The Writers Lab Canada has selected eight women and non-binary screenwriters to participate in its inaugural program.
The program is a three-day intensive for women or non-binary participants aged 40 or older, where they are paired with mentors to aid in developing their film and TV scripts. Toronto’s Female Eye Film Festival (FeFF) partnered with the N.Y.-based Writers Lab in July to launch a Canadian edition.
Six of the participants and their projects hail from Toronto. They are Penny Eizenga’s feature drama A Far Cry; Andrea Martinez Crowther’s feature drama Beulah & Willemina; Leah Cameron’s half-hour comedy Ice Ice Baby; Ashleigh Rains’ one-hour drama Prime; Jennifer Wigmore’s feature drama Tear Us Apart; and Vicki So’s one-hour fantasy The Devil’s Revolver.
The other two participants and their projects are from Whistler, B.C. and Montreal, respectively: Dorothy Raffo’s one-hour drama Renata and Eisha Marjara’s feature drama Stop Bath.
The program takes place from Dec. 4 to 6 at the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) Ontario office in Toronto. It will be led by former film and theatre critic Elizabeth Kaiden (pictured, left) and former journalist and magazine editor Nitza Wilon (pictured, centre), the founders of the original Writers Lab. The non-profit was founded with support from Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman.
The writers will be mentored by Morwyn Brebner (Coroner), Jessie Gabe (Workin’ Moms), Allana Harkin (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee), Wendy Litner (How to Buy a Baby), Shannon Masters (Coroner), Carolyn Taylor (Baroness Von Sketch Show) and Natalie Younglai (Ruby and the Well).
Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and actor Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding; pictured, right) has also joined the lab as its first ambassador.
The mentors will guide participants in refining their scripts and offering industry insights. Participants will present their work to production companies such as Blue Ant Media, Cameron Pictures, Darius Films, Incendo Films, Lionsgate Canada and Vortex Productions.
The intensive program is supported by podcast and community organization the Firecracker Department, FeFF and DGC Ontario.
It is also supported by Canadian Artist Network, InkCanada, the Gender Equity in Media Society, the Shine Network Institute, Women in Film and Television Atlantic, Women in View and Women In the Director’s Chair.
Images courtesy of Writers Lab Canada; Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Academy Museum of Motion Pictures