Mayumi Yoshida
Born in Japan, raised in three continents, Mayumi Yoshida is a Director, Actor and Writer based in Vancouver, BC. She’s an alumna of Women In the Director’s Chair, WarnerMedia x Canadian Academy Access Writers Program, TIFF Writer’s Studio and currently the participant of TIFF Netflix Talent Accelerator Fellowship.
Since making her directorial debut on “AKASHI”, she has created many short films centering around Asian Characters and
has won many awards worldwide. The latest Music Video she directed, Different Than Before by Amanda Sum, starring Tzi Ma (Mulan) earned a Vimeo Staffpick and is screening at Oscar /BAFTA qualifying film festivals. Her first feature “AKASHI” recently received development and production fund from Telefilm and is slated to go into production in 2023.
Mayumi also works with A24/Apple/Netflix as a Japanese cultural consultant, and is currently shooting the TV series “SUNNY” (AppleTV+) starring Rashida Jones (On the Rocks) and Hidetoshi Nishijima (Drive My Car) in Japan as an Associate Producer.
Amanda Sum
“Swiftly making a name for herself in the Canadian music industry, Amanda Sum is a well-respected artist based in Vancouver. Amanda creates immersive sonic realms that mesmerize and encourage listeners to question the world around them. Musically fluent in multiple instruments, Amanda seamlessly assimilates elements of Indie-Pop, Jazz, and Alternative Folk into her eccentric and genre-bending sound. Her well-honed artistic intuition shines through in her intentional musical arrangements, complimenting her intelligent and thought-provoking lyrics. Amanda’s music has received critical acclaim from major media outlets including CBC, Exclaim! Magazine, and The Vancouver Sun, and even captured the attention of the marketing team at John Fluevog. Her music video “Different Than Before”, starring Hollywood’s Tzi Ma, made waves across North America, and was screened at festivals in Los Angeles and New York in addition to being chosen as a Vimeo Staff Pick.
The singer solidified her artistic values as a member of and an advocate for the Asian community by pulling together a band entirely composed of Asian women. Amanda’s debut album was produced in collaboration with an allfemale team including Canadian singer Emily Millard and the profound talents of the late recording engineer, and Amanda’s dear friend, Olivia Quan.”