Few people understand the importance of the arts and culture sector as well as Cameron Bailey. He is CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) - the world's largest public film festival and one of Canada's premier cultural brands. Under his strategic direction, the festival continues to grow in size and significance each year.
Bailey began his career as a film critic. He also curated films for Cinematheque Ontario, The National Gallery of Canada, The National Film Board of Canada, and Australia’s Sydney International Film Festival before joining TIFF in 1990. He began as a programmer selecting Canadian films before moving on to African and South Asian cinema. He’s responsible for TIFF’s highly successful subscription series, Reel Talk, and also headed TIFF’s Perspective Canada series and founded its Planet Africa section.
Bailey has taught film curation at the University of Toronto and holds an honorary doctorate from Western University. He is a Chevalier in France’s Order of Arts and Letters, member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, and for 12 consecutive years been named one of “Toronto’s 50 Most Influential People” by Toronto Life.
Cameron Bailey


Afoali Ngwakum Akisa is a Montreal-based creative mind, storyteller, and founder of 9:16 Stories, a video production company specializing in emotionally resonant, goal-driven narratives. Inspired by her father’s love for capturing family memories, Afoali turned her passion for storytelling into a thriving career, helping businesses and creators cut through the digital noise with content that connects and drives results.
Her work has delivered measurable impact across industries. Afoali’s expertise helped Swab the World raise over $232,000 through social media campaigns, secured $614,000 in funding for Sayaspora’s mission to empower African women, and supported Juno in raising $300,000 to innovate menstrual health solutions. Known for blending creativity and strategy, Afoali ensures that her clients’ stories resonate and inspire action.
In her workshops, Afoali empowers participants to create engaging content that not only captures attention but delivers real results. By sharing practical techniques, creative insights, and actionable strategies, she equips business owners, marketers, and creators with the tools to stand out in today’s crowded content landscape.
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Born in Côte d'Ivoire, raised in Morocco and now living in Montreal, Djamilla Toure defines herself as a product of the diaspora. Passionate about women's empowerment and the media, she is a media founder, content creator and social entrepreneur.
She holds a bachelor's degree in international relations and international law, and is currently pursuing a master's degree in sustainable development, where she is exploring solutions to the structural barriers faced by women around the world.
In 2015, convinced that change begins at her own scale, Djamilla set herself the mission of rethinking the world through concrete action. And so, with four other women, she founded Sayaspora, a media outlet dedicated to young women from the African diaspora. Through this platform, she aims to amplify the voices of these women, highlight their ideas and offer them a space where they can not only express themselves and build their capacities, but also find a community that understands and values them.
Between leadership, innovation and commitment, Djamilla continues to explore new avenues to strengthen the influence of women in the media, social and economic spheres.

DFresh Banger is a gold- and platinum-certified Canadian-Cameroonian producer, DJ and songwriter. He is known for his innovative fusion of AI technology and music. Since 2020, he has been using artificial intelligence for sampling, production and dynamic DJ sets, marrying futuristic techniques with his signature sound inspired by Afro rhythms.
Born Daniel Sandé in Cameroon and raised in North America, DFresh Banger has been rocked by rap, R&B and reggae, as well as the driving rhythms of ndombolo and makossa. His career took off under the guidance of multi-platinum producer Koudjo (Booba, Jul, Soprano, Naza), and he enjoyed early success with the Parisian group 1995, achieving gold certification for their album Paris Sud Minute.
Today, DFresh Banger makes its international debut with the Afro-pop single Far Away, in collaboration with Nigerian revelation Singah (known for the hits Teyamo and Mon Amour, accumulating over 35 million listens). This sunny, hybrid track highlights his talent for fusing AI-enhanced productions with sounds from the four corners of the globe.
With a track record of success and a vision firmly focused on the future of music technology, DFresh Banger redefines modern production-one beat at a time.

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