Ivana Samuel is an actor, spoken word poet, and filmmaker based in Vancouver. She created her debut short film, Who We Are, through the Reel Youth Black Brilliance program in partnership with TELUS STORYHIVE. Through the Fabienne Colas and Netflix Being Black in Canada Program, she completed her second short film and first documentary, The Book of Black Voices, which follows two Black poets, Adonis and Imbali, as they seek community in Vancouver.
Her latest short film, Looking Glass, draws inspiration from African mythology and explores mental health, self-hate, self-love, and invisibility. The film was funded by the Voices With Impact Film Festival. Ivana is an alumna of the 2023 VIFF Catalyst Mentorship Program and Black Women Film! Canada at TIFF, as well as the 2024 Whistler Film Festival Documentary Lab.