#CreativityForGood team tells the story of why GreekTown on the Danforth BIA is more than a neighbourhood in a cinematic short film.
Toronto – August 4, 2020 – Today, a creative team part of the #CreativityForGood initiative released a short cinematic film of small business owners in GreekTown on the Danforth BIA. The initiative, led by Impossible Studios, is an assembly of creative volunteers – directors, post-production editors and do-gooders – who have come together to donate their talents to tell the story of a neighbourhood rich in culture and hospitality.
The short film is narrated by a few GreekTown BIA business owners and welcomes you into some of the most loved gems like Akropolis Pastries, Pantheon Restaurant, Mezes, Ellas Meat Market and Lukumum.
Established in 1981, GreekTown on the Danforth BIA is the largest Greek neighbourhood in North America. In the early 1980s, the area was home to the second largest concentration of Hellenic immigrants living outside of Greece. A stroll down their streets displays colourful and distinctive blue and white signs and street names in both Greek and English – a celebration of their heritage and Canada’s multiculturalism.
“Danforth Avenue has been, for many years, a vibrant, local, social node and business district and a regional destination for dining and unique special events, like Taste of the Danforth,” said Constantine Voidonicolas, Chair of GreekTown on the Danforth BIA
With Toronto finally entering Stage 3, expanded indoor and outdoor social gatherings means businesses on the Danforth can welcome back the community. Meanwhile, the Destination Danforth project has been under way since mid-July – a project that supports local businesses by providing safe walking and cycling infrastructure and adequate room for physical distancing by creating additional patios. While visitors will continue to see these changes for months to come, the neighbourhood’s bustle never goes away.
In April, Marco D’Angelo, executive producer at Impossible Studios, leveraged his internal and external network of creatives to launch the initiative offering pro-bono content creation.
“GreekTown is a community made up of small businesses, most of them decades old. We witnessed so many shops close as a result of COVID-19 – businesses that have served the area for generations. We knew we had to do something to help mend the community, and with the help of our incredible partners and local business owners, we created this short film to showcase the vibrancy of this beautiful neighbourhood and remind Toronto that GreekTown is open for business,” said D’Angelo.
“The film captures the spirit, heart and people of GreekTown. With its vibrant patio culture and beautiful square, GreekTown is a taste of Europe in our own backyard when travel is limited and borders are closed,” said Voidonicolas.
For more information on Impossible Studios, visit their website and follow them on Instagram.
Call to Action
GreekTown on the Danforth BIA welcomes you back. Visit the area’s buzzing restaurants, bakeries and cafés that feature traditional Greek cuisine, along with other multi-ethnic establishments. They’re also home to a wide array of retail stores and services, all within easy walking distance.
Credits:
Project: “Welcome Back” GreekTown x #CreativityForGood
Production company: Impossible Studios (@impossiblestudiosinc)
Executive Producer: Marco D’Angelo (@zrkmarco)
Director(s): Marco D’Angelo & Adam Burke
DP: Tomasz Kurek
B-Cam/Gaffer: Jay Mirus
1st AC: Kevin Pereira
Editorial: Married to Giants (@marriedtogiants)
Executive Producer, editorial: Julie Axell
Editor: Scott Edwards
Colour: Studio Feather
Producer, colour: Hannah Graham
Colourist: Luke Bellissimo
Post-audio: Studio Feather
Strategic social good partner: Emily Yau (@theneighbourgood)
Special thanks: Grande Camera Toronto (Dina Maragos), The Neighbourhood Studios
(James Waring) and APM Music
Media Contacts
Executive Producer, Impossible Studios
Marco D’Angelo marco@notimpossible.ca
Strategic Social Good Partner
Emily Yau emily@theneighbourgood.com
About Impossible Studios
Impossible Studios is a Toronto-based production company. To date, over 10 projects have been completed through #CreativityForGood, for brands like HotBlack Coffee,Habitat for Humanity and Ontario Equestrian. Their executive producer, Marco D’Angelo spent years working as a director and producer with Rogers Media, developing multiplatform content for brands like the NHL, Unilever and Walmart Canada. Clients include Muskoka Brewery, American Express and RioCan.
About the neighbourgood
the neighbourgood is a social good initiative helping small businesses and BIAs in Toronto. Started by Emily Yau, a marketing and social innovation strategist, it launched in March to help restaurants, shops and services sell gift cards to bring in much needed cash flow. Business pivots led the initiative to expand its partnerships with BIAs and help their members with pro-bono content creation as well as telling small business owner stories on their Instagram.