns surrounding the opening of TIFF Bell Lightbox and its highly anticipated programming. Alma is a member of the City of Toronto’s Film, Television, & Digital Media Advisory Board.
Joey’s first film, The Other Half starred Tatiana Maslany (CSA Best Lead Female Performance 2017) and Tom Cullen, and premiered at SXSW In Official Competition in 2016. His second feature, Castle In The Ground starred Alex Wolff, Imogen Poots and Neve Campbell, and premiered at TIFF 2019 before becoming an Official Selection of SXSW 2020. Most recently he directed an episode of In The Dark Season 4 (CW/CBS Television). In all, his work focuses on aspects of mental illness and prolonged grief, exploring stories of modern day disenfranchisement through the prism of conflated, elevated genre. As an actor some notable credits include; Atom Egoyan’s Seven Veils, Don McKellar’s Through Black Spruce, a recurring guest star on the CW’s In The Dark, American Gangster, On The Road, Girl In The White Coat (Jutra Nomination Best Supporting Actor 2013), We’re Still Together (Actra Award Best Male Performance 2017, Prix Iris nomination Best Lead Male Performance 2018) and The Animal Project (TIFF 2013). He is represented by WME in the US, ART and GLAM in Canada, and is a graduate of Circle In The Square Theatre School and Concordia University.
Vincent Georgie brings films to the masses and makes art accessible for all with an irrepressible penchant for big, bold ideas and a relentless positivity that inspires and empowers. Georgie holds a Ph.D. in the marketing of film. Georgie wed his marketing savvy with his lifelong love of cinema to grow the award-winning Windsor International Film Festival into the largest volunteer-run festival in Canada.
Georgie was named a Top 10 Community Leader Who Makes Windsor Better by Windsor Star, made the Top 40 Under 40 list by Leadership Windsor-Essex and received the Made a Difference Award from the University of Windsor, where he earned his MBA and where he continues to be Marketing faculty while serving as the Acting Associate Vice President External.
Georgie has been an active member of the Board of Directors for Ontario Creates since 2021.
Michael Stasko is a talented and award-winning filmmaker who has written, produced and directed five feature films that have premiered at prestigious festivals and sold to major distributors. His films range from comedy to sci-fi to drama, and feature stars like Ray Wise, Tom Cavanagh, Fred Willard, Graham Greene, Colin Mochrie and Kevin McDonald. He has also created and produced original TV shows for YTV and CBC. Michael Stasko is a versatile and visionary storyteller who always delivers engaging and entertaining stories for the screen. Works include “Things To Do” (2006), “Iodine” (2009), “The Brider” (2014), “The Control” (2018) and “Boys vs. Girls” (2020).
Most recently he produced the psychological thriller “Depraved Mind” with Suede Productions, and it’s currently enjoying a successful film festival run. His current project “Vampire Zombies…from Space!” is in advance post-production and gearing up for a festival run in early 2024.
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