After being named as one of Hollywood Reporter’s “Top 15 Canadian Talents to Watch,” Ally Pankiw made her TV directing debut with Netflix’s Feel Good, created by comic Mae Martin. She directed and executive produced the show’s first season, which was critically acclaimed as one of the best series of 2020 and boasts a "100% Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Pankiw has since directed on Hulu’s Shrill, starring Aidy Bryant, on Tony McNamara’s Emmy-nominated comedy, The Great, with Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult, and helmed the much lauded “Joan Is Awful” episode of Netflix’s Black Mirror, starring Annie Murphy, Salma Hayek, Michael Cera, Ben Barnes, Ayo Edebiri, and Rob Delaney.
She also frequently collaborates with Dan Levy. The duo met on Levy’s Schitt’s Creek, where Pankiw served as a story editor for two seasons of the CBC’s record-breaking series. Since then, they have co-created, wrote, and executive produced Standing By, an animated comedy series for Hulu and 20th Animation, adapted an upcoming musical film for Universal, created a short film for Loewe, starring Levy and Aubrey Plaza, and are currently collaborating on a CBC doc about Lilith Fair.
In 2024, Pankiw wrote, directed, and served as EP on her first film, Utopia’s I Used To Be Funny, starring Rachel Sennott. It premiered at SXSW to rave reviews, and was honored as a Critics Pick by both The New York Times and Globe & Mail on release. Most recently, she directed “Common People,” the lead episode of the new season of Black Mirror, starring Rashida Jones, Chris O’Dowd, and Tracee Ellis Ross.
In addition to her work in film and TV, Pankiw has built an impressive career in music videos and branded content. She has helmed ad campaigns for top brands and publications like Amazon, adidas, Chanel, and NYLON, and spearheaded a series of Women in #STEM shorts for MTV and The Ad Council. She has also directed and produced videos with artists such as Ariana Grande, Phoebe Bridgers, and Sabrina Carpenter.