The Team
INGRID VENINGER is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, educator, and Associate Professor in the Department of Cinema & Media Arts at York University’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD). She serves as Director of the York University Motion Media Studio (MMS) at Cinespace, where she bridges creative practice, industry collaboration, and innovative approaches to film education. She holds an MFA from York University.
Born in Bratislava, Slovakia, and raised in Toronto, Canada, Ingrid has written, directed, and produced more than fifteen feature films that have premiered at leading international festivals including TIFF, Rotterdam, Locarno, Busan, Slamdance, Whistler, Rome, Hot Docs, Karlovy Vary, and MoMA in New York. Her most recent feature documentary, CROCODILE EYES (2025), continues her exploration of intimate, deeply personal storytelling.
Recognized for her distinctive DIY filmmaking philosophy and fearless independent spirit, Ingrid is the recipient of the WIFTS International Visionary Award, the Alliance of Women Film Journalists’ EDA Award for Best Director, and the Jay Scott Prize from the Toronto Film Critics Association. Her work has been celebrated with career retrospectives at the Canadian Film Institute in Ottawa and FEMCine in Santiago, Chile.
A Director member of the Directors Guild of Canada, Ingrid is an alumna of the inaugural TIFF Studio, Berlinale Talents, and the Rotterdam Producer’s Lab. She has served as a mentor at the Canadian Film Centre and as Screenwriter-in-Residence at the University of Toronto. Passionate about fostering new voices, she founded the pUNK Films Femmes Lab, an initiative supporting Canadian women writing and directing narrative feature films, sponsored by Academy Award winner Melissa Leo.
In 2020, Ingrid initiated and co-created ONE(NINE), an internationally collaborative feature film and interactive web project bringing together nine women filmmakers across six countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project has become an innovative model for collective filmmaking across borders.
Ingrid is currently developing several new feature films, including ULTREIA, a hybrid narrative feature inspired by the Camino de Santiago that explores grief, transformation, and resilience through the act of pilgrimage. Her work continues to blur the boundaries between fiction and documentary while championing sustainable, artist-driven production practices.
Her research and creative interests include DIY filmmaking methodologies, hybrid cinema, collective creation, feminist filmmaking, authentic leadership, sustainable production practices, and innovative pedagogies that connect film education with professional practice.
CHRISTINA DOVOLIS is an interdisciplinary filmmaker and geographer, often working with cutting-edge technologies to explore how our built environments shape community and identity. With a background in grassroots community organizing, Christina has over 10 years of experience coordinating between various artistic, non-profit, and educational organizations. She is committed to making new media programs more accessible to the public, particularly focusing on empowering women and marginalized groups. She has achieved acclaim for her projects, with presentations at Museum of the Moving Image, SXSW Sydney, Aga Khan Museum, Kasseler Dokfest, Fantasia, and more. Christina holds a MA in Urban Planning from the National University of Singapore and a MFA in Film Production from York University, where she was awarded the Canada Graduate Scholarship.
As the Program Coordinator, Christina manages operational and creative programming at MMS. Liaising between York U faculty, students, industry, community partners, government officials, and Cinespace Film Studios, she plans and coordinates film productions, research, outreach, grants, and events. She works closely with the Director to develop and implement MMS policies and procedures.
As the Studio Technology Coordinator, Vann is excited to be a part of MMS in exploring new technologies and creative opportunities in Film and Media, while assisting artists in bringing their visions to life.