Ashley Sugimoto is a yonsei (fourth-generation), mixed-race Japanese Canadian filmmaker operating on the unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territories. Her work is driven by her mixed roots and explores mixed identity, and intergenerational trauma within diaspora communities.

She graduated with a BFA in film production from Simon Fraser University In 2018. In the same year, her short documentary, Aiko (2016) went on to stream through Yahoo Japan for 1 year. Her grad film, Shards (2018) landed an Award of Excellence from Best Global Shorts, and a nomination for Best Acting Ensemble from Melbourne Short Film Festival. Her short script Internode (2022) has also received attention from festivals based in Toronto as well as Japan. In 2023, Ashley was a screenwriting panelist at GEMFest.

Ashley is also a VIFF Catalyst Mentee.