Entertainment Finance Forum Toronto
at TIFF: The Market
Thursday, September 10th | 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Friday, September 11th | 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Metro toronto convention centre
Winston Baker is excited to announce that we are an official partner of the inaugural TIFF: The Market, where we’ll be curating two sets of sessions at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre TIFF hub. The conversations will bring together senior leaders across film, finance, media, technology, and the creator economy, with programming around the state of the industry, financing, international partnerships, co-productions, and the continued evolution of creators as real businesses and media companies.
This event is open to all Market badge holders!
Thursday, September 10th | 3:00pm - 5:00pm
State of the Industry: State of Finance
A Winston Baker signature session taking the pulse of the entertainment business and the money behind it. Leading voices unpack where the industry stands, where capital is moving, and what the changing financing landscape means for the next generation of projects.
Zach Glueck - Co-CEO, Manifest Pictures
Siena Oberman - Founder, Artemis
Dave Bishop - CEO, Protagonist Pictures
Peter Saraf – Producer, Optimistic Pictures, Professor, NYU Film & TV
Moderated by: Jeff Bazoian - Managing Director, Head of Media & Entertainment, Fifth Third Bank
———
International Partnerships & Co-Productions
The next big opportunity may be across borders. Explore how international partnerships and co-productions are unlocking financing, expanding audiences and creating new pathways for projects to travel globally.
Naoaki Kitajima - Producer & Associate Managing Director, Film Business, Content Strategy, NIPPON TV
Paula Paizes - COO and President of Production, Pressman Film
Anne Loi - President, Canada, Entertainment Partners
Daniel Baur - CEO, K5 International
Moderated by: Amy Baker - CEO & Co-Founder, Winston Baker
Friday, September 11th | 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Stage to Screen - The New Creator Economy
12:00pm - 12:30pm
This session will explore the evolving creator economy, the relationship between creators and audiences, how creators are making films, and the growing opportunities in event cinema, featuring a special case study on Hadestown and what it means for the future of theatrical exhibition.
Kent Sanderson - CEO, Bleecker Street
Elsa Ramo - Founder & Managing Partner, Ramo Law
Moderated by: Kevin Iwashina - Founder, Audiovisuel
———
Film as a Catalyst to Social & Policy Change
12:30pm - 1:00pm
Film has the power to shape how we see the world, whose stories we understand, and which experiences enter the public consciousness. Those stories can influence culture, shift public opinion, and ultimately create pressure for social and policy change.
Ashley Callingbull – Actress & Producer
Keith Sam - Partner, Vū Origins
Lydia Storie - Director, Culture Change, Caring Across Generations & Head of Content, Give Not Take Media
Phil Hunt - Founder and CEO, Head Gear & Bankside Films
Moderated by: Zahra Liberté Aldünia - Founder/CEO, Precedent Productions
Please see below resources from the panel discussion:
Full Story Initiative Toolkit
MORE SPEAKER AND PROGRAM UPDATES to come!
Kent Sanderson - CEO, Bleecker Street
Kent Sanderson is CEO of indie film studio Bleecker Street founded by Andrew Karpen, which he joined at its 2014 inception as its President of Acquisitions and Ancillary Distribution. He now oversees the company's acclaimed theatrical film slate, including the recently launched event cinema division Crosswalk. Past Bleecker films include films like Steven Soderbergh’s Logan Lucky, Matt Ross’ Captain Fantastic, Debra Graink’s Leave No Trace, James Hawes’ One Life, Gavin Hood’s Eye in the Sky and this summer's box office hit Hadestown: The Musical. His previous experience includes roles at GoDigital, and Focus Features; he began his career in the William Morris Agency mailroom.
Elsa Ramo - Founder & Managing Partner, RAMO Law
Elsa Ramo is at the forefront of first-time deals with emerging and established streamers and studios, guiding her clients into innovative terms that optimize their reach and prevalence in today’s flattened marketplace.
Ramo works with established content-creating powerhouses such as Imagine Entertainment, Skydance, Lion Forge Studios, Boardwalk Pictures, Scout Productions, Riff Raff Entertainment, The Comedy Store, The Jim Henson Company, Wonder Project and French Tuck. She also represents independent prolific producers and directors Lee Broda, Zachary Drucker, Anne Clements, Liza Mandelup, Vera Miao, and founder of the Los Angeles Festival of Movies Sarah Winshall among others.
In addition to directly overseeing high-level clients, Ramo founded and manages her boutique firm, which has grown from a solo practice on the Universal Backlot in 2005 to a team of nearly 30 attorneys with offices in New York and Los Angeles.
