The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has chosen eight teams for its Series Accelerator programme.

Now in its third year, the two-day intensive, presented by the Canada Media Fund (CMF), will see emerging writer-producer teams receive mentorship, guidance and support from a pitch coach, industry professionals and their programme peers Participants will also gain access to TIFF’s Industry Conference, among other benefits.

The selected projects and teams are Real Dicks, helmed by writer Adnan Khan (Shook) and producer Amar Wala (Shook); The Centre, led by producer Mark Bacolcol (Altar Boy) and Serville Poblete (Altar Boy); and Prime, piloted by writer Ashleigh Rains (With a Twist) and producer Jen Pogue (County Blooms).

Other projects include: Party Girl #3, led by producer Lee Marshall (Face) and writer Katharine King So (The Walk-In Closet); Boys of Sin, helmed by writer Louis Taylor (Spawn & Geezer) and producer Katelyn Cursio (Redlights); and Thorncliffe, piloted by writer Omar Majeed (Disco’s Revenge) and producer Amanda Pileggi (Code 8: Part II).

Rounding out the projects and teams are: Surviving Grace, from 2022’s Playback 10 to Watch writer Josiane Blanc (Faux départ) and writer-producer Lanette Ware-Bushfield (Effections); and Phantom Pass, led by producer Cole Vandale (Terror / Forming) and writer Milly Mumford (Gemini).

The purpose of the programme is to help the teams refine their pitch and project materials, as well as to help them develop ideas and strategies for finding international partners to move projects forward.

After the intensive, the teams are free to use the remainder of the festival to identify and pitch to partners.

TIFF begins today (Sept. 5) and runs until Sept. 15.

Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images, courtesy of TIFF