The Canadian Film Centre (CFC) has revealed the 19 participants of this year’s Norman Jewison Film Program.

The initiative supports the development emerging to mid-level Canadian directors, writers, producers and editors. With Netflix onboard as lead partner for the third consecutive year alongside Telefilm Canada, the 2025 edition will run from July 14 to December 12 at the CFC campus in Toronto.

The directors lab is composed of Toronto-based Luwam Tekeste and Vanessa Sandre; as well as Brampton, Ont.’s Haaris Qadri; Edmonton-based Ryan Leedu; and Vancouver-based Hiromu Yamawaki.

The editors lab has three participants from Toronto, including Beth Beiderman, Nathan Martinak and Shetu Modi, with Winnipeg’s Sara Bulloch rounding out the lab.

The producers lab also has three participants from Toronto. They are Amanda Pileggi, Playback’s 10 to Watch 2024 alum Emmanuel Kabongo and Torrin Blades. The rest of the lab comprises Brampton-based Momo Daud and Vancouver’s Anastasia Itkina.

This year’s writers lab includes Clarke’s Beach, Nfld.-based Brianna Russell, Charlottetown’s Walker MacDonald, and Etobicoke, Ont.-based Laura Stubbs. Rounding out the cohort is Toronto’s Berend McKenzie and Beatrice Yuste.

“This year’s storytellers offer up an exciting range of authentic creative voices and inventive storytelling that reflect Canada’s vibrant culture,” said Kathryn Emslie, CFC executive lead, programs, in a statement. “We’re excited to welcome them into our CFC community and to be a part of this next chapter in their journeys.”

Image courtesy of the Canadian Film Centre. Pictured, top row (L-R): Haaris Qadri, Hiromu Yamawaki, Luwam Tekeste, Ryan Leedu and Vanessa Sandre. Middle top row (L-R): Beth Beiderman, Nathan Martinak, Sara Bulloch, Shetu Modi, Amanda Pileggi. Middle bottom row (L-R): Anastasia Itkina, Emmanuel Kabongo, Momo Daud, Torrin Blades and Beatriz Yuste. Bottom row (L-R): Berend McKenzie, Brianna Russell, Laura Stubbs and Walker MacDonald