The Ethics & Impact of Documentary Filmmaking With Rheanna Toy

Today’s guest is documentary filmmaker and founder of Cloudstreet Media, Rheanna Toy. She has worked as a producer, director, and editor on films that have screened at festivals across North America, with her debut short “Serisa 26” winning the Audience Choice Award at Cinema Spectacular. In 2025, Rheanna was chosen for Story Money Impact's pod program where she received mentorship and training on running impact campaigns for film. Her first feature, “A Place Where I Belong”, which follows six 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals with intellectual disabilities fighting for rights, visibility, and inclusion, was the first Canadian feature to win the Narrative Change Award at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival.

In this conversation, we dive inside Rheanna’s early experiences that eventually led to her path as a documentary filmmaker, juggling business with creative pursuits, and why it’s important to stay with the unknown in collaborative projects.

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