Film Festival ConnectConnect. Collaborate. Celebrate.
About us
Good films begin with people connecting.
We created Film Festival Connect to bring people together around a shared love of film—and to help those encounters grow into conversations, relationships and creative work.
As co-founders, we share a belief that a creative community needs places to meet throughout the year. Our aim is to connect filmmakers, performers, producers and creative partners across experience levels, disciplines and backgrounds, with room for both established voices and people finding their way into the industry.
Richard J. Railey & Gordon Weiske · Co-founders, Film Festival Connect
Why we bring people together
A conversation can be the start of something.
View full photograph ↗Film Festival Connect is an independent programme produced by Airtists Creative Inc. We bring the creative community together through gatherings and industry conversations designed to make introductions easier and exchange more meaningful.
Film-festival weeks offer a natural meeting point. We want to carry that energy forward: a place to share work, ask questions, discover collaborators and keep relationships growing after the festival ends.
Our September 2026 AI & Film Forum, presented with Startup Fuel, brought filmmakers, performers, producers and creative technologists together to explore artificial intelligence, human creativity and responsible filmmaking. Explore the forum.
The people behind Film Festival Connect
Meet the co-founders.
We bring different experiences to a shared purpose: helping people meet, exchange ideas and build lasting creative relationships.
Gordon Weiske
Co-founder · Film & television producer
Gordon Weiske is a film and television producer and co-founder and president of CanWood Entertainment. His producing credits include eHero, Charlotte Sucks: at Dating and Pete & Toshi Get a Camera.
His broader screen experience spans production, visual effects and support roles on film and television projects. He participated in the September 2026 AI & Film Forum, contributing to the conversation about artificial intelligence and the filmmaking process.
Gordon brings his production background and support for emerging Canadian talent to Film Festival Connect’s work connecting the creative community.
View Gordon’s IMDb profile ↗Richard J. Railey
Co-founder · Producer · Director
Richard J. Railey is a producer, director and co-founder of Film Festival Connect. His screen credits include CANIFFF Awards and The Top Notch Challenge – Next Fashion Designer.
Through Film Festival Connect, Richard brings filmmakers, performers, producers and creative partners together through independent industry programming in Toronto. He hosted the September 2026 AI & Film Forum, presented by Film Festival Connect and Startup Fuel.
His focus is on creating welcoming opportunities for the creative community to meet, exchange ideas and explore collaboration.
View Richard’s IMDb profile ↗The Toronto pilot
Connection, throughout the year.
Year-round programme in developmentToronto is where we are building and learning. We are developing a pilot programme of year-round events that gives people more opportunities to meet, exchange ideas and find the people who can help move a project forward.
Meet & connect
Welcoming mixers and smaller gatherings that make space for introductions, ongoing relationships and conversations across the film community.
Share & discover
Planned showcases and creative exchanges where people can share selected work, discuss what they are making and meet potential collaborators.
Learn & exchange
Industry conversations and practical sessions exploring story, production, film financing and emerging technology.
These are the formats we are working towards. Confirmed events, dates, venues and registration details will be announced individually.
Our longer-term vision
Toronto first.
A wider world ahead.
Our ambition is to develop the Toronto pilot into a model that can grow with local partners in other cities around the world.
Each film community has its own character, stories and needs. We want future gatherings to reflect the people who live and create there, while opening doors to relationships across cities and borders.
We are starting with Toronto, listening to our community and building one gathering at a time. International expansion is our longer-term goal.
Help shape what comes next
Be part of the conversation.
Have an idea for a gathering, a project to share or an interest in collaborating? We welcome conversations with creatives, speakers, venues and community partners as we develop the Toronto pilot.
Film Festival Connect is an independent programme produced by Airtists Creative Inc. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Toronto International Film Festival. Participation in Film Festival Connect does not constitute official film-festival accreditation.