The Canadian Film Fest (CFF) and Firecracker Department have launched a comedy film program for emerging women and non-binary Canadian filmmakers to amplify their stories.

The month-long Canadian Comedy Film Igniter will provide participants with a prompt to create a short film, produced with the support of CFF and the Firecracker Department, a platform that boosts women’s voices.

Over the course of the program, participants will engage in development, networking, team building and mentoring activities and refine their storytelling skills. They will have a four-week timeline to write, shoot and deliver a film, according to a news release. Registration for the program closes on Jan. 19, with participants set to be announced on Jan. 26.

According to the program’s eligibility criteria, applicants must identify as emerging in the role they are applying for. The program defines an emerging filmmaker as someone “who has not been credited in more than six produced short films or been in an above-the-line position on a produced feature-length film that has been released theatrically.” Key applicants must be the writer, director, and/or producer of the short film project.

The program kicks off with a virtual script-writing and production workshop on Jan. 29, followed by a mentorship round from industry professionals, also online.

Mentors for the program include Firecracker founder and actor Naomi Snieckus (Mr. D), showrunner-producer-actor Carolyn Taylor (Baroness Von Sketch), actor-director Vanessa Matsui (How to Fail as a Pop Star), writer-director-actor Allana Harkin (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee) and writer Wendy Litner (Popularity Papers). The filmmakers will also have writing support from the Firecracker Writing Department with script writer and director Liesl Lafferty.

The participants will receive a free pass to CFF, and have the opportunity to access industry events.

Selected projects from the program will be screened at a special event during the festival, which runs from March 18 to 23, and receive live juried feedback.

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