Executive Leadership team
Julie Roy
Executive Director & CEO
Julie Roy has nearly 30 years’ experience in the Canadian film industry. Her career path is closely linked to the National Film Board of Canada, where she served in various positions. She has designed numerous marketing campaigns and produced some 50 animated works that have enjoyed international recognition (Berlin, Cannes, Annecy, etc.). Her dual expertise in production and marketing has helped her stay in tune with audiences.
Adept at building consensus and motivating people, Julie Roy first headed the NFB’s creative sector before being named Director General and Head of Programming in September 2022. In this role, she was responsible for all production studios nationwide (Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, Moncton, Halifax, St. John’s) as well as the distribution, marketing and merchandising teams. She identified the vision and programming goals needed to reach a wider audience. Her creative leadership ensured that the NFB remained a national and international pioneer.
In directing the NFB’s French and English production sectors, Julie Roy garnered a national perspective on the documentary, animation and interactive creation sectors. She is familiar with regional, linguistic and cultural characteristics. She is an advocate for diversity and inclusion on and off the screen and encourages the plurality of voices that enable authentic storytelling.
Julie Roy has a Master’s degree in Film Studies from Université de Montréal. Author of numerous texts on women and animation, Julie Roy has also been a guest programmer and jury member at many international festivals. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Francesca Accinelli
Senior Vice President, Program Strategy and Industry Development
For over 20 years Francesca Accinelli has been an unwavering champion of Canadian talent and content. She is known for her caring and transparent management style and her ability to build trusting relationships and partnerships. She has developed a unique expertise working in TV, film, digital media, promotions and communications with both English-and French-language markets in her many roles at Telefilm.
Her arrival at Telefilm in 2006 as Deputy Director of the English Market for the Canadian Television Fund (CTF) programs allowed her to quickly acquire an in-depth knowledge of the organization. In 2008, she was promoted to Director, English Market of this team and helped establish the administration of the Canada Media Fund programs at Telefilm.
In 2014, Francesca Accinelli took on a leadership role of National Promotions and Communications and a few years later, was appointed vice-president of these sectors with the added responsibility of International Promotions.
Throughout her time at Telefilm, Francesca Accinelli has taken on additional interim roles in Government Relations, Equity Diversity and Inclusion and Official Languages and more recently the interim Executive Director and CEO, expanding her perspective and knowledge of the industry and Telefilm’s role nationally and internationally.
Patrick Bédard, CPA, CA, MBA
Vice-President, Finance and Information Technology
Patrick Bédard joined Telefilm Canada in 2004 as Chief Accountant and was promoted to Controller in 2010. Prior to that, he started his career as an auditor, working primarily in the manufacturing and municipal sectors. He later joined the Office of the Auditor General of Canada where, among other achievements, he developed his expertise in the Canadian audiovisual industry.
In his current role, Patrick Bédard is responsible for finance, financial operations and financial policy compliance. He is also responsible for the administrative financial information related to the agreement with the Canada Media Fund.
He is a chartered accountant by training and has a master’s degree in business administration.
Sébastien Pigeon
Vice President, Legal Services and Corporate Secretary
Sébastien Pigeon comes with extensive experience in the media and entertainment sector, having held executive positions with key industry companies. As Executive Vice-President and Chief Legal and Television Distribution Officer at Sphere Media, he steered the distribution strategy and actively contributed to the company’s growth. In September 2023, Sébastien was elected to the CMPA Board of Directors, where he served until recently. This experience gave him a wide-ranging perspective on the industry’s national dynamics.
Holding a law degree and a master’s degree in information technology law from Université de Montréal, he began his career in 2001 at Zone3 before joining Ogilvy Renault (now Norton Rose), where he practiced copyright and entertainment law. Subsequently, he worked for more than 12 years at AETIOS Productions, serving as General Manager and Vice-President, Legal Affairs, and Executive Producer.
Marie-Eve Mainville, M. Sc., CRHA/CHRP
Vice President, Sustainability, Talent and Culture
Marie-Eve Mainville is a bilingual human resource management professional with close to two decades of experience in taking an organization’s vision and translating it into initiatives that drive performance, growth, and employee engagement. Known for her ability to tackle complex challenges and convert vision and strategy into achievable and value-added objectives, she has worked in a number of sectors in Canada including audiovisual, entertainment, and IT.
Marie-Eve Mainville holds a master’s degree in Management and Organization Science from Laval University, as well as a graduate diploma from the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) in Management Consulting.
Cathy Wong
Vice President, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and Official Languages
A law graduate, Wong has dedicated the past 10 years of her professional life to furthering inclusion and representation of diversity in the community, media, cultural and institutional realms. Elected as a city councilor in downtown Montréal in 2017, she became the first person of Chinese descent to serve at City Hall and the first female president of City Council. As a member of the City of Montreal’s Executive Committee, she oversaw diversity, employment inclusion, the French language, and the fight against racism and discrimination.
In 2012, Wong was introduced to video production when she participated as a reporter in the television series La Course Évasion autour du monde. She then co-directed the documentary series Jeunes ailleurs, vieilles ici, about the journey of four immigrant senior women. Over the years, she has worked in different media, serving as a columnist for Radio-Canada and Le Devoir, and as a host for CIBL radio.
Cathy Wong has also chaired the Conseil des Montréalaises and the Forum jeunesse de l’Île de Montréal. As a member of boards of directors and advisory committees in the field of arts and culture (Théâtre Jean-Duceppe, Culture Montréal, Société du 375e anniversaire de Montréal, MaTV), her commitments have always been geared toward the search for inclusion and the reflection of diversity.