TIFF Programming

Joaquin Cardoner is an independent producer with a growing reputation for crafting critically acclaimed films. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and raised in Brazil, he developed his filmmaking career in Canada. His work has earned prestigious accolades, including the Grand Jury Prize for Best Live Action Short at SXSW 2025 and two selections for Canada’s Top Ten at TIFF. His short films have also been showcased at Berlinale, Locarno, MOMA’s New Directors/New Films, Busan, AFI Fest, Slamdance, Camerimage, and more. Joaquin is the co-founder of Canadian production company Migmar Pictures; currently presenting the short film “Ambush” and their first feature “100 Sunset” at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, with two more international co-production feature films on their development slate.

Melissa Amer is the Regional Feature Film Executive for Ontario and Nunavut at Telefilm Canada. Prior to joining Telefilm, Melissa worked at the Canadian Television Fund, Alliance Atlantis and the Canadian Film Centre. She studied film and communications at both McGill University and the University of Toronto.  

Ayesha Husain is a feature film creative and Telefilm’s Lead for Inclusion Initiatives and Content Analyst in the Project Financing team. With over 18 years experience in the Canadian screen-based sector, including TIFF, Corus Entertainment and the Director’s Guild of Canada, Ayesha is a champion of unseen and underrepresented creators and content. 

With more than 25 years of experience in film and television, Shelley is known for her passion and dedication to screen-based media. Shelley joined Telefilm in June of 2025 having previously spent over eight years at APTN as a production executive, where over the years she was responsible for multiple formats including documentary, scripted, children’s, and Indigenous language programming. Prior to broadcasting she worked in the Vancouver industry in production, development, and business affairs. Shelley leads Indigenous content at Telefilm and is based out of Halifax. She has Red River Métis-Scottish ancestry and is a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation 

Erica is an experienced media professional with a demonstrated history of working in the broadcast industry. She is highly skilled in developing and producing scripted programming, branded content, and commercials across broadcast, digital, social, radio/podcast, print and OOH platforms. Erica is creative, has a strong command of business affairs, thrives in client facing environments, and has a B.A.A. focused in Image Arts – Film/Video from Toronto Metropolitan University. 
 
Erica managed the development, associate produced and led marketing efforts for the award winning series GEEK GIRL, which went to #1 globally on Netflix (June 2024).  

Erica currently works at Telefilm Canada, as Deputy Director Business Affairs for the English market.

For over 20 years Francesca Accinelli has been an unwavering champion of Canadian talent and content. She is known for her caring and transparent management style and her ability to build trusting relationships and partnerships. She has developed a unique expertise working in TV, film, digital media, promotions and communications with both English-and French-language markets in her many roles at Telefilm.

Her arrival at Telefilm in 2006 as Deputy Director of the English Market for the Canadian Television Fund (CTF) programs allowed her to quickly acquire an in-depth knowledge of the organization. In 2008, she was promoted to Director, English Market of this team and helped establish the administration of the Canada Media Fund programs at Telefilm.

In 2014, Francesca Accinelli took on a leadership role of National Promotions and Communications and a few years later, was appointed vice-president of these sectors with the added responsibility of International Promotions.

Throughout her time at Telefilm, Francesca Accinelli has taken on additional interim roles in Government Relations, Equity Diversity and Inclusion and Official Languages and more recently the interim Executive Director and CEO, expanding her perspective and knowledge of the industry and Telefilm’s role nationally and internationally.

Tom Alexander is Vice-President, Theatrical Releasing at Mongrel Media, where he oversees all theatrical marketing, sales and distribution. Before joining Mongrel in 2001, he worked in various capacities with Alliance Atlantis Communications, Famous Players, and the Toronto International Film Festival, among other organizations.  

Mongrel Media is an independent Canadian distributor, specializing in world cinema. Recent and upcoming releases include I’m Still Here, The Last Showgirl, The Penguin Lessons, Endless Cookie, 40 Acres, Oh, Hi!, Eleanor the Great, Blue Moon, Nuremberg and The Things You Kill.

Growing up between Montreal and Igloolik NU, Samuel has been working with Isuma Distribution since 2016, where he is currently director, overseeing the distribution activities and marketing campaigns for many award-winning Inuit and Indigenous-produced films. Outside of his work in distribution, he was a production manager on Zacharias Kunuk’s 2019 film One Day in the Life of Noah Piuggatuk,  and a scriptwriters on the children’s film Tia and Piujuq (2018), as well as Tautuktavuk (What We See) (2023). He is also a producer on two new films by Zacharias Kunuk films, a documentary series called They Have to Hear Us: Canada’s Duty to Consult Inuit, and the feature film Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband), which he co-wrote with Kunuk, that will have its North American premiere at TIFF this year.

Frances-Anne is the founder and CEO of the CaribbeanTales Group of Companies, which includes CaribbeanTales Media Group, CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution (the region’s first full-service film sales and distribution company for Caribbean content), and CaribbeanTales International Film Festival, with editions in Toronto, Barbados, New York, and the UK. She also launched CineFAM, a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of women and non-binary creators of colour, and spearheaded the CaribbeanTales Incubator Program to nurture emerging film talent in the global South. In 2019, she became a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, where she currently serves on the Directors Branch Executive Committee. Her visionary leadership and tireless commitment to decolonizing storytelling systems continue to shape a more just, representative global film industry.

Founded in 2016 by Tim Ringuette, Entract is a distribution and production company based in Montreal. Entract has notably distributed on Quebec screens three Academy Award winners for Best Picture and four consecutive Palme d’Or winners. To date, films distributed by Entract have grossed nearly $50 millions at the Quebec box-office. Tim Ringuette has produced Niagara written and directed by Guillaume Lambert, Irena’s Vow directed by Louise Archambault, and is currently working on Paradise, the feature debut of Oscar-nominated director Jérémy Comte. Previously, Tim Ringuette led distribution and acquisitions at Remstar, where he collaborated with acclaimed directors such as Denis Villeneuve, Jean-Marc Vallée and Xavier Dolan. Entract works closely with creators to develop, produce and distribute quality films for local and international audiences.