Celebrating recent AMPD alumni successes

Stuart Clarfield (BFA Film Production, '86)
Director, Kensington Market: Heart of the City (Documentary Film)

Stuart Clarfield’s latest documentary, Kensington Market: Heart of the City, explores the cultural and social history of Toronto’s Kensington Market in the face of rising gentrification. Premiering in October at Carlton Cinemas, the film delves into the rich diversity of Kensington, Toronto's most colorful neighborhood, and the challenges it faces from real estate developers. Clarfield's work is an evocative reminder of the importance of community and cultural preservation.

Lisa Hopkins (BFA Dance, '87)
Author, The Places Where There Are Spaces: Cultivating a Life of Creative Possibilities (Book Release)

Lisa Hopkins, an award-winning NYC dance educator and transformational coach, has released her debut book, The Places Where There Are Spaces, which has already garnered praise from industry leaders like Susan Stroman and Dame Evelyn Glennie. In the book, Hopkins shares her wisdom on living authentically and embracing creative possibilities. Her work reflects over three decades of experience in the performing arts and life coaching, offering profound insights for artists and anyone seeking deeper connection in life. To learn more about Lisa’s work, visit her website.  

Weyni Mengesha (BFA Theatre, '07)
Artistic Director, Winner of the Trailblazer Award at the Black Academy Legacy Awards

Weyni Mengesha was honoured with the Trailblazer Award at the Black Academy Legacy Award, for her work as a Director the past 20 years, and as Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre for the past 6 years. The Black Academy is a national, year-round Canadian organization that operates at the intersection of Black popular culture and social justice.

Rachel Kennedy (Theatre BFA '14)
Appointed Executive Director of Toronto Fringe

Theatre alum Rachel Kennedy was appointed as the new Executive Director and co-lead of the Toronto Fringe, Ontario's largest and most inclusive theatre festival. A graduate of the Theatre program, Kennedy has made significant contributions to the Canadian theatre community through her work with organizations like Playwrights Guild of Canada, Theatre Ontario, and Toronto Arts Council. Learn more here.

Sibel Guvenc (MFA Film, '17)
Awarded Most Innovative Film Production Businesswoman in Canada 2024)

Sibel Guvenc was recently recognized as the Most Innovative Film Production Businesswoman 2024 in Canada by Acquisition International magazine. Her pioneering work in film continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the industry. As an entrepreneur and creative leader, she is redefining how independent films are created and produced in Canada.

Rachel McAdams (BFA Theatre, '01)
Actor, Mary Jane (Broadway Debut)

Academy Award nominee Rachel McAdams made her Broadway debut this year with a powerful performance in Mary Jane, a play by Amy Herzog. Known for her diverse film career, McAdams’ return to the stage marks a full-circle moment, as she draws on the foundation she built during her time at AMPD.

Chase Joynt (PhD Cinema and Media Studies, '16)
Author, Vantage Points (Book Launch)

Chase Joynt, an acclaimed writer and filmmaker, recently launched his book Vantage Points, a deeply personal and experimental work that combines memoir with media analysis. The book, which won Best Book of 2024 by CBC and was shortlisted for the Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction, explores Joynt’s family history through the lens of Canadian media maverick Marshall McLuhan.

Helen Lee (MFA Film, '24)
Director, Paris to Pyongyang World Premiere in Korea (Film Premiere))

MFA alumna Helen Lee's thesis film, Paris to Pyongyang, had its world premiere in Korea, at the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival. The film follows a group of 1950s Parisian elites, including filmmakers Chris Marker and Claude Lanzmann, as they visit the newly-formed Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), a state that claims the allegiance of Lee’s grandmother during the Korean War.

Jai Paek (BDes, '02)
Designer, Royal Canadian Mint’s Lunar Year of the Dragon Coin

Design program alum and Creative Director, Jai Paek, has designed the latest addition to the Royal Canadian Mint’s fine silver Lunar Year series, the 1 oz. Pure Silver Coin – Lunar Year of the Dragon. Inspired by Chinese folk art, the coin features a whimsical dragon and intricate details, celebrating the Year of the Dragon. Learn more here.