Ramo was recently recognized among Variety’s 2025 Legal Impact Report and 2022 Dealmakers Impact Report, Daily Journal’s Top 100 Women Lawyers, and Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2022 Women of Influence. She has been nominated for the LA Times B2B Inspirational Women Awards and in 2024 was awarded LAW.com’s Women, Influence & Power in Law Managing Partner of the Year Award.
Kevin Iwashina - Founder, Audiovisuel
Kevin Iwashina brings over 25 years of experience in talent representation, film & documentary financing and global production, sales & distribution. He brokered the landmark $75M sale of HAMILTON to The Walt Disney Company and was responsible for the first original documentaries at Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV and Disney +. Iwashina has packaged and sold Oscar, Emmy and Grammy nominated and winning films such as "Crash," "The Hurt Locker," "Being Mary Tyler Moore," and "We are Freestyle Love Supreme."
Most recently, Iwashina served as Head of Documentary at the Endeavor, CJ ENM and Toho owned FIFTH SEASON, where he oversaw the development, financing, production and distribution of documentary features and limited series. Previously, he founded Preferred Content, a leading independent film and premium documentary sales and financing company. He began his career in the UTA Mailroom and holds a B.A. in English Literature from UCLA.
Siena Oberman - founder, Artemis
Siena Oberman is the founder of Artemis, a production finance company focused on audience driven visionary filmmakers. She's been involved in producing/ financing 25+ features. Recent films include COMPANY directed by Casey Affleck, DEAD MAN'S WIRE directed by Gus Van Sant, FAIRYLAND produced by Sofia Coppola, THE GOOD MOTHER starring Hilary Swank, and MAINSTREAM directed by Gia Coppola. Recent executive producing includes SUNNY starring Angelina Jolie and SKIN directed by Guy Nattiv. She's had films at Sundance, Tribeca, Telluride, Venice, and Berlinale and has gotten distribution from companies such as Amazon, A24, Lionsgate, and Universal. She is a NextGen Leader in the Creative Coalition, named on Variety's Producers to Watch, Forbes 30 Under 30 List, and is a Board Member of the United Nations Council for Global Change. She went to USC.
Zach Glueck - Co-CEO, Manifest Pictures
Zach Glueck was co-head of international sales at WME Independent before launching Manifest Pictures. He has packaged and sold over 100 independent films, most recently including Nuremberg starring Russell Crowe and Rami Malek, Power Ballad from John Carney with Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas, Gus Van Sant's Dead Man’s Wire and A24-released The Death of Robin Hood from director Michael Sarnoski and starring Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer. Prior to WME, Glueck held posts at Lionsgate, Bloom and eventually Endeavor Content where he was Vice President of International Sales & Distribution. Over that time, he handled projects from instant classic The Nice Guys with Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe to the raucous Jane Fonda and Diane Keaton romp Book Club, and the three-time Academy Award nominee The Lost Daughter starring Olivia Coleman and Jessie Buckley.
Dave Bishop - CEO, Protagonist Pictures
Dave Bishop became CEO of Protagonist Pictures in 2017, having joined the business in 2012 as Director of Sales before moving into the role of Head of Worldwide Acquisitions. Dave’s early career saw him hold senior acquisitions and distribution roles at Sony Pictures Entertainment where he worked for over ten years, followed by the role of Head of Acquisitions at Revolver Entertainment. Having worked for over 25 years in both the studio system and independent films business, Dave is recognised as one of the most experienced film executives based in the UK, bringing a strategic and target-focussed approach along with an unparalleled network of relationships and partners across the global film industry.
Anne Loi - President, Canada, Entertainment Partners
Anne Loi joined Entertainment Partners in 2025 as President, Canada. She is a seasoned executive with deep expertise in media and entertainment and a track record of leading high-growth businesses, fostering innovation and driving strategic partnerships and value.
Anne most recently served as Chief Commercial Officer & EVP, Mergers and Acquisitions at WildBrain, a leading Canadian media, entertainment and content company specializing in children’s and family programming. After joining WildBrain in its early stages, she played a pivotal role in growing the company into a successful publicly listed business. She led content and IP investments, strategic partnerships, and M&A activities while working closely with creative teams to build a leading slate of programming – including iconic brands such as the Peanuts, Teletubbies, Inspector Gadget, Strawberry Shortcake and Yo Gabba Gabba. Prior to WildBrain, she was Vice President of Financial Strategy at ExtendMedia, and held leadership roles at IMG Group, Proctor & Gamble and Deloitte.
