Between The Frames

Andrew Phung Talks ‘Degrassi: Whatever It Takes’ Documentary
Andrew Phung Talks ‘Degrassi: Whatever It Takes’ Documentary 2560 1440 Customatic TV

After spending 30 unfiltered minutes with Andrew Phung, and it becomes immediately clear why multi-hyphenate isn’t just a buzzword. For Andrew I must say it’s a requirement. Actor, comedian, host, writer, improviser… Andrew moves through each lane with a natural ease that feels less like juggling and more like flow.

Andrew sat down with Customatic TV during Toronto International Film Festival to talk about Degrassi: Whatever It Takes, the documentary exploring the cultural legacy of Degrassi, the iconic Canadian series that first aired in 1979. Appearing as a lifelong superfan, Andrew offers personal insight into how the show shaped generations and why its impact still resonates today.

Beyond the documentary, the conversation opens up into Andrew’s own journey: the moment he decided to go all in on himself, the leap from improv to screen, and how one of television’s most beloved characters Kimchee on Kim’s Convenience came to life.

Thoughtful, grounded, and deeply encouraging, this is the kind of conversation artists and creatives will find themselves replaying. It serves equal parts inspiration and reminder that betting on yourself is rarely a straight line, but it’s always worth the risk!

Watch the trailer for Degrassi: Whatever It Takes below

Kelly Fyffe-Marshall Directs Short Film ‘Demons’ at TIFF 50th
Kelly Fyffe-Marshall Directs Short Film ‘Demons’ at TIFF 50th 2560 1440 Customatic TV

When Kelly Fyffe-Marshall steps onto a red carpet this TIFF, it won’t be the first time, and definitely not the last. Her latest directorial project, Demons, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival as a short film spun from the final scene of writer-actor Preeti Torul’s pilot script. The story is  centered around a complicated mother-daughter relationship, peeling back layers often glossed over in mainstream portrayals of immigrant families.

“I’m always intrigued by the nuances of strained family dynamics,” Kelly explains. “In media, it’s often painted as perfect, like your mom is your best friend. But real life is more complicated. I wanted to tell a story that reflects that truth.”

For Kelly, filmmaking is more than expression, it’s responsibility. With having that commitment in mind, that sense of intention extends to how she collaborates. She makes a point to understand the writer’s vision deeply, reading scripts multiple times before asking questions about character, tone, and meaning. It’s a discipline that keeps her grounded when production chaos kicks in.

If there’s a recurring theme in her work and her life, it’s community. Kelly surrounds herself with collaborators she loves. People like Tamar Bird, and Sasha Leigh Henry, her creative family.

For Kelly Fyffe-Marshall, storytelling isn’t just about what happens on screen. It’s about who gets to stand behind the camera, who gets to be seen, and who finally feels seen.

Preeti Torul Premieres Short Film ‘Demons’ at TIFF 50th
Preeti Torul Premieres Short Film ‘Demons’ at TIFF 50th 2560 1440 Customatic TV

Ahead of her TIFF premiere, Preeti Torul joins Customatic TV to discuss Demons.  A short film that doubles as a proof of concept for her upcoming television series. Both actor and screenwriter, Torul brings fearless honesty to her work, weaving humor and heartbreak into stories that feel deeply human.

Frustrated by the limited, surface-level roles available to actors of colour, Torul began writing Demons to reclaim complexity.  To create characters with depth, contradiction, and truth. What emerged is a story rooted in her own experiences growing up in downtown Toronto and navigating a fractured relationship with her mother. Demons explores how generational pain lingers, and how we learn not to erase it, but to live with it.

In this Between the Frames: TIFF 50th Anniversary Edition conversation, Torul opens up about collaborating with Kelly Fyffe-Marshall, finding catharsis through storytelling, and how her work as an actor, writer, editor, and comedian all speak the same creative language.

“My why,” she shares, “is to make stories so broke and broken people can feel seen. And make them laugh or else it’s too dark!”

Watch the full conversation as Preeti Torul shares the making of Demons and the vision for the full series it will become.

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