The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) with partner Paramount+ in Canada is pleased to announce the 25 participants of the 2025 BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media: Producers Edition (BANFF Spark), who will be attending the 46th edition of the Festival on June 8-11, 2025, at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada.
BANFF Spark, a first-of-its-kind program, and originally launched in 2019, has already generated positive career growth for more than 200 women participants by helping them form strategic partnerships, hone their business skills, and grow their foothold in the global entertainment industry. This edition of the program will provide participants with business guidance and a gateway to the Canadian and global film and television industry through comprehensive virtual workshops, curated meetings as well as travel funding and attendance at the renowned Banff World Media Festival's conference and marketplace.
This year’s cohort comprises established producers who have been working in the industry in many cases for decades. Their goal is to scale up, attract partnerships and investment, grow their production slates and chart the path for their company’s future success and sustainability.
Through the program they will receive international recognition and high-level industry access to help them achieve their mandates. Programmed through an intersectional lens, BANFF Spark aims to empower all women including; women of color, Indigenous women, women with disabilities, 2SLGBTQI+ women, and non-binary individuals to advance both domestically, and across the global media industry.
Jenn Kuzmyk, Executive Director of the Banff World Media Festival: “We are thrilled to work with these incredibly talented women. This cohort includes an impressive roster of multiple Canadian and international award-winning producers, and entrepreneurs with high-level production experience. We thank our program partner Paramount+ in Canada for sharing our commitment to strengthen equity in our industry and continuing to support women-owned businesses to scale up and make an even greater impact on the global stage", noted.
Finally, Vanessa Case, Vice President Content, Paramount+, Canada: “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. Evolution is crucial to our industry. It’s not only necessary, but 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," stated.
The 2025 BANFF Spark: Producers Edition participants are: Ric Esther Bienstock of Good Soup Productions, Fennella Bruce of FKB Media Productions, Rachel Bulatovich of Hi/Lo Entertainment, Katia Café-Fébrissy of Ka-Fé Productions, Patricia Chica of Flirt Films, Rosalia Chilelli of Edge Entertainment, Lauren Corber of LoCo Motion Pictures, Tara Ellis of 3B Content, Trinni Franke of A Token Entertainment Company, Magali Gillon-Krizaj of Reign Films, Allison Grace of Here's The Thing Productions, Carmen Henriquez of RealWorld Media/RealWorld Films, Teresa Ho of 100 Dragons, Shazia Javed of LifeSketch Media, Angelique Knights of Knights Group Media, Debra Kouri of Poutine Studios, Samantha Little of Little Productions, Thea Loo of No More Productions, Sera-Lys McArthur of Fanning Feathers Productions, Shasha Nakhai of Compy Films, Han Nguyen of SandBay Entertainment, Julia Rosenberg of January Films, Asis Sethi of Fly Away Films, Danielle Sturk of Ray Films, and Jennifer Weiss of Nice Picture.