Lisa Kannakko is an award-winning creative producer, director, and photographer with over 25 years of experience shaping emotionally resonant, visually compelling stories. Known for her instinctive eye and ability to blend raw honesty with striking visual language, she specializes in developing distinctive projects across film, documentary, music, and digital media.
Her short film Glad You’re Here is a 10-minute autoethnographic documentary crafted from 19 years of personal visual material. Developed as part of her Master’s in Documentary Media, the film explores memory, identity, and emotional survival through an intimate, archival lens. It was an official selection at several international festivals, including the Montreal Independent Film Festival, St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival, Tallgrass Film Festival, Dumbo Film Festival, and Canada Shorts. The film received numerous awards, including:
• Gold Medal – UK Short Film Festival
• Best Documentary Short – IndieX Film Fest
• Best Short & Best Editing – Independent Shorts Awards
• Best Cinematography – Canadian Cinematography Awards
• Best First-Time Director (Female) – Indie Short Fest
She is the creator, director, and producer of Live at The Belljar, a 36-episode indie music series featuring Canadian artists such as Daniel Lanois, Tess Parks, and Kira May. Her creative work spans music videos, artist profiles, live event coverage, and digital content for YouTube and social platforms—delivering story-driven visuals for clients including CBC Music, FOX, Toyota, and Tim Hortons.
As the founder of Open Show Toronto, Lisa produced 138 live artist showcases to public audiences, building a dynamic platform for creative exchange and emerging voices. Her work is grounded in a deep commitment to original storytelling, collaborative process, and emotional authenticity.
Earlier in her career, Lisa received a Canada Council for the Arts grant for her documentary on boundary-pushing musician Peaches in 1998. Her photography has also been recognized with a Communication Arts award, one of the industry's highest honors in visual media.
Lisa is currently developing her first feature film and is available for creative producing opportunities that value bold vision, artistic integrity, and meaningful impact.