The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) and Paramount+ have named the 25 women-owned production companies that will be taking part in the 2025 BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media: Producers Edition (BANFF Spark).

The 25 participants will attend the 46th edition of BANFF, which will take place from June 8 to 11 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alta.

This year’s cohort includes Ric Esther Bienstock (Good Soup Productions), Fennella Bruce (FKB Media Productions), Rachel Bulatovich (Hi/Lo Entertainment), Katia Café-Fébrissy (Ka-Fé Productions), Patricia Chica (Flirt Films) and Rosalia Chilelli (Edge Entertainment).

Also participating is Lauren Corber (LoCo Motion Pictures), Tara Ellis (3B Content), Trinni Franke (A Token Entertainment Company), Magali Gillon-Krizaj (Reign Films), Allison Grace (Here’s The Thing Productions) and Carmen Henriquez (RealWorld Media/RealWorld Films).

Other participants in the program are Teresa Ho (100 Dragons) Shazia Javed (LifeSketch Media), Angelique Knights (Knights Group Media), Debra Kouri (Poutine Studios), Samantha Little (Little Productions), Thea Loo (No More Productions) and Sera-Lys McArthur (Fanning Feathers Productions).

Rounding out the cohort is Shasha Nakhai (Compy Films), Han Nguyen (SandBay Entertainment), Julia Rosenberg (January Films), Asis Sethi (Fly Away Films), Danielle Sturk (Ray Films) and Jennifer Weiss (Nice Picture).

The BANFF Spark program first began in 2019 and helps women and non-binary individuals form strategic partnerships, hone their business skills and grow their foothold in the global entertainment industry. Paramount+ announced in June that it had come on board as a partner.

The 2025 edition will assist the cohort with business guidance and a path to the Canadian and global film and television industry through virtual workshops, curated meetings as well as travel funding and attendance at the BANFF conference and marketplace.

“We are thrilled to work with these incredibly talented women,” said Jenn Kuzmyk, executive director of BANFF and VP, publisher of Playback, in a statement. “This cohort includes an impressive roster of multiple Canadian and international award-winning producers, and entrepreneurs with high-level production experience.”

“Paramount+ in Canada is proud to support and invest in the BANFF Spark Program, Producers Edition to continue its legacy of supporting diversity within the production community,” added Vanessa Case, VP, content, Paramount+, Canada. “It’s in our industry’s best interest to find new female voices and provide tangible opportunities and learnings they can use for years to come and pass on to the next generation.”

Pictured (L-R): (Top) Ric Esther Bienstock, Fennella Bruce, Rachel Bulatovich, Katia Café-Fébrissy, Patricia Chica, Rosalia Chilelli (Row 2) Lauren Corber, Tara Ellis, Trinni Franke, Magali Gillon-Krizaj. Allison Grace, Carmen Henriquez, Teresa Ho (Row 3) Shazia Javed, Angelique Knights, Debra Kouri, Samantha Little, Thea Loo, Sera-Lys McArthur, Shasha Nakhai (Bottom) Han Nguyen, Julia Rosenberg, Asis Sethi, Danielle Sturk and Jennifer Weiss