Stavroula Toska is an award-winning writer, director, actress, and producer originally from Sindos, a small town outside Thessaloniki, Greece.  She moved to New York City to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and began her career performing in off-Broadway plays, student films, and television shows in Greece and New York.  While acting offered an exciting start, she quickly realized that working behind the camera was much more satisfying.  Before fully immersing herself in film and television, Stavroula lived an unconventional life according to many of her relatives, starting with her mother.  She traveled the world and took on a wide range of jobs: private tutor, executive assistant at a top PR firm, professional organizer, celebrity assistant, restaurant waitress and hostess, and made history as the first woman and first immigrant to serve as the GM of New York’s iconic Paris Theatre.  She also worked as a professional Dominatrix—an experience that served as immersive research for her critically acclaimed series SWITCH and the book she is currently writing. 

In 2017, Stavroula founded The Toska Matrix, a production company rooted in her desire to tell deeply meaningful, emotionally resonant stories that examine who we are and the journeys we go on.  Her body of work consistently explores themes of identity, power, and resilience—particularly through the lens of the female experience.  Her storytelling is personal, intimate, and unflinchingly human, earning her a reputation for crafting authentic narratives that speak to the heart of the human condition.

Her films have garnered over 80 awards in the U.S. and internationally, and received support from the Sundance Institute, Women Make Movies, Chicken & Egg Pictures, Jerome Foundation, NYSCA, and the National Arts Club. She has earned numerous accolades, including awards from New York Women in Film & Television, Tribeca Festival, Palm Beach International Film Festival, Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, and the Warsaw Film Festival.

Throughout her career, she has worked with Academy Award, Emmy, Tony, and Golden Globe-winning talent, further cementing her reputation as a dynamic creative force in the industry.  Her most notable projects include Beneath the Olive Tree—a feature documentary narrated and executive produced by Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis—SWITCH, The Sounding, Leylak, In The Vice, Pronoia, Livin’ the Dream, The New Abolitionists, and, most recently, A Photographic Memory.

She is currently developing multiple original and IP-based film and television projects—both scripted and unscripted—including a scripted drama series under a development deal with HBO, where she serves as a creative Executive Producer, and a reality competition series.

Pushing boundaries both creatively and conceptually, Stavroula is also spearheading space-focused projects that expand her vision beyond Earth.  These include the documentary series Sex in Space, as well as IVF: From Earth to Space—a groundbreaking exploration of the history and future of human reproduction on Earth and beyond currently in production. 

Her commercial and branded content work includes campaigns for CeraVe, HSBC, Citizens Bank, Jameson Whiskey, William Hill Wines, Modelo Chelada, Frank’s RedHot, SmartWater, Saratoga, Origins, Poland Spring, BlueTriton, and more.

Stavroula serves on the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Film Society USA and is the New York Events Director for Film Fatales.  She has also mentored underserved youth through Reel Works and volunteered with children with special needs at the St. Demetrios Institution in Thessaloniki.

(dis)claimer:  Stavroula confirms that she still looks good in yellow, loves wearing hats, and enjoys smoking a cigarette every now and then.