Beyond her corporate leadership, she is also actively involved in the industry, serving on the boards of the Canadian Media Producers Association and the Canadian Film Centre, among other organizations. A frequent speaker at industry conferences and professional development programs, Anne is a recognized thought leader in media and entertainment, with expertise spanning executive production, content financing, IP acquisitions and digital media strategy.
A Chartered Professional Accountant, Anne holds a BA from Western University and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.
Paula Paizes - COO and President of Production, Pressman Film
Paula Paizes is COO and President of Production of Pressman Film (pressman.com, with a library of over 100 films including American Psycho, Wall Street, The Crow and Thank You for Smoking) and oversees all aspects of the company, including production, finance, distribution, licensing, merchandising, strategy and business affairs. A seasoned media/entertainment senior executive and president, she has broad experience and deep relationships in Hollywood and internationally.
Prior to Pressman Film she worked as an entertainment attorney in big law, was In-House General Counsel for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s company, The Really Useful Co, Managing Director of consulting and investment firm Ignite Capital Partners, consulting to many media and entertainment clients, and was a producer for Stratus Film Company with Mark Gordon and Bob Yari. Paula also has served as an arbitrator for bond company Film Finances. Paula most recently produced Gus Van Sant’s latest film, DEAD MAN’S WIRE (Al Pacino, Coleman Domingo, Bill Skarsgard) which premiered at The Venice Film Festival ( 2025) and Toronto Film Festival (2025) and released worldwide in December 2025, Chasing Summer ( Iliza Schlesinger, Lola Tung, Megan Mulally, Garrett Wearing, Cassidy Freeman and Tom Welling) which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2026 and SXSW 2026 , Takashi Miike’s “Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo" ( Shun Oguri and Lily James and Liv Morgan) premiering at TIFF 2026 and to be released by NTV in Japan in late 2026 and worldwide by Neon in 2027. Prior to that she produced THE CROW 2024 (Bill Skarsgard and FKA Twigs), DALILAND (Sir Ben Kingsley), WHERE ESKIMOS LIVE (Bob Hoskins), BLACK LIMOUSINE (David Arquette and Bijou Philips) and VR experience EVOLVER, (Cate Blanchett) selected to compete in the Cannes Immersive Competition (2024).
Paula also has extensive leadership and governance experience and skills having served on several corporate and non profit boards throughout her career and is a regular expert speaker, invited to participate in industry panels at film festivals and film markets including Cannes, Toronto, Venice and AFM.
Peter Saraf - Producer & Co-Founder, Optimistic Pictures
Peter Saraf is the Chair of NYU Tisch Undergraduate Film and TV department and a film, television, and theater producer and industry executive. His credits include Little Miss Sunshine, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, The Farewell, Away We Go, Loving, Everything Is Illuminated, Land, and Safety Not Guaranteed, as well as the acclaimed series Nuclear Family, Vida, and Sorry for Your Loss.
Saraf began his career working with Jonathan Demme and Edward Saxon on films including Beloved, Adaptation, Ulee’s Gold, and the Academy Award–nominated documentary Mandela. He later founded the independent producing and financing company Big Beach, which he ran for almost two decades.
A leader in the producing community, Saraf has served as Vice President of the Producers Guild of America, on the Executive Committee of the Producers Branch of the Academy and on the operating committee of Producers United. He is also a member of BAFTA and the TV Academy.
He has been nominated for Academy, Golden Globe, and Tony Awards, and has won multiple Independent Spirit, Gotham, and Producers Guild Awards, as well as a Peabody Award and a Television Academy Honors Award.
Zahra Liberté Aldünia - Founder/CEO, Precedent Productions
Zahra is a seasoned film and television professional with more than 15 years of experience across major studio productions and is a member of the Directors Guild of Canada and IATSE. Her career spans storytelling, public engagement, and social impact.
Before entering the industry, she worked around the world on global advocacy and development initiatives, helping raise millions for United Nations programs and working alongside Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu in South Africa on peace and reconciliation.
As founder of Precedent Productions, she is dedicated to advancing socially conscious storytelling, and works as a consultant with actors and influencers on leveraging their platforms to drive meaningful social impact.
Her latest credits include Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and HBO’s The Last of Us. Drawing on her background in advocacy, media, and production, Zahra brings a distinctive perspective on film’s ability to shape culture, policy, representation, and lasting change.
Ashley Callingbull – Actress & Producer
Ashley Callingbull is an actress, producer, television personality and Miss Universe Canada whose career spans film, scripted television and unscripted storytelling. Her screen credits include Blackstone, Tribal, The Great Salish Heist and Acting Good, alongside extensive work as a host and public figure.
