The Canadian Academy unveils fourth cohort of Women in Post
Program welcomes nine new participants across multiple areas of post production
Toronto, October 23, 2024 – The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (the Canadian Academy) is excited to announce the selection of nine talented individuals for the most recent cohort of the Women in Post program. Now in its fourth year, this transformative initiative has been dedicated to empowering and expanding opportunities for emerging and mid-level women-identifying and non-binary creatives in the post-production industry through immersive mentorships and skill-enhancement workshops.
This year’s cohort features participants from across Canada, showcasing diverse backgrounds and expertise in areas such as colour, sound design, and visual effects. A bilingual component will remain integral to the program, ensuring that French-language resources and networking opportunities are accessible, particularly within Quebec’s vibrant post-production community.
“Each new cohort of the Women in Post program represents not only a fresh wave of talent, but also the promise of a more inclusive and innovative future for the post production industry,” said Tammy Frick, CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. “We are thrilled to welcome this new group of professionals to the program, and to work alongside them to foster their creativity, knowledge, and skill.”
The new cohort comprises nine creatives from coast to coast, selected through a rigorous evaluation process led by a panel of industry experts, under the guidance of the Talent Development team at the Canadian Academy. The participants are:
Ally Fiola (she/her) – Ellershouse, NS – Sound
Claudine Cinous (she/her) – Montreal, QC – Post Production Supervision
Desiree Bailey (she/her) – Toronto, ON – Post Production Supervision
Jordana Allen-Shim (she/her) – Toronto, ON – Picture Editing
La-Nai Gabriel (she/they) – Victoria, BC – Sound / Post Production Supervision
Milana Knight (she/her) – Vancouver, BC – Colour / VFX
Mélanie Fordham (she/her/elle) – Montreal, QC – Colour
Shehzil Jamal (she/her) – Milton, ON – VFX
Star Chaplin (she/her) – Perth, ON – VFX / 3D Animation
All participants will have the opportunity to attend events across the country that will help expand their industry knowledge and connections, including the Canadian Cinema Editors’ EditCon 2025 and the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards. Participants will also receive a two-year voting membership to the Canadian Academy, and join a strong network made up of three years of program alum, who still meet up regularly.
Women in Post is presented by Netflix and supported by RBC Foundation and the City of Toronto, alongside industry partners Noodle Factory Post and SPINVFX and community partners the Canadian Cinema Editors, Vancouver Post Alliance, and WIFT-AT.
The Canadian Academy is dedicated to fostering a more equitable screen-based industry in Canada. In addition to Women in Post, its ongoing commitment includes several talent development initiatives, such as Misdirect: The Nick Nemeroff Comedy Grant, supporting emerging Canadian comedians, the WBD Access x Canadian Academy Writers Program, and the WBD Access x Canadian Academy Directors Program, focusing on experienced Canadian writers and directors from underrepresented communities and the Executive Residency Program aimed at enhancing opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and persons of colour in the industry.
Learn more about the program at Academy.ca/WomenInPost. View program logos, participant headshots, and biographies here.
About the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television
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About Netflix
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About RBC Foundation
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About the City of Toronto
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About Noodle Factory Post
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About SPINVFX
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Media Contacts:
Natalie Grossi | ngrossi@academy.ca
Heather Barker | hbarker@academy.ca
