Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada Supports
Women In the Director’s Chair at 2023 Whistler Film Festival:
Unveils Eight Directors Chosen for Story & Leadership Program

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, Women In the Director’s Chair (WIDC) will present an in-person Industry Immersion at the Whistler Film Festival through a director-focused sponsorship provided by Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada. 

This year’s WIDC Story & Leadership cohort of award-winning directors (bios here) includes:

From BC:

• Amy Bohigian, Impact Doc Award winner (Only In Nelson) developing sketch comedy series Southern Interior.
• Jenny Lee-Gilmore, alumna of the VIFF Catalyst and GEMS TV Producers programs, developing coming-of-age feature film Mixed Feelings.
• Sunny Mohajer developing the feature film Becoming Odella. Sunny will be pitching her project during this year’s WFF Power Pitch.
• Giselle Miller developing a dramatic feature film Sweet Plantain for which she received WIDC’s Advantage Award earlier this year and a spot at the WFF Screenwriter program.

From Ontario: 

• Marjan Hashemi (Origami, Best Film Jakarta Independent Film Festival) developing a dark comedy feature, After Love. 
• Shelly Hong (Such a Small Thing) Silver Winner for Best Short and Gold Winner for Best Editing at the Queen Palm Film Festival, developing her debut feature drama, Canadian Hanguk.
• Yasmine Mathurin (TIFF CBC Screenwriter Award Winner 2023) further developing her feature film, Sorry Pardon Madame.

From Quebec:

• Marielle Quesney is developing the horror feature film Lunaris. Marielle is known for her work on Ubisoft’s largest game franchise, Rainbow Six Seige.

WIDC receives major financial support from Telefilm Canada. Story & Leadership is presented in collaboration with Whistler Film Festival and is also supported by ACTRA National, UBCP/ACTRA, AFBS, the Independent Production Fund, and Creative BC.

“Thank you WIDC for providing a great platform that allows industry professionals to gather and connect,” says Julie Roy, Executive Director & CEO, Telefilm Canada. “It is the opportunities sparked and developed from these spaces that contribute to the growth of our talent pool.”

“It is important to make space for all voices to be heard and for everyone to have an opportunity to tell their story,” says Eleanor Noble, President ACTRA National. “ We believe diversity strengthens the industry.”

“We are proud to support the decades-long dedication and work of WIDC that advances representation and leadership opportunity for women and non-binary creators behind the camera in B.C.’s film industry,” says Prem Gill, CEO, Creative BC.

“We are pleased to continue our long relationship with WIDC. The results have spoken for themselves as the alumnae develop strong projects and careers in the Canadian screen industry,” says Angela Heck, Executive Director, Whistler Film Festival.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the WIDC program to further develop my feature film Mixed Feelings,” says director participant Jenny Lee-Gilmore. “This opportunity will not only empower me creatively but also enable me to cultivate a new level of leadership that encompasses both storytelling and personal growth.”

Mentors for this session of WIDC include award-winning director Nimisha Mukerji (Gabby Durran and the Unsittables, Gotham Knights), screenwriter / story consultant Karen Walton (Orphan Black, Ginger Snaps).

Instructors also include Dr. Dorothy Cucw-la7 Christian and Dr. Rita Shelton Deverell C.M. who lead a module on equity, diversity and inclusion work; writer and Jungian expert, Dr. Carolyn Mamchur, actor, teacher and filmmaker, Lori Triolo (Blackstone, Lost Solace), actor / instructor, Veena Sood (With Love and a Major Organ, Children Ruin Everything), and Digital Media & Marketing Mentor, Annelise Larson, who will lead sessions on leadership, story development, working with actors and marketing.

An ensemble of ACTRA actors from across Canada along with ICG cinematographers, Kim Derko csc (Save Me; The Next Step), and Daytime Emmy winner, Gayle Ye (Odd Squad, Mobile Unit), will also join the program, workshopping excerpts from the directors’ original scripts.

WIDC co-creator and producer, Dr. Carol Whiteman facilitates, and leads follow up mentorships for the program.

During the WFF Industry Immersion part of the program, the eight director participants partake in a first-class industry environment during the fest’s virtual component that includes an array of master classes, artist-talks, one-to-ones, and notably, WFF’s Women In Focus series. WIDC-hosted sessions also include industry guests from Telefilm Canada, Bell Media, CBC Films, the Independent Production Fund, and Creative BC, among others who will participate in roundtables and individual meetings with participants.

The 2023 Whistler Film Festival, which takes place in person November 29 through December 3 and online until December 15, 2023, and will showcase director Kim Albright’s WIDC Feature Film Award-winner With Love and a Major Organ which world premiered at SXSW, opened this year’s Reelworld Film Festival and won Best Feature Film and Best Male Performance (Hamza Haq). 

Alumnae films also screening at WFF include second features by Madison Thomas (Infinity of Dusk), a sneak peak at Jules Koostachin’s Angela’s Shadow, Bruna Arbex’s short Introduction, and Lindsay McIntyre’s compelling new short, Nigiqtuq ᓂᒋᖅᑐᖅ (The South Wind) which earned Best Short Film and ImagineNATIVE’s nomination for the 2024 Oscars.

Story & Leadership culminates with intensive follow up development of story and marketing materials, and career coaching modules that run through to spring 2024.

For more information on Warner Bros. Discovery Access and its programs, please visit www.warner-access.com.

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Shorts Not Pants Film Festival is an annual celebration of short films, showcasing the best works from Canada and around the world. Spanning 12 years, Shorts Not Pants was founded in 2012 by James McNally as a series of quarterly screenings, transforming into an annual festival in 2018. The festival is renowned for its curated selection of exceptional short films and engaging events that bring together filmmakers, industry professionals, and film enthusiasts. Shorts Not Pants Film Festival is committed to promoting the art of short filmmaking and providing a platform for filmmakers to connect with their audience.
For more information, visit www.shortsnotpants.com.