ALFONS ADETUYI, DIRECTOR/ PRODUCER / PRESIDENT
Alfons Adetuyi is an award-winning director and producer recognized both for navigating the complexities of financing international co-productions and producing successful cross-cultural films and television series.
For over 25 years Alfons has produced and directed prime-time television and film programming across a wide range of genres, from features to documentaries, drama series, TV Movies to lifestyle programming. These include three official co-productions with South Africa: the first official Canada/South Africa co-pro EKHAYA: A FAMILY CHRONICLE/ MOLO FISH, followed by drama series JOZI H, and rom-com LOVE JACKED, currently streaming worldwide on Netflix.
Other notable credits include HIGH CHICAGO (Netflix US/eONE, winner Canadian Feature and Audience Choice Awards), SKIN DEEP (6 seasons, winner Gemini Best Lifestyle Series), GANESH BOY WONDER (premiered at Hot Docs, broadcast on OMNI/ DISCOVERY CHANNEL), BEAT THE WORLD (Sony Pictures/ Wild Bunch/eOne), NORTH/SOUTH (CBC), IT AIN’T ALL JAZZ (Bravo!), and SURVIVORS (premiered at TIFF).
Recently Alfons directed Hallmark’s HERITAGE HOLIDAY starring Lyndie Greenwood, Brooks Darnell, and Holly Robinson Peete; Lifetime’s MIRACLE IN MOTOR CITY starring Tia Mowry-Hardrict and Smokey Robinson, and A SECOND CHANCE AT LOVE, reuniting ER stars Gloria Reuben and Eric La Salle. Alfons is currently in pre-production on his 4th SA co-pro DREAMS OF THE MOON starring Nia Long and he is in development on his 5th SA co-pro, sci-fi-political-thriller series RIO TEN with Spier Films South Africa, as well as his first co-pro with Luxembourg’s Wady Films, the sci-fi fantasy trilogy THE DIRT EATERS.
Alfons was featured in Indie Wire‘s ‘Shadow and Act’ Black Filmmakers to Watch, named as one of 2018’s Top 30 Black Directors by blackfilm.com and most recently announced as Reelworld’s 2021 Vision Award recipient.
CORA TONNO, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
A successful developer, eager to forge new frontiers, Cora began working in film and television and exploring all areas of the business including sales, marketing and finance and now works as an Executive Producer overseeing the growth of Inner City Films (ICF). Under her tenure, ICF has developed a number of international co-productions with the UK, France, India and South Africa. Attending international film and TV markets, Cora secures financial partners for ICF’s production slate, which includes, sci-fi series, drama, trans-media and feature film.
LISA DI MICHELE, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER / EDITOR
Lisa Di Michele is an award-winning editor with more than a decade of editing experience in scripted and unscripted television, shorts, and feature film. She is also an experience executive producer working with US, Canada and South Africa productions. Di Michele’s work has aired on the CBC, NBC, Life, and Oxygen. She has edited numerous seasons of the provocative lifestyle TV series Skin Deep, award winning documentary Ganesh Boy Wonder. Her feature films include Trouble Sleeping, Love Jacked, High Chicago, and The Incredible 25th Year Of Mitzi Bearclaw.
ORLA GARRIQUES, MARKETING DIRECTOR
Orla Garriques is a multi-faceted professional working at the intersection of film, television, digital media and the arts. She has delivered collaborative initiatives that promote content and talent abroad for leading media institutions The National Film Board of Canada and South African Documentary Filmmakers’ Association. As a cultural curator, she has programmed films and professional forums at Toronto International Film Festival, Hot Docs, Reelworld Screen Institute, and Durban FilmMart. Garriques is an alumna and mentor of the Canadian Film Centre, co-founded the 10-year MIC Mentorship program, and has worked with production companies in the areas of business affairs, marketing, digital content creation and audience engagement. Film and TV credits include: Little Mosque on the Prairie, Designer Guys, Guns, Made In Canada, Skin Deep, Jozi-H and Love Jacked.
CHERISE SOLOMON, DIGITAL CONTENT AND MARKETING ASSISTANT
Cherise is a digital media professional managing online presence, creating digital content and managing social media channels across Inner City Films’ companies and projects. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in New Media from Ryerson University and completed the OYA Pathways Program, where she was a casting assistant and post-production supervisor on her cohorts’ film Confessions. Cherise has produced digital content and live events for multi-disciplinary arts organizations including SuiteLife Arts, CELAFI’25 and Doe Eye Media’s Made In Canada. Her internship with ICF on ICF’s feature film Love Jacked brought fresh perspectives and evolved into a long-term position, where her varied skill set and background in design and communication make her a valued member of the ICF team.
