(For Immediate Release) Women In the Director’s Chair (WIDC), one of Canada’s most respected career development programs for women and gender-diverse directors, is proud to announce the latest cohort of filmmakers selected for the Fall 2025 / Winter 2026 Career Advancement Module (CAM).

The CAM is offered twice a year – Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter – and brings together dynamic groups of directors from across the country for tailored mentorship, professional development, and industry connections designed to propel their careers to the next level. Over six months, participants receive online masterclasses, roundtables, one-to-one coaching, and passes to partner festivals, joining a growing alumni network of more than 375 directors working across Canada and internationally.

This Fall/Winter edition participants are:

Renae Morriseau – Writer/Director/Performer – British Columbia
Since the 80’s, Renae Morriseau has worked individually and collectively in Indigenous stories in music, theatre, film, and television. Much of her work is about community engaged art; art created with, for, and about the hopes of a good future for Indigenous people on their lands and in the cities of Turtle Island. Renae is a writer, theatre and television director, singer, and musician. She has worked across Canada and internationally with her singing group, M’Girl. She currently instructs Indigenous Film Studies at Capilano University and is an alum of WIDC (Banff).

Eloane Venkatapen – Writer/Director – British Columbia
Born and raised in Lyon, France, Eloane moved to Vancouver to study Film Production at UBC. She has worked on feature films, TV series, commercials, and documentaries, and spent two years as an Associate Producer at Cedar Island Films. Now focused on her own work, she is developing her first feature Lanmè and directing her short Backlog. A VIFF Catalyst alum, Eloane’s projects have received support from the Canada Council for the Arts, Telefilm Canada, and Creative BC. She values telling stories from underrepresented perspectives and building a supportive creative community.

Jenny Lee-Gilmore – Writer/Director – British Columbia
Based in Vancouver, Jenny is a filmmaker and actor whose career began as a Producer’s and Director’s assistant on productions for Netflix, Lionsgate, NBC, New Line, and Disney. Her debut short Breakaway was a Top 9 finalist in CBC’s Short Film Face Off and screened at festivals across North America. She recently directed the TELUS Originals documentary Overtime, about her mother’s 55+ hockey team, which earned her a Vancouver Film Critics Circle “One to Watch” nomination and multiple awards at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival. An alumna of UBC’s BFA Film Production Program, VIFF Catalyst, BIPOC TV & Film Showrunner Bootcamp, and the WIDC Story & Leadership program, Jenny also won the 2024 WIDC Advantage Award. She is dedicated to telling female-centric and Asian Canadian stories that are often overlooked by mainstream media.

“WIDC has played a pivotal role in supporting and championing my career and I’m deeply grateful for their continued belief in my work. I’m excited to expand my professional network and continue advancing my career as a filmmaker. I’m looking forward to collaborating with this inspiring community and building on the momentum WIDC has helped me create. I’m also honoured that my short film With Time will be playing at the Reelworld Film Festival,” says Jenny Lee-Gilmore.

Alison Fairweather Murray – Writer/Director – Ontario
Alison is a British/Canadian writer-director recently relocated to Ontario after years in Argentina. Her credits span dramatic features, documentaries, short films, and music videos. Notable work includes Ariel Back to Buenos Aires, Mouth to Mouth starring Elliot Page, and Carny. Her films have screened worldwide, earning awards at San Diego, Arizona, and Brooklyn International Film Festivals, among others. A Sundance Collab and WIDC (Banff) alum, Alison is bilingual in Spanish and active with CMPA and DGC.

“I am thrilled to return to the WIDC fold after almost thirty years, women have not reached equity in the film industry and the WIDC programme has our backs!” says Alison Murray.

Lisa Rose Snow – Director/Writer/Creator – Ontario
Lisa Rose Snow is a queer Canadian Screen Award and Directors Guild of Canada Award-winning director and writer. She has directed and written for Netflix, CW, HBO Max, Prime, ABC, Lifetime, and CBC, with shorts that have played on four continents. Her original series are in development with Sphere Media/Red Monk, Tommy Lynch Co, and Fifth Ground Entertainment. A graduate of the Canadian Film Centre and Reykjavik Film Festival Talent Lab, she serves on the Executive Board of DGC Ontario as Directors Caucus Representative.

“It’s so special to have the opportunity to connect with fellow creatives and dive into our projects in a supportive and encouraging environment. I’m thrilled to be participating in the module and seeing what grows,” says Lisa Rose Snow.

 Michèle Kaye – Director/Actor/Producer/Musician – Ontario
Based in Tkaronto, Michèle (they/she) is an award-winning filmmaker and performer whose work has been acquired by CBC. Their shorts include The Elusive Purpurea Vulpavis and 3pm Thursdays, which premiered at Fantasia. Michèle’s most recent film Nosocomephilia screened at Canadian Film Fest. They have been selected for the Reykjavik International Film Festival Talent Lab and mentored by Tracey Deer. Michèle is developing two features, including a surreal horror, supported by Telefilm.

“Thank you so much! I’m really craving focused one-on-one support with career trajectory, and thrilled and grateful to have this opportunity,” says Michèle Kaye.

Suri Parmar – Filmmaker/Writer/Professor – Ontario
Toronto-based Suri is a filmmaker, writer, and educator with credits spanning short films, branded content, and immersive media. A graduate of the Canadian Film Centre’s Writers’ Lab and Short Dramatic Film program, she has taught screenwriting and film production at undergraduate and graduate levels. Her award-winning work includes You’re Smart (dance short), Flat (live-action/animated docshort), and the feature Killing Off Connor (co-writer). She has also produced and coordinated branded content for Yahoo In The Know and New York Fashion Week.

“Being accepted to WIDC CAM marks a huge milestone in my career because of the calibre of talent they nurture and the formidable screen-based projects they help cultivate. I truly feel this program validates me as a creative voice,” says Suri Parmar

Kaia Singh – Writer/Director – Quebec
Based in Montreal, Kaia is a writer-director from Mi’kma’ki/Nova Scotia whose films explore intersectional experiences, cultural identity, and human connection. Her short The Mother’s Seat screened at festivals including Reelworld and Vancouver South Asian Film Festival. Her latest short Moving Water premiered at the Atlantic International Film Festival. Kaia is now developing both a feature and a new short fiction project.

“I am so honoured to be selected for the WIDC Career Advancement Module, a program that aligns with my interests in community building and collaboration in order to create an environment within the industry that can uplift diverse perspectives and foster creativity,” says Kaia Singh.

CAM is facilitated by Dr. Carol Whiteman, WIDC Co-Creator and Lead Mentor, whose award-winning leadership has guided and championed hundreds of Canadian directors over the years.

“Congratulations to this exceptional cohort of filmmakers and the transformative work WIDC continues to do in elevating diverse talent across Canada’s motion picture industry.  Creative BC is honoured to support a program that doesn’t just open doors, it strengthens careers, expands what’s possible, and redefines what the industry looks like,” says Prem Gill, Chief Executive Officer, Creative BC.

The CAM program is made possible with the major support of Telefilm Canada, and the participation of Creative BC, Actra Fraternal Benefit Society, UBCP/ACTRA, ACTRA National and the Independent Production Fund. This edition is presented in collaboration with the Reelworld Film Festival and Summit (October 14 to 19) and St John’s International Women’s Film Festival (October 21 to 25).

WIDC has up lifted the careers of countless filmmakers, many of whom have gone on to make award-winning work and lasting contributions to Canada’s cultural landscape.