The Pacific Screenwriting Program has named Jann co-creator Jennica Harper (pictured right) as its showrunner in residence for the 2023 Scripted Series Now. The program, now in its fifth year, gives local writers in B.C. the opportunity to develop an original series pilot in a writers’ room. The 2023 cohort includes Tanvi Bhatia, Kaylyn Johnson, Toby Marks, Kay Shioma Metchie,  Kurt Mungal and Andrey Summers.

Harper has served as showrunner of CTV comedy Jann for three seasons, and has also written on series such as CBC and Paramount+ medical drama SkyMed and Netflix sci-fi series The Order. She most recently served as writer and co-executive producer on the CTV mystery procedural The Spencer Sisters.

The Pacific Screenwriting Program is supported by Netflix, the Canadian Media Producers Association, the Writers Guild of Canada and Creative BC.

Annual Crazy8s challenge kicks off

The race is on for six filmmakers to create their next short film under the annual Crazy8s challenge. The initiative, which has run since 1999, gives emerging B.C. film talent funding and in-kind support to produce and shoot a short film within eight days. This year’s cohort will receive $1,000 in funding. The short films will be screened at a gala event on April 15.

Among the six finalists and their projects are writer/director Jessica Lauren Doucet and Eloise Cameron-Smith with Hellmark; writer/director Brenna Goodwin-McCabe and producer Dominique Roy with I Can’t Go On; and writer/director Rukiya Bernard and producers Mariam Barry, Teana-Marie Smith, Andy Hodgson, and Jessie Anthony for Meditation 4 Black Women.

Rounding out the teams are director Helen Liu, writer Jordan Symes, and producers Melanie Germain, Nancy Kamar, and Vivian Davidson-Castro for Michelin Scars; director and co-writer Gabriel Souza Nunes, co-writer Carolyn Woolner, and producer Emily Poulin for Passion Fruit; and director and co-writer Ava Maria Safai, co-writer Syd Castle, and producer Nicco Graham with Zip.

Sundance selects Montreal’s Caroline Monnet for year-long fellowship

Montreal-based filmmaker Caroline Monnet (pictured left) has been selected for the Sundance Institute’s 2023 Merata Mita Fellowship. The Anishinaabe and French multidisciplinary artist from Outaouais, Que., will receive year-long support from the organization, including a grant, mentorship, access to artists programs and attendance at the Sundance Film Festival.

The fellowship was created in honour of Māori filmmaker Merata Mita, who died in 2010, and supports Indigenous women-identified artists early in their filmmaking career.

Monnet is a visual artist and director, whose works have been featured in exhibitions and festivals in several parts of the globe. Her feature film debut, Bootlegger, had its world premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival in 2021. She was selected for the Cinéfondation residency in Paris, France, in 2016.

Revry turns up the music for Sixteen Films docuseries

Toronto-based prodco Sixteen Films has produced a new electronic music docuseries for “LGBTQ-first” streaming service Revry. Outrave is directed by Toronto’s Chris Remerowski (Longevity Road Trip) and hosted by DJ and music historian Denise Benson. The series examines the connections between electronic dance music and local LGBTQ+ communities in major cities in the U.S. and Canada. It will premiere globally on Revry on Feb. 5.

National Screen Institute names Virginia Thompson as board chair

Vérité Films president and executive producer Virginia Thompson (pictured right) has been named chair of the National Screen Institute’s (NSI) board of directors. She takes over the role from former chair Marlene Kendall, who became chief financial officer at the NSI in August 2022.

Thompson, an NSI Features First program alum, is the “first NSI alumna to be appointed to this vital role,” according to a news release. She has been a member of the board since 2012. As chair she will support the senior leadership team, staff and board in the fulfillment of the organization’s strategic plan.

As the head of Vérité Films, Thompson has served as executive producer of Corner Gas; the animated musical children’s series Jeremy and Jazzy; children’s series Incredible Story Studio; and youth drama series renegadepress.com. She is also the executive producer of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards.

With files from Angelica Babiera