Job-search platform Indeed has partnered with BIPOC TV & Film, Hillman Grad and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to launch Rising Voices Canada.

The program kicks off in fall with the selection of five emerging Canadian Black, Indigenous and persons of colour (BIPOC) filmmakers who will be provided with skills training opportunities, mentorship, resources and networks to build their careers. The application process for the program opens this fall, according to a news release

The participants will take part in development sessions over the course of the next year, including monthly workshops and networking conversations with other directors, writers and producers, led by L.A.-based media and production company Hillman Grad and BIPOC TV & Film.

They will also have access to TIFF facilities and memberships and, in summer 2024, the filmmakers will be invited to attend the Rising Voices Season 4 premiere, with the potential opportunity to pitch concepts to industry professionals.

BIPOC TV & Film’s executive director Kadon Douglas said in a statement that “the program will not only give short-term guidance to up-and-coming BIPOC Canadian filmmakers, but it will also set them up for long-term success with the proper training and resources.”

Indeed’s SVP of environmental, social and governance, LaFawn Davis, added: “The program has already made a significant impact on the film industry in the United States but we know that there’s a tremendous need to break down barriers and create opportunity in Canada as well.”

According to Indeed’s Breaking Down Barriers Report, 46% of BIPOC Canadians experience discrimination due to their race, and 45% attribute it to their nationality or ethnicity.

Rising Voices was first launched in the U.S. in 2021 in collaboration with Lena Waithe, Hillman Grad Productions, Ventureland and 271 Films, to invest in BIPOC talent and amplify their stories.

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