As a prominent Indigenous voice in Canadian media, she has used her platform to advocate for greater representation, visibility and opportunity for Indigenous communities. Her work reflects a deep commitment to culture, identity and authentic storytelling, both on screen and beyond it.
Drawing on her experience across entertainment, advocacy and public life, Ashley brings a powerful perspective on the role film and television can play in shaping cultural understanding, influencing public conversation and creating meaningful social change.
Keith Sam - Partner, Vū Origins
Keith Sam is a seasoned film executive with nearly 25 years of experience across studio production, post-production strategy, content innovation and emerging filmmaking technologies. His career includes leadership roles at Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International, IMAX and Fox Searchlight, with contributions to more than 200 film and television titles.
Throughout his career, he has worked at the intersection of storytelling, studio strategy and technological innovation, helping shape how content is developed, produced and experienced by audiences. His expertise spans both traditional production and the evolving technologies transforming the entertainment industry.
He now brings his extensive studio and technological experience to Vū Origins, where he is helping advance new approaches to filmmaking and production. Keith offers a unique perspective on how innovation, infrastructure and storytelling can together shape the future of the film industry.
Lydia Storie - Director, Culture Change, Caring Across Generations & Head of Content, Give Not Take Media
Lydia Storie is Director of Culture Change at Caring Across Generations and Head of Content at Give Not Take Media. With more than a decade of experience as a development executive in film and television, her work has been rooted in a belief in storytelling’s power to create positive social change.
She executive produced the Sundance award-winning Take Me Home and has led impact campaigns and consultations for projects including the Oscar-winning American Fiction, The Pitt and This Is Us. Her work bridges entertainment, advocacy and policy, using film and television to shift cultural narratives and deepen public understanding around care, aging and disability.
Through partnerships with filmmakers, studios and advocacy organizations, Lydia helps turn storytelling into a catalyst for public conversation, community engagement and broader social impact, bringing a uniquely practical perspective on how entertainment can help inform cultural and policy change.
Naoaki Kitajima - Producer, Nippon TV
Naoaki Kitajima is an award-winning Japanese film producer and Deputy General Manager of the Film Division at Nippon TV, one of Japan’s leading commercial broadcasters.
He has produced all five films in the Kingdom live-action franchise, one of the most commercially successful theatrical franchises in contemporary Japan. The five films have grossed more than $300M combined at the Japanese box office. Three of the first four films topped Japan’s live-action box office in 2019, 2022 and 2024, and the fifth is also currently No. 1 in 2026.
Kitajima’s first feature as producer, Takashi Miike’s Shield of Straw, was selected for Official Competition at the 66th Cannes Film Festival. His other producing credits include the Chihayafuru trilogy, Memoirs of a Murderer, and 50 First Kisses. In 2018, he received the Elan d’Or Producer Encouragement Award.
Most recently, Kitajima produced Takashi Miike’s Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo, an international production starring Shun Oguri and Lily James, alongside producers Jeremy Thomas and Sam Pressman. He continues to develop and produce both Japanese and international feature films through Nippon TV.
Daniel Baur - CEO, K5 International
Daniel Baur is CEO of K5 International, a Paris-Cologne based independent entertainment company focused on producing, financing, and distributing premium content.
K5 International´s slate includes Kevin Costner´s four feature series HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA that was wide released by Warner Bros., mafia thriller NOVEMBER 1963 directed by Palm D´Or Winner Roland Joffé starring John Travolta and Robert Carlyle, action movie THE BUTLER starring Jean Reno and Tom Hollander and romantic comedy PRINCESS starring Lucy Hale.
K5 International recently teamed up with Ex Machina Studios to distribute movies and series that are build with the most innovative tools currently available. Projects include HEAVEN to be directed by Alex Proyas, and scifi series SPACE NATION.
Over the last 25 years, film producer and sales veteran Daniel Baur has produced and executive produced more than 50 international feature films, including Cannes Competition title "Paterson" directed by Jim Jarmusch starring Adam Driver in cooperation with Amazon Studios, Netflix Original "Anon" starring Amanda Seyfried and Clive Owen directed by Andrew Niccol ("Gattaca"," Truman Show") and Foreign Academy Award Nominated "Land Of Mine" directed by Martin Zandvliet.
Daniel Baur is a member of the ACE Producers Network.
Phil Hunt - Founder and CEO, Head Gear & Bankside Films
An Innovator in film and other sectors, Phil has produced or executive produced over 600 feature films, in more than a quarter of a century. Head Gear Films is one of the world’s largest producers and financiers of independent film, investing in around 30 projects a year, as well as TV and video games.
