Alumni from York University’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD) are once again making their mark, bringing new work in directing, editing, performance and cinematography to one of the world’s most influential film festivals.
The Toronto International Film Festival marks its 50th anniversary this fall, celebrating half a century of cinema, cultural conversation and global premieres in the heart of Toronto. AMPD alumni have become a consistent force in Canadian and international cinema, demonstrating an ongoing ability to push boundaries, reimagine form and connect with audiences worldwide.
Together, their projects illustrate the magnitute and diversity of talent that emerges from York.
Meet the AMPD alumni represented at TIFF 2025:
Nicolás Pereda (BFA ’05, MFA ’07)
Film: Copper (Cobre)
Role: director
Mexican Canadian director Pereda returns to TIFF with Copper (Cobre), premiering in the Wavelengths program, and featured in the festival’s Unhidden Gems series.
Pereda is an award-winning filmmaker known for his poetic and formally inventive approach to cinema. His work often explores memory, family and the subtle tensions of everyday life, with films screening at international festivals including Cannes, Berlin, Venice and Locarno.
On returning to TIFF: “Showing my work at TIFF is especially meaningful because I lived in Toronto for 12 years and, as a student, I watched countless films at the festival. In a way, it feels like presenting my work at a local festival, except this local festival happens to be one of the largest in the world.”
On creative roots at AMPD: “I had several amazing professors at AMPD who completely changed the way I think about cinema. But perhaps the greatest influence came from my peers. It still amazes me how many talented filmmakers I had the chance to go to school with.”
Sophy Romvari (MFA ’20)
Film: BLUE HERON
Role: director
Romvari is a Toronto-based filmmaker whose work often weaves together deeply personal narratives with a precise, observational style.
Since completing her MFA at York, she has gained international recognition for short films that explore memory, grief and intimacy with subtle yet powerful emotional impact.
This year, Romvari debuts BLUE HERON in collaboration with cinematographer and fellow AMPD alumna Maya Bankovic, a partnership that underscores the enduring creative connections formed at AMPD.
Maya Bankovic (BFA ’07)
Film: BLUE HERON
Role: cinematographer
Bankovic is an award-winning cinematographer whose work spans feature films, documentaries and television. Bankovic brings her acclaimed visual approach to BLUE HERON, directed by fellow alum Sophy Romvari.
On returning to TIFF: “It is especially meaningful to screen work in my hometown of Toronto. My decision to choose AMPD for studying film was rooted in the fact that I believed that a creatively fulfilling life could be made in Canada. Screening a film like BLUE HERON at TIFF – which takes a number of aesthetic and structural risks – reaffirms to me that we still know how to celebrate unique work here.”
On finding collaborators at AMPD: “I came to film school to find people to make work with. Almost 20 years since graduating, I still work with a large number of York alums. When I met Sophy and learned that she had done her MFA there, it was not surprising. This school tends to attract people seeking more radical ways to make films, and not just formulaic imitations.”
Matt Johnson (BFA ’06, MFA ’16)
Film: NIRVANA THE BAND, THE SHOW, THE MOVIE
Role: director
Johnson has become one of Canada’s most recognized filmmakers, celebrated for inventive, genre-bending work that pushes the boundaries of satire, fiction and documentary.
His past projects include The Dirties (2013), winner of the Slamdance Grand Jury Prize, and BlackBerry (2023), which earned international acclaim and multiple Canadian Screen Awards.
At this year’s TIFF, Johnson presents NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE, co-created with longtime collaborator Jay McCarrol and produced by fellow AMPD alum Matthew Miller (BFA ’03, MFA ’16). Adapted from their cult television and web series, the feature brings the duo’s beloved mockumentary style to the big screen.
Pranay Noel (BFA ’20, MFA ’22)
Film: Still Single
Role: editor
Born in Mumbai and raised in Mississauga, Pranay brings a distinct perspective shaped by themes of belonging and heritage. This year, Pranay is featured at TIFF as the editor of Still Single, directed by Jamal Burger and Jukan Tateisi, a documentary about sushi master Masaki Saito.
