Warner Bros. Discovery Access and the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television (Canadian Academy) have selected 10 directors for the second year of the WBD Access x Canadian Academy Directors Program.

The program, launched in 2021, aims to support underrepresented creators in Canada seeking to direct episodic television by placing participants on-set and connecting them to production executives and other creators. Each director receives $60,000 in compensation while in the program.

Among the participants is Quebec-based Marilyn Cooke, whose credits include the Academy Award-qualifying short film No Ghost in the Morgue and Radio-Canada’s talk show Pa t’mentir.

Hailing from Ontario are directors Duane Crichton (Saving God), Alpha Nicky (Rush For Your Life), Amar Wala (The Secret Trial 5), Samantha Wan (Second Jen), Rouzbeh Heydari (Neon Lights) and Christopher Yip (Streams Flow From A River).

Manitoba-based actor-director Mary Galloway (Querencia) also earned a spot in the cohort, while Tarique Qayumi (Black Kite, Targeting) and Mayumi Yoshida (Akashi) round out the selections from British Columbia.

“The Canadian Academy is proud to reinforce our commitment to fostering authentic voices and unique stories by supporting these ten directors in their artistic journeys through the WBD Access x Canadian Academy Directors Program,” said Canadian Academy CEO Tammy Frick in a statement.

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