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Seminar 1: Saturday October 19, 2024
10am - 3pm • The Studios at Assembly Park
Beyond the Budget:
Your Guide to Indie Film Financing
Take your indie film project to the next level! Join us at this year's IFF for an exclusive seminar with industry expert panelists, sharing invaluable insights on financing, production, and navigating the world of independent filmmaking.
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Michaelangelo Masangkay
Panelist
Siné Institute President/Founder
Michaelangelo is currently the Director of Production at Toronto Film School, General Manager of Raven Banner Entertainment, and President/Founder of Siné Institute. He began his career in 2006, navigating the economic crisis and digital distribution revolution, eventually becoming VP of Sales and Marketing at Cinemavault. In 2011, he co-founded Toronto Men’s Fashion Week, producing large-scale fashion events with significant media impact. Since 2013, as General Manager at Raven Banner, he has repped over 200 films and produced several, including collaborating with Slash from Guns N' Roses. He has also provided production services to AMC, TUBI, and others. He has worked with the Film Development Council of the Philippines since 2016, empowering Filipino filmmakers. His first produced film, TOPAKK, has premiered globally and has been selected for numerous prestigious festivals.
Emilija Davidovic
Panelist
Producer
Emilija Davidovic is an internationally acclaimed producer, line producer, and production supervisor. She began her career by learning about international co-productions, film funds, budgeting, tax credits, and delivery processes from top Canadian industry professionals and companies, which enhanced her global film production perspective. Emilija has produced a variety of short and long-format projects across commercial and arthouse genres. At the Canadian Film Centre (CFC), she served as Supervising Producer, helping to nurture emerging talent and oversee critically acclaimed projects. In 2023, she received the Career Colleges of Ontario Award for Excellence in Teaching, recognizing her impact as an educator. Recently, Emilija led the production of a narrative feature film and supervised a feature-length docudrama. She continues to educate aspiring filmmakers while advancing the Canadian film industry through her own projects.
Bruno Lyra
Panelist
Producer/Screenwriter
Until mid-2016, Bruno S. Lyra was a corporate tax lawyer, becoming the youngest partner in his 70-year-old firm. He gained extensive experience in media-heavy international events, including the FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games, and worked with major broadcasters, streamers, and content providers. In 2017, Lyra left his legal career to pursue his passion for film. He now focuses on three main activities: teaching film courses at Toronto Film School, Yorkville University, and other institutions, including panelist roles for Mensa Canada; producing, with credits like the award-winning feature The Sounding, which sold to HBO in 17 territories; and screenwriting, with notable achievements including a deal with Blue Ant Media for a drama, a feature film script selected for Telefilm development financing, and a bilingual drama, The International School.
Fabio Montanari
Moderator
Filmmaker/Professor
Fabio Montanari is a filmmaker and film professor, who has written a number of series for top networks including Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, and National Geographic. As a Screenwriter and Director, Professor Montanari’s independent work has been screened in major film festivals around the world. He has created content in multiple markets including in the U.S., Argentina, and Venezuela. Montanari is an Assistant Professor at York University and is a member of the Connected Minds Program, where he researches the intersections of Artificial intelligence, Storytelling and Screenwriting.
Seminar 2: Sunday October 20, 2024
10am - 3pm • The Studios at Assembly Park
From Script to Screen:
Crafting Stories that Captivate Audiences
Join us for a screenwriting seminar that guides you from script to screen. We'll explore how to find story ideas that connect with audiences, draw from personal experiences for authenticity, and understand audience preferences. Learn to create compelling characters, develop their arcs, and write dialogue that reveals their motives and traits.
Sean Cisterna
Panelist
Director
Sean Cisterna is a multi award-winning and versatile film director. His latest film is the feature documentary The Long Rider (2022), the expansive and inspiring story of Filipe Leite's journey from Canada to Brazil entirely on horseback, and filmed in 13 different countries. Cisterna found success with From the Vine (2020), an international coproduction starring Emmy winner Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix, Memento, The Sopranos), and distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films. Cisterna directed the acclaimed cancer drama Kiss and Cry (2017), which topped the Canadian box office, and is currently streaming on Netflix worldwide. His 2015 feature Full Out, starring Jennifer Beals (Flashdance, The L Word), is based on the true story of gymnast Ariana Berlin. The film was broadcast on NBC, now residing with Netflix Worldwide and Disney Europe. Cisterna is currently working on a slate of drama and documentary television projects with national broadcaster TLN Television, supported by the Canada Media Fund. Cisterna was awarded a Canada 150 Citizenship Award by the Federal Government for his dedication to and community engagement in the arts. He is currently in production on Silver Screamers, a feature documentary about a group of senior citizens who come together to make a horror movie.
Fabio Montanari
Moderator
Filmmaker/Professor
Fabio Montanari is a filmmaker and film professor, who has written a number of series for top networks including Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, and National Geographic. As a Screenwriter and Director, Professor Montanari’s independent work has been screened in major film festivals around the world. He has created content in multiple markets including in the U.S., Argentina, and Venezuela. Montanari is an Assistant Professor at York University and is a member of the Connected Minds Program, where he researches the intersections of Artificial intelligence, Storytelling and Screenwriting.