The film dives into Toronto’s fine dining scene while exploring cultural and creative questions through food.
On premiering Still Single at TIFF: “For a film so steeped in the local fine dining scene, it’s great to have it premiere locally, as a lot of the issues explored pertain to Canada and specifically Toronto. Getting to speak with the audience afterward and network at the festival is the closest thing to film school after film school one can hope for, as long as people aren’t too afraid to be honest.”
AMPD’s influence: “My professors at York had a lasting impact on my creative practice as a picture editor and filmmaker. I even had the pleasure of their mentorship and feedback on this project. Finding the balance between serving the vision of directors and producers, while being a constructive and tenacious creative force, was a balancing act to learn. Jamal’s directing process was quite free and exploratory, allowing me to take on the role of a ‘co-writer’ in the edit room. The study of narrative structure that began in AMPD’s workshops gave me the skills to help find the 90-minute story in 300 hours of raw footage.”
Yong Zong (MFA ’18)
Film: There Are No Words
Role: editor
Zong is a Toronto-based editor whose work spans documentary and narrative projects. This year at TIFF, Zong collaborates with director Min Sook Lee on There Are No Words, contributing his editorial skill to a deeply personal and socially resonant project.
On presenting There Are No Words at TIFF: “I’m honoured to share my editing work at a festival like TIFF, and grateful to director Min Sook Lee for bringing me on this journey.”
On AMPD’s influence: “From amazing professors to the fellow classmates who I continue to collaborate with to this day, my experience and friendships at York have been very important in my journey.”
Madeleine Sims-Fewer (BFA ’08)
Film: Honey Bunch
Role: actor and co-creator
Dusty Mancinelli (BFA ’07)
Film: Honey Bunch
Role: director and co-creator
Sims-Fewer (BFA ’08) and Mancinelli (BFA ’07) are longtime collaborators whose work has screened at major festivals around the world, establishing them as one of Canada’s most distinctive creative partnerships in independent film.
This year, they return to TIFF with Honey Bunch, a bold new collaboration that pushes their exploration of character and form even further.
On TIFF (Sims-Fewer): “Sharing our work at TIFF feels very cozy, really, because it’s our home festival. It’s a chance to see how audiences respond to our unique point of view as filmmakers. To connect with people who see the world in the same way we do, and to have lively discussions with people who see things very differently. Our films are always meant to provoke dialogue and debate. As former students, it feels especially meaningful to represent the creativity and support of the film community that initially helped shape us.”
On AMPD’s community (Sims-Fewer):
“The people we met that have since become collaborators is undoubtedly the most valuable thing. We met our director of photography Adam Crosby (BFA '08) in the Film Production program at AMPD, and he has shot every one of our films since we began working together. As a young filmmaker, I had no idea what my voice was or what I had to say that was at all interesting or unique. Professor John Greyson was instrumental in guiding me towards finding the stories inside me and exploring what I had that was distinctive.”
On AMPD’s impact (Mancinelli): “While studying at AMPD, my film professor Tereza Barta once told me my script was terrible, and it was maybe the best thing she could have done. It helped me realize how important criticism is if you ever want your work to get better.”
Chelsea McMullan (BFA ’06, MFA ’10)
Film: Healer
Role: director
McMullan is an award-winning filmmaker whose work spans documentary and narrative film, often blurring the line between the two. Known for intimate and formally adventurous storytelling, McMullan has created films that resonate internationally while remaining deeply rooted in Canadian culture.
This year, McMullan premieres Healer in TIFF’s Short Cuts program.
"York alumni continue to shape the conversation, contributing films that push boundaries and resonate with audiences worldwide," says AMPD Dean Brandon Vickerd. "Their presence reflects not only individual achievement, but also the collaborative, innovative and bold spirit at the core of AMPD."
To see the complete schedule of screenings and events, visit the TIFF website.