Phil's other interest in film are; Bankside Films, an international film sales and production company; Bohemia Media, film distribution of under represented (LGBTQ, cultural diversity, disability, female voices); (Yet) Another Distribution Company and (Yet) Another Monster Company, which do what they says on the tin; Vacancy a production investment fund and Equation production services company.
Other aspects of Phil's career include being a BAFTA voting member; a mentor to National Film and Television producing students and others; a regular speaker on the industry circuit; a founder of the British Film Festival of Kurdistan, Iraq; a Patron of The Death Penalty Project; Advisor to Raindance Film Festival, Rome MIA Market, Screen Forever SPA, African Film Investor Round Table and various private company Exec positions.
Phil began producing feature films in the mid 90s with micro-budgets, which occasionally found more than a micro audience...
Prior to the film business, in a pre digital universe a very long time ago….he was an advertising and music photographer and worked with such post punk bands as Big Audio Dynamite. He sporadically dusts off his Hasselblad and keeps meaning to change his name by deed pol to Punk Rock Warlord.
Jeff Bazoian - Managing Director, Head of Media & Entertainment, Fifth Third Bank
Jeff Bazoian is Group Head of Media & Entertainment for Corporate & Investment Banking. Prior to joining Fifth Third, Jeff spent seven years at JP Morgan as a Managing Director in the Entertainment Industries Group. Jeff managed a portfolio of media and entertainment clients focused on independent film and television companies, music, video games and digital media companies.
Jeff joined JP Morgan following 11 years at Rabobank International where from 2010 he was the Head of Capital Markets and from 2013 the CEO of Rabobank Securities USA. He led the bank’s Capital Markets Americas business focused on loan syndication, securitization products, USPP, Euro bonds and European equities as well as developing new markets in Latin America.
Jeff joined Rabobank International’s Securitization business in 2004 from CIBC World Markets where he was an Executive Director in the investment bank’s New York Asset Securitization Group. Starting with CIBC in 1996, Jeff worked in several of the investment bank’s businesses including Credit Risk Management and Corporate Finance.
Jeff earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McMaster University, Ontario, Canada.
Amy Baker - CEO & Co-Founder, Winston Baker
Amy Baker is CEO and Co-Founder of WINSTON | BAKER, where she oversees the company's global strategic planning, business development, and industry relationships. A frequent speaker at leading conferences and film festivals around the world, Amy is regularly invited to participate at industry events across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas.
Amy co-founded the FILM FINANCE FORUM® in 2008, establishing what has become the premier series of events dedicated to bringing seasoned Finance, Entertainment, and Tech executives together from around the globe. Winston Baker is a recognized leader in the entertainment industry, known for curating high-level content and producing Forums and private events worldwide. Under Amy's leadership, the company has organized sold-out conferences, film festival programming, and exclusive events across the United States, Europe, Saudi Arabia, China, Pacific Asia, and Latin America.
Amy hosts a show on PBS, premiering Fall 2026, and has recently started producing and developing projects for Film and Television.
Prior to founding Winston Baker, Amy served as Vice President of Business Development at ALM (formerly SRI), connecting finance executives and marketers with targeted channels to reach decision-makers across the legal, entertainment, healthcare, sports, and tech sectors. Earlier, as Director of Business Development at RPMC, she partnered with entertainment, music, and sports companies to develop event marketing programs, travel incentive services, sweepstakes, and media promotions.
Amy lived for many years in Europe, where she worked as a professional model before earning a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with Honors from New York University. She has proudly served on the National Board of Advisors for the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida since 2018.
Thank you to our Partners
Supporting Partners
Where Creativity Meets Counsel
Ramo provides full-service entertainment legal counsel – from development to delivery and beyond. Our end-to-end legal expertise and in-house packaging and sales team allows us to customize every contract to our client’s needs and power the full potential of every project.
Entertainment Partners has been a trusted production partner to the entertainment industry for 50 years, helping clients create and produce great shows and movies, choose the best production location, forecast, manage and track expenses, and pay crew and talent.
As the global leader in entertainment payroll, production finance and production management solutions, EP delivers integrated, cloud-based digital solutions to support every phase of production. EP’s team of experts have decades of experience in the entertainment industry providing rich insights on global and domestic incentives, workers’ compensation, health care, labor issues, and regulatory compliance.
The company also brings together background casting and digital production technology with the Casting Portal, the leading SaaS-based platform that has transformed the way background actors are found, hired, managed, and paid, and the iconic and legendary Central Casting. www.ep.com
Media Partners
We are always supporting the fight against cancer through amazing organizations such as Moffitt Cancer Center whose mission is to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. Learn more by visiting their webiste: www.moffitt.org