Hayet Benkara

Hayet Benkara is a French-born film industry advisor based in Toronto and Europe. For over 15 years, she worked with outstanding professionals at TIFF, the Toronto International Film Festival, under the leadership of Piers Handling and Cameron Bailey. She served as Manager of the Unofficial Market and as Manager of TIFF Studio, the first year-round training programme for film professionals (producers, directors, and screenwriters). She also produced the TIFF Talent Lab, which takes place during the festival.

Benkara has worked for prestigious international film festivals such as Cannes, Berlinale, Rotterdam (CineMart), Locarno (Open Doors), Marrakech (Ateliers de l’Atlas), the Doha Film Institute—where she launched the co-production market Qumra—as well as Abu Dhabi, Dubai—where she launched the Industry department—and Guanajuato (Mexico), among others.

In 2021, she launched the Nouveau Marché at the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma in Montreal, a new co-production market presenting Canadian and international projects in development to the North American market. Thanks to her extensive international network and holistic approach, she is frequently invited to conduct workshops and moderate panels on topics related to the film industry.

Throughout the year, she advises emerging and established filmmakers and producers on strategies for development, production, co-production, distribution, marketing, and related areas.