Twenty producers have been selected for the third edition of Access BIPOC Producers.

The program, presented by the National Screen Institute (NSI) and European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAVE) in partnership with the Canada Media Fund (CMF), trains and mentors Canadian producers who identify as Black, Indigenous or a person of colour as they scale their businesses and develop projects for international markets.

The program began on Jan. 6 and runs until Oct. 25 Participants will meet for their first one-week intensive, in-person workshop at the end of March in Winnipeg.

The program looks to strengthen the cohort’s leadership and entrepreneurial skills through hands-on individual and group assignments. The participants are also studying with national and international experts in script consultancy, finance, marketing, sales, interprovincial coproductions and entertainment law.

Nine of the participants are based in Toronto, including Koumpouno Corp. producer Amanda Pileggi (Code 8: Part II), Lopii Productions co-founder Georgina López (Odd Squad), No Return Media founder James J. Yi (Modern Whore) and Playback 10 to Watch alum Kristina Wong (100 Sunset).

Rounding out the Toronto-based producers are Touchstone Productions founder Yiqian Zhang (Fruit Is Ripe), 90th Parallel Productions producer Javiera Quintana (The Case Against Cosby), Qan Yama Qan Films founder Rolla Tahir (Jude and the Jinn), Rellow Media founder Temilola Adebayo (40 Acres) and Hoshi Media founder Tanya Hoshi (We Will Be Brave).

Another five participants are based in B.C., including four from Vancouver. They are director and producer Samantha Pineda Sierra (El Pescador), broadcast journalist turned producer Priyanka Desai (Red Chef Revival), Flying Cloud Productions founder Leon Lee (Human Harvest) and Alexander Glua (Daughter), Glua Studios founder and part of the business affairs team at Muse Entertainment.

Camille Beaudoin (Caution: May Contain Nuts), co-founder and CEO of Mosaic Entertainment, is based in Port Moody, B.C.

Three participants are based in Winnipeg. They are francophone filmmaker and producer Alice Teufack (Grand-Frère), Mandoca Productions founder Ana P. Castillo (Eyes Open) and Kejic Productions founder Erica Daniels (Coming Home: Wanna Icipus Kupi).

The remaining participants are Montreal-based Compass Productions founder Joe Balass (Venus), Edmonton-based Ram Film Productions owner Taghreed Saadeh (The Guests) and Prowler Pictures president and co-founder Fabiola Caraza (Cosmic Dawn).

“​Investing in BIPOC storytellers is essential to Canada’s cultural tapestry,”  Mathieu Chantelois, CMF’s EVP of marketing and public affairs, in a statement. “We’re grateful to the National Screen Institute and EAVE for partnering on this initiative and to the world-class experts who will work with this year’s participants.”

The program’s curriculum is developed using EAVE’s methodology, tailored for delivery in Canada. It is managed by NSI’s Ursula Lawson and Oyinkansola Bolaji-Idowu. Tamara Dawit, senior producer at Toronto and Ethiopia-based Gobez Media, is the program’s head of studies.

Image courtesy of NSI; pictured (L-R): (First row): Erica Daniels, Leon Lee, Ana P. Castillo, Amanda Pileggi and Alice Teufack (Second row): Alexander Glua, Camille Beaudoin, Samantha Pineda Sierra, Tanya Hoshi and Temilola Adebayo (Third row): James J. Yi, Joe Balass, Javiera Quintana, Rolla Tahir and Taghreed Saadeh (Fourth row): Yiqian Zhang, Georgina López, Fabiola Caraza, Kristina Wong and Priyanka Desai