May 2, 2022, Toronto – ACTRA Toronto is pleased to announce the hiring of Luisa Alvarez Restrepo (she/her) in the role of Manager: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging.

Ms. Alvarez Restrepo is a Colombian-Canadian film executive, programmer and creator with deep ties to the international film community. As Project Manager at WarnerMedia Access Canada, she led all film festival initiatives and launched Access Festivals, a first-of-its-kind international program that provides filmmakers from underrepresented communities access to a more robust and engaging film festival experience.

Prior to WarnerMedia Access Canada, Luisa was at TIFF, where she launched the Amplify Voices Award which highlights excellence in filmmaking by Canadian and BIPOC filmmakers. As a creator, Luisa’s short film Forbidden Tikka Masala won seven awards internationally, was shown across Canada as part of TIFF’s Film Circuit and was licensed by TIFF and the CBC.

As Manager: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, Ms. Alvarez Restrepo will oversee ACTRA Toronto’s ongoing work to tackle anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination in the industry and support the objectives of its active Diversity & Inclusion Committee to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in screened entertainment.

“ACTRA’s efforts to see all of Canada represented on screen is longstanding and ongoing, beginning with the work of Dr. Rita Shelton Deverell in the 1980s and the important contributions of the late Sandi Ross in the 1990s. I look forward to working together with our industry partners to bring our goals to fruition,” says Luisa Alvarez Restrepo.

We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Alvarez Restrepo to the team” says ACTRA Toronto President David Gale. “Our ACTRA Toronto Diversity Advocates and Chairs have worked for years on initiatives to make our industry more inclusive. As Manager: Diversity, Equity & Belonging, Luisa Alvarez Restrepo, supporting our volunteers and working with our industry partners, will focus our efforts and move us towards the systemic change we all want to see. Diversity is our strength.”

ACTRA Toronto is the largest organization within ACTRA, representing over 15,000 of Canada’s 27,000 professional performers working in recorded media in Canada. An advocate for Canadian culture since 1943, ACTRA is a member-driven union that continues to secure rights and respect for the work of professional performers.

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Media Contact: Karen Woolridge, Public Relations Officer, Mobile: (416) 937-1437 kwoolridge@actratoronto.com