Reel Girls Media is a boutique content driven company dedicated to fostering a deeper understanding of the world and the human spirit through the production of award winning factual and scripted media projects for the global market. The company engages in smart and original entertainment delivered across multiple platforms including television, theatres, web, on demand, and mobile.

Our projects include drama, animation, children & youth, science, arts & culture, and they have been recognized with more than 70 international awards and nominations and 120 worldwide screenings.

Ava Karvonen is a second-generation filmmaker and loves to travel.  She holds two passports (Canada and Finland). She produced the critically acclaimed feature documentaries FINDING BOBBI, WOCHIIGII LO: END OF THE PEACE, and LESSONS FROM THE SUNFLOWER (which she also directed).  She directed seasons 1 & 2 of CHAOS AND COURAGE for APTN (taking her across Canada); the CBC special KEEPING CANADA ALIVE; the factual series THE LIE DETECTIVE; HOMEFRONT (a project that took her to Afghanistan); and directed SEEDS OF CHANGE (taking her to China).   Ava is the executive producer of the box office hit SKINAMARINK and documentary series HOW TO LEARN ANYTHING. She was the supervising producer on the CBC Gem series FRICK I LOVE NATURE. 

Ava completed both her BA and MA (Communication & Technology) at the University of Alberta.  Ava has taught credit (undergrad and graduate level) and non-credit courses for Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Raindance, MacEwan University, Film and Video Arts Association of Alberta, Peace Region Media Arts Association, Edmonton Screen Industries Office, and Old Sun College (on the Siksika First Nation in Alberta).  She started volunteering at the age of 14 and continues to serve her community including sitting on the boards of the Edmonton Arts Council, Alberta Media Producers Industry Association, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Filmmakers for Conservation, IATSE Local 210, Women in Film and TV Alberta (past chair), Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC), and DOC AB (past chair).   She mentors emerging talent with the Black Screen Office and the National Screen Institute of Canada (where she has supported 35 TELUS Storyhive teams to date).