WHY: Our objective is to open doors to help change the disturbingly low statistics of women in film, as reported this past year by Women in View in the 2021 On Screen Report, and to gain a deeper understanding of the need to advance gender equity in Canadian film and television while creating career-building experiences and networking opportunities for our filmmakers. Let’s address the concerns of female and non-binary filmmakers and disparities highlighted in the report by lifting each other up, inspiring the leaders of tomorrow, and putting our heads together to find solutions. Read the Women In View 2021 On Screen Report here.

WHO: Participation is by invitation only, extended to CFF female and non-binary filmmakers. Please note, where the word female or woman is used we include cisgender women, transgender women, women-identified, gender non-conforming women and others who identify themselves within the spectrum of the gender identity of a woman that may be fixed or fluid.

WHERE: In our best efforts to keep everyone safe from the current Covid-19 pandemic, all events will be held virtually.

Schedule

Canadian Film Fest COFFEE HOUSE
9:00 AM -9:55 AM

Grab your coffee and log on to meet and greet with attendees and participants of the day!

OPENING GREETINGS & REMARKS
10:00 AM-10:05 AM

Presented by CFF Festival Director Ashleigh Rains & Industry Producer Jen Pogue

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
10:05 AM -10:30 AM

Presented by Kadon Douglas (Executive Director BIPOC TV & Film)
An overview of the 2021 Women in View On Screen Report

ANTI-RACISM WORKSHOP
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM

Farah Merani and Sedina Fiati are performers, writers and producers who are passionate about social justice and have spent over a decade advocating for change in the screen-based industries. Join them for an engaging session that will combine principles of anti-oppression and the craft of filmmaking, with the goal of inspiring participants to continue their own learning journeys by embodying their values for a better world through their work.

LED BY: Sedina Fiati (Tokens, Coroner, Murdoch Mysteries), and Farah Merani (Shadow Hunters, Great Great Great, Frankie Drake Mysteries)

PANEL: PRODUCING FROM THE BASICS AND BEYOND: The Importance of Ownership
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM

Canadian Production Company Founders and CEOs speak to their experiences setting up their companies for feature films, television and media in Canada, their career trajectories, and their visions for a more inclusive future. Hear from these self-taught Indie Producers on the vital steps you need to take before getting your film or company off the ground.

 LED BY: Lauren MacKinlay (MacKinlay Media Founder, Women on Screen Co-Founder, Transplant)

PANELISTS:

Sonya Di Rienzo (Producer & Co-Founder, Hawkeye Pictures)

Coral Aiken (Creative Producer & Founder, Aiken Heart Films)

Fonna-Tasha Seidu (Owner, Producer & Project Manager, Snail Mail Media)

Alison Duke (Producer/Director/Co-Founder of OYA Media Group)

PANEL 2: WHO BUYS WHAT - A Development, Sales Agent and Distributor Perspective
2:30 PM-3:45 PM

You’ve put in the work, now how do you get it out there? These industry experts speak to pitching, license fees, content priorities, and the most current ways to find an audience for your films and projects in an In-depth conversation and roundtable.

LED BY: Lauren Grant (Clique Pictures, Things We Feel But Do Not Say, Sugar Daddy)

PANELISTS: 

Sardé Hardie, ​​(Vice President- Acquisitions & Sales, Photon Films)

Courtney McAllister (VP of Development, Vortex Media)

Melissa D'Agostino, (Co-Founder/Director of Development, Highball TV)

Jackie Pardy (Chief Content Officer, Super Channel)

Carolyn (Jay) J. Wu (Development Executive, Original Programming, Bell Media)

Annick Mahnert (Manager of Acquisitions, Raven Banner Entertainment)

ROUND TABLE: MAKING A LIVING IN FILM - The Jump from Indie to Episodic and Beyond
4:00 PM - 5:15 PM

Hear from top-tier writers and directors working in episodic television and beyond, all who got their start in indie films and how they parlayed their journeys into episodic television and beyond. Barriers to access are real, and levelling-up is hard; find out first-hand how these creators achieved success on their cinematic journeys.

LED BY: Gloria Ui Young Kim (Queen of the Morning Calm, Coroner, Heartland)

PANELISTS:

Sherren Lee (The Things You Think I’m Thinking, Murdoch Mysteries, Kim’s Convenience)

Katrina Saville (I Beat Up My Rapist, Unidentified Woman, Private Eyes)

J Stevens (Hazy Little Thing, Astrid and Lilly Save the World, Slo Pitch)

Renuka Jeyapalan (Ordinary Days, Kim’s Convenience, Ginny & Georgia, Children Ruin Everything)

COCKTAIL RECEPTION
5:30 PM -6:00 PM

A chance to mix, mingle and talk about the day's themes and events.

RAFFLE PRIZE GIVEAWAYS!

* Times are subject to change

**Due to the unpredictable and demanding nature of the entertainment industry, panelist participation is subject to change at any time.