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Much of the discourse concerning diversity, inclusion, accessibility and equity in our sector remains surface level, shaped by what many refer to as the 'non-profit industrial complex'. Though often well intentioned sector leaders can often find themselves constrained by stakeholder expectations, reputational hyper-vigilance, funding scarcity and general institutional limitations.
The result is that much energy is spent sustaining operations rather than on innovation and/or redistributing resources in ways that directly benefit the communities these organizations were created to serve. Salaries, reserves, reporting requirements and organizational growth can gradually become the priority, while community impact becomes invisible or increasingly difficult to measure.
This isn’t intended as a criticism of any one organization or individual. It’s an acknowledgement of the realities many of us have experienced while working within these systems. If we’re serious about building more equitable programming, we have to be willing to examine the structures we’re operating within and ask whether they’re actually serving the people they were designed to support. Catalyst Commons is a program developed by État Noir to address a gap in support when it comes to festival accessibility and participation for independent creatives. With a focused on under represented perspectvoes.
What is the Commons?
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Success is not measured solely by deals signed or funding secured. Success is also measured by access created, relationships built, confidence gained, barriers identified, and whether participants feel better equipped to navigate the industry moving forward so their participation is more than a bullet point on their resumé but a real opportunity for growth:
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The problem: Access alone isn't enough. A pass alone doesn't mean 'access'.
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The solution: A small, intentionally supported delegation model.
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The innovation: High-touch 1:1 mentorship directed by the participant's needs before, during, and after TIFF Market.
Meet this year's superstar participants!
Rachel Rose www.rachelrose.com
Rachel Rose is passionate about the role of film in shifting perspectives and inspiring action. A cis gay filmmaker, she is known for telling nuanced stories inspired by lived experience and is committed to creating opportunities for underrepresented voices both in front of and behind the camera. Rachel is a VIFF Catalyst alum, and has directed short films including Tryst (Crazy8s/CBC Gem) and Are You Hungry (Voices With Impact). Her Canada Council–funded short ‘Little Booms’ premiered at Aesthetica Film Festival and is currently being developed into a feature with support from WIDC Story & Leadership and Creative BC.
Recently, Rachel co-wrote and directed the WLW vertical miniseries A Shot At Love for CheraTV. Last year, Rachel also served as creative producer on Am I My Brother's Keeper, written and directed by Alex Lawther (The End of the F**ing World). In addition to her own directing work, Rachel remains committed to supporting fellow filmmakers as a commercial and narrative 1st Assistant Director.
Watch 'Little Booms'
Onyeka Oduh www.Onyekaoduh.com
Onyeka Oduh is an award-winning Black, Trans-Queer, neurospicy writer/director based in Toronto who enjoys writing campy, spooky, and kitschy stories that put BIPOC, queer, and trans characters at the forefront. They’ve had films premiere at festivals in Canada and Europe, including Blood In The Snow Film Festival, Toronto Queer Film Festival, and TIFF Next Wave Film Festival. Their film 'Video Vengeance' won best Horror Short at the Toronto Shorts Film Festival (2020) and has received IPF development funding for its digital series remake 'Be Kind, F*ck Off!' (Executive Producer, Sasha Leigh Henry). Onyeka is an alumni of the Spindle Films Trans Filmmaker Fellowship (2024), Series Mania Writers’ Campus (2025), Blood In The Snow Development Lab (2024) and Reelworld Film Institute Emerging20 Writers fellowship (2025).
Mandy Lam IMDb
Mandy is a filmmaker and multi-disciplinary creative whose storytelling practice grew out of a long career in...Parkour! She has been practicing since 2007 and is one of the longest-practicing women in Canada. After a head injury interrupted her own competitive trajectory, she began developing a short film inspired by that experience, 'Wu Wei: After the Fall', which is now in the final stages of post-production and heading toward a festival run. Mandy is also in post with 'The Friendly Town', a feature-length thriller, parody of Hallmark Christmas films, which she and her fiancé have self-financed and are currently taking through post-production phase. Her background spans filmmaking, writing, production, sound and gaffing.
Brian Rocafort IMDb
Brian Rocafort is a Grenadian-born cinematographer, camera operator and focus puller with more than 15 years of experience working across film, television and commercial production. His career has taken him from the technical and visual demands of the camera department on major productions, to aspiring feature film writer. Brian spent five years living and working in China, where he immersed himself in the local sector and expanded his international perspective on filmmaking and visual storytelling. Alongside his work behind the camera, he has developed a strong interest in screenwriting and independent feature development. His first feature screenplay gained recognition through international screenplay competitions and he is currently developing his second feature-length screenplay, 'Brighton': set in a small Ontario town in the early 2000s, Brighton explores ambition, immigration, family, class and the restless desire to escape the limitations of one's surroundings.