Women In the Director’s Chair (WIDC) is proud to announce that Cjay Boisclair of Kamloops, BC is the recipient of the 2025 WIDC Advantage Award, for her debut feature film MARY, based on her concept short, The Bench. The award supports the development and packaging of her emotionally charged and deeply personal script about a teenage girl navigating homelessness, trauma, and hard-won hope.

Launched in 2022 as part of WIDC’s 25th anniversary celebrations, the WIDC Advantage Award (formerly known as the Telefilm Canada Talent to Watch Program & WIDC Mentorship Award) is a peer-juried development award presented annually to a WIDC alum preparing to direct her/their first ultra-low budget narrative feature. The award includes a place in an upcoming WIDC program, a tailored one-year mentorship, and WIDC’s official nomination to Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch program.

“Receiving this award is more than a milestone, it’s a moment of validation that stories like mine belong on screen,” says Cjay Boisclair. “MARY is rooted in my lived experience, and I’m so grateful to WIDC for championing bold, grounded storytelling that makes space for underrepresented voices.”

As part of the award, Boisclair will receive:

  • One year of personalized mentorship and career coaching
  • A director’s chair in WIDC’s signature Story & Leadership program which provides Industry support in polishing and packaging her project for financing and production
  • WIDC’s official nomination to Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch program

Set in a snow-covered Canadian city, MARY follows a resilient 16-year-old girl with ADHD as she navigates homelessness and emotional isolation, encountering unlikely friendships, small victories, and the crushing weight of grief. Inspired by true events from Boisclair’s own youth, the story blends grit with quiet optimism, culminating in a final act that speaks to the redemptive power of community.

WIDC is delivered by the Creative Women Workshops Association (CWWA), a non-profit organization and designated Industry Partner of Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch Program. As part of this partnership, WIDC nominates projects for consideration by Telefilm, providing strategic support to maximize success in the competitive national program aimed at discovering the next generation of Canadian filmmakers.

“Cjay’s work exemplifies the bold, courageous storytelling that WIDC was founded to support,” says Dr. Carol Whiteman, WIDC co-creator and producer. “Her vision is personal yet universal, and MARY is exactly the kind of first feature the WIDC Advantage Award was created to empower.”

Boisclair is a multi-award-winning filmmaker whose short film Stood Up played over 100 festivals worldwide, garnering more than 75 awards and nominations. She is also the founder of the YKA Film Society, a Kamloops-based non-profit creating film industry opportunities in BC’s interior. Her other credits include TELUS STORYHIVE documentaries and several made-for-TV movies shot in her home region.

Boisclair has begun her mentorship and will attend the WIDC Story & Leadership program that runs November 14, 2025 to March 31, 2026 as MARY moves through the development pipeline.

About WIDC:

Women In the Director’s Chair (WIDC) is Canada’s premier professional development program for women and non-binary directors. WIDC offers career-defining programs designed to elevate diverse voices in screen directing across Canada. WIDC’s longstanding commitment to supporting women and non-binary directors is made through their specially designed training, networking, and career advancement. 

For more about WIDC, visit www.widc.ca

For more about Cjay Boisclair, visit www.instagram.com/cjaybois