Alyson M. Richards
Writer/Director/Producer

Alyson Richards is an award-winning director, screenwriter, producer and educator. She is known for her ability to craft bold, inclusive, and compelling narratives.

In 2024, Alyson’s directorial talent was recognized when she won the Director’s Guild of Canada Award for Best Short Film for her short documentary I WAS HERE. She also recently directed the ‘horror’ episode of the acclaimed comedy series Children Ruin Everything (CTV, The CW, Netflix), featuring legendary filmmaker David Cronenberg in a guest-starring role. Prior to joining the DGC, Alyson worked as a 2nd unit director on two feature films and directed three award winning short films.

As a screenwriter, Alyson has gained critical and commercial success with projects like The Retreat, a queer slasher that sold to Showtime, ranked #7 on Hulu, and earned recognition as a Globe & Mail Critics’ Pick. NBC praised the film as “a lesbian slasher that explores queer vulnerability and revenge,” highlighting Alyson’s ability to merge genre filmmaking with meaningful social commentary. Her work as a screenwriter earned her a spot in the esteemed Writer’s Lab, an initiative supported by industry icons Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, and Nicole Kidman.

Alyson has spent over a decade as a creative producer, helping to shape projects that premiered at some of the world’s most prestigious festivals, including Sundance, TIFF, Sitges, AFI, and Locarno. Her extensive television credits include producing Children Ruin Everything (Roku/CTV/The CW), Home Sweet Rome (HBO Max), Small Achievable Goals (CBC) and the docuseries Queer for Fear (Hulu/Shudder). This wealth of experience behind the camera gives Alyson a unique perspective and deep understanding of the filmmaking process, which she brings to every project she directs.

She is set to direct her feature debut Mombies, a feminist zombie satire produced by XYZ Films and Lauren Grant.

She is repped in the U.S. by Manager John Tomko at Evoke Entertainment

Select Awards

I WAS HERE
Winner: BEST SHORT FILM - 23rd Annual Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) Awards
Selected: Inside Out LGBTQ+ Film Festival, North By Northwest Fest, Silverwave Film Festival

MOMBIES
Selected: International Finance Forum at Toronto International Film Festival
Selected: Inside Out LGBTQ+ Finance Forum
Selected: ‘From Our Dark Side’, Women in Genre Lab

HOME SWEET ROME
Nominee: 2024 Canadian Screen Award (CSA) for Best Children’s or Youth Series

DON’T TALK TO IRENE
Winner: 2017 Austin Film Festival Jury & Audience Award for Producing Best Feature
Winner: Best Feature - Canadian Comedy Awards
Winner: People’s Choice Award - Kingston Film Festival

DOCKING
Nominee: 2020 CSA for Producing Best Short Documentary
Winner: Best Short Film - Calgary International Film Festival
TIFF Top Ten

THE RETREAT
Globe & Mail Critic’s Pick
Selected Participant: Meryl Streep/Nicole Kidman/Oprah Winfrey-funded, The Writers Lab
Finalist: Screencraft Horror Competition
Finalist: Slamdance Screenplay Competition (Top 6 in horror category)
Selected: Frontiers Buyers Showcase Works in Progress Cannes

BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND
Nominated: 2025 GLAAD Award for Best Feature Film
Winner: 2022 Alberta Film & TV Award for Best Feature

GUIDANCE
New York Times Critic’s Pick
Winner: Oslo International Film Festival: Jury Award for Best Feature 2015
Seattle International Film Festival Jury Award

A BIRTHDAY STORY
Winner: Award of Excellence - One-Reeler Short Film Competition
Winner: Remi Award - Houston Worldfest Film Festival
Nominee: Best Comedy - New Filmmakers Los Angeles)
Winner: Tokyo Cowboys Film Festival

JESSE JAMS
Nominee: 2021 CSA for Producing Best Short Documentary
Best Short Film – Calgary Underground Film Festival
Lodestar Award – Dawson City International Short Film Festival