As Chief Content Officer, Heath Kenny is charged with spearheading the company’s move into original programming. Originally based in Paris, Kenny has relocated to Ottawa and works in collaboration with Chantal Ling, Vice President of Original Series and Co-Productions

Kenny is responsible for content strategy, the development of original content and management of the development teams at Mercury Filmworks. With extensive knowledge of animation production and development, and as a talented artist and director, Kenny will identify and develop original properties, both existing IPs and originals, and secure financing to green-light productions.

Throughout his 20 year career in animation, Kenny has worked with and for clients like DreamWorks, Disney, France Télévisions, Tf1, RAI, Teletoon Canada, and Netflix.

Before joining Mercury Filmworks, Kenny ran his own Paris-based company, You and Eye Creative, which he founded in 2016. Prior, he served as Vice President of Creative and Executive Producer at Gaumont Animation, also in Paris. Originally from New Zealand, Kenny worked in the UK as animation director on the Gorillaz music video Dirty Harry, and served as co-director for the second season of Cartoon Network’s Robotboy while working with Anphanim.

Malachi Ellis, Creative Producer
Malachi Ellis is a Black Toronto-based Producer. He focuses on telling diverse and authentic stories that challenge the status quo and amplify BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ voices. His producing skills have led him to work at some of Canada's largest film and television companies. He has worked with some of Canada's most talented emerging filmmakers producing work that has screened at film festivals across Canada and internationally. In 2021 Malachi was also named one of 10 to Watch by Playback Canada.

Mansa Chintoh is a Toronto-based producer and entertainment lawyer with a decade of experience in the Canadian film, television and music industries. A third culture kid raised in Hamilton, Ontario, her experience as a black woman, child of immigrants and someone with a hidden disability informs her intersectional approach to filmmaking. Chintoh is no stranger to feeling like an outsider and has yet to see an accurate portrayal of herself, and the subcultures she grew up immersed in onscreen. As a voracious consumer of entertainment and popular culture, she finds influence across a breadth of genres.

Sarah Lamoureux is the Development Manager for the Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) and The Animation Conference (TAC). She works with the festival’s community and business partners to present public and industry-focused programming, which includes screenings, panel discussions, pitching events, free workshops for children and youth, parties, and more. Sarah began volunteering and working in film festivals while studying in Ottawa in 2014 and returned after completing a TIFF internship and MA studies in Toronto. Public programming is a key passion for her as she works to make animation and independent film more accessible to people of all ages and life experiences. She is very proud to be a part of the OIAF and to have the opportunity to engage with the local and international animation community.