Directors Factory

Directors Factory is a dynamic, open creative lab for Asian Canadian media artists at all stages of their careers from those just picking up a camera for the first time to seasoned storytellers looking to explore new ground.

At its heart, Directors Factory is a community-driven incubator, where lived experiences become powerful creative productions that blend with research-creation practices, resulting in meaningful explorations and bold reimaginings of what cinema and media arts can be.

Our Director Factory is powered by two core values:

Collaborative Labour
We believe in growing together. First-time, emerging, and established directors work side by side — sharing skills through workshops, mentorships, and process-driven projects. This is a space of mutual support and collective creativity.

Cross-Pollination
We thrive on difference. Artists bring their unique voices, cultural perspectives, and personal histories to the table, sparking new approaches and innovative practices that renew and reimagine our shared artistic futures.


Currently, Directors Factory is home to two exciting sub-projects:

DIY First Time Filmmakers (514: Emerging Director)
A grassroots production space empowering emerging talents in the 514 and beyond. This is where new voices are given the tools and confidence to craft their first films — from idea to screen.
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Asian Canadian Documentary Mentorship Project
-A mentorship-focused program designed to support Asian Canadian filmmakers in the documentary field, connecting them with industry professionals, hands-on guidance, and critical dialogue around representation and form.

Directors Factory is a dynamic open space for Asian Canadian media artists at all career stages, where our lived stories weave into creative productions that merge with research-creation practices, featuring explorations and presentations. Currently we have two projects: DIY First Time Filmmakers and Asian Documentary Mentorship. Our factory cherishes:

Collaborative Labour:
A community where first-time, emerging, and established directors collectively contribute to the artistic ecosystem through shared workshops, mentorships, process-oriented projects and mutual support.

Cross-Pollination:
A deliberate sharing of diverse perspectives and cultural specificity to reinvent our traditional approaches for renewal and future generations.
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