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Kelly Fyffe-Marshall is making waves.
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Born in England to Jamaican and Bajan parents, Kelly moved to Canada at age 11, where she has built a career as a writer-director and social activist whose work blends powerful storytelling with a deep commitment to community.
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Her debut short Haven (SXSW 2018) set the tone for her career—tender, impactful, and rooted in Black lived experiences. She has since become known for telling stories that challenge perceptions of Black communities while celebrating love, resilience, and the Caribbean diaspora.
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In 2020, Kelly’s short Black Bodies premiered at TIFF, earning the inaugural Changemaker Award, a spot on TIFF’s Canada’s Top Ten list, and later, the Canadian Screen Award for Best Live Action Short Drama. It went on to screen at Sundance and cemented her voice as a filmmaker using art to spark change. That same year, she co-founded Make Ripples, a non-profit dedicated to accessible activism, racial justice, and empowering communities through storytelling.
Her feature debut, When Morning Comes (TIFF 2022), received a nomination for Best Canadian Feature and a DGC Discovery Award nomination, further establishing her as one of Canada’s most exciting new directors. She has also been recognized for her short OMI (SXSW 2022), which earned Special Jury Recognition for Powerful “Short Trip” and a DGC nomination for Best Short Film.
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Kelly has also made her mark in television, directing acclaimed series such as Bria Mack Gets A Life (winner, Best Comedy – Canadian Screen Awards 2024, nominee for Best Comedy Direction) and Children Ruin Everything (winner, Best Comedy – Canadian Screen Awards 2025, nominee for Best Comedy Direction at both the DGC Awards and Canadian Screen Awards).
In advertising, Kelly directed the award-winning campaign Black Elevation Map, which received international recognition including the Gerety Awards (2022, Winner – Video Award, Commercial), Cannes Lions (2022, Winner – Video Award, Commercial), Webby Awards (2022, Winner – Video Jury Award), AdAge Awards (2023, Nominee – Best Campaign), and AdColor Awards (2023, Winner – Best Video Campaign).
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In 2025, Kelly continued her festival presence with TIFF: her short film Demons was an Official Selection, and her new series project He’s One Of Us was selected for the TIFF Series Accelerator.
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Across all her work, Kelly is dedicated to being a visual architect of stories that uplift, disrupt, and transform—making ripples that grow into waves of lasting change.