Six Filmmakers Selected for 2024 CMPA Prime Time Delegation
Filmmakers Mona Hersi, Ryan Moccasin, Thea Loo, Jason Ip, Laura Friedmann and Maisaa Houri are heading to the Westin Hotel in Ottawa from January 31st to February 2nd. The six will be joined by BIPOC TV & Film Executive Director Kadon Douglas.
Each filmmaker will receive a delegate pass to attend the CMPA Prime Time 2024 conference taking place in Ottawa from January 31 to February 2, market acess to 1:1 and group sessions with industry execs, access to thought leadership and workshops, networking acces to connect with key industry and government leaders, invitation to two virtual pre-event training sessions and more! This opportunity is made possible through our Festival and Market Access Initiative and the generous support of the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA).
MEET THE DELEGATES!
Mona Hersi
Former teacher and ex-banker, Mona Hersi is a layered multi-hyphenate writer-producer-actor-sketch comedian. She draws on her intersectional experiences of being a first generation Somali-Canadian born and bred in Toronto to fuel her writing. Her unique POV and often optimistic tongue-in-cheek observations have contributed to TV writer’s rooms and staged productions across Toronto. She is a recent alumnus of the Canadian Film Centre’s Bell Media Prime Time TV program’s first ever comedy cohort. Her recent credits include writing for The Next Step (CBBC/Corus), comedy series Abroad (OMNI TV), various series in development, and is ¼ of the darling sketch troupe the Don Valley Girls. As a producer, Mona has received funding for two different scripted comedies she has in development from Ontario Creates, IPF, CMF and Bell Development Slate Fund. Mona's next steps are to further develop her 2 original half hour comedies, be staffed in more writer's rooms in production, and to ultimately make a decent living as a multi-hyphenate creative with the financial security acceptable by her immigrant mother.
Ryan Moccasin
Ryan Moccasin, a prominent author, satirist, and comedian from Saskatoon, Canada, is the executive producer of the online satirical news show "The Feather News." His humorous content has been showcased on APTN InFocus, CTV, CBC, and has achieved significant social media engagement. He has received funding from Creative Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Arts Board, PAVED Arts, and the Indigenous Screen Office. Moccasin's work on "The Feather News" led to winning the web series pitch competition at the ImagiNATIVE/APTN festival, with the series now streaming on APTN Lumi. He has also authored the sci-fi novel "Suicide Empire," featured on prominent platforms such as CBC Radio and APTN, and penned a Christmas screenplay for the Gordon Tootoosis Nikaniwin Theater Company. Recently, he completed the National Screen Institute - Art of Business Management course, enhancing his understanding of the TV & film industry. He's currently developing a project with Fae Pictures Inc. and participating in a National Screen Institute scriptwriter’s lab, receiving mentorship from industry professionals. Moccasin’s development slate is fully booked for the upcoming year.
Thea Loo
Thea Loo is producer and director from Vancouver BC. Her work has played at Sundance, Palm Springs ShortFest, CAAMFest and distributed on TIFF Digital Bell Lightbox. She has produced multiple short films such as SMOKE EATER (Dir. Gloria Mercer), which premiered at the Whistler Film Festival 2022 and is available on CRAVE. Her latest short is the hybrid animated documentary BLUE GARDEN (Dir. Natalie Murao), which was selected for Telefilm Canada's Not Short on Talent program at Clermont-Ferrand 2022 and is streaming on CBC Gem. She has produced and directed her first feature documentary “Inay (Mama)” for the Knowledge Network, premiering in the Spring of 2024. Loo is an alumni of the Reelworld Producers Program, a cohort group focused on developing BIPOC producing talent in Canada. Loo has two TV series projects and one narrative feature in development and recently participated in the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival’s Series Accelerator.
Jason Ip
Jason Ip is a Toronto-based television writer, most recently the Story Editor for season 1 of CTV’s THE SPENCER SISTERS and Story Editor for two Sphere Media series in development with CBC and Crave. Jason was 1 of 16 recipients to receive financial support and mentorship through the second Rogers-Black Screen Office Script Development Fund. He’s also an alumnus of BIPOC TV & Film’s 2022 Drama Lab Intensive, and has had two projects selected for ACTRA Toronto’s Working the Scene in Colour (2021) and Working the Scene in Rainbow (2023) table reads. He is currently developing an original series with Project 10 Productions.
Laura Friedmann
Laura Friedmann is a Colombian-born, Toronto-based producer who explores gender equality, human rights, intergenerational trauma, diaspora, and healing through film, television, and digital/XR projects. Co-founder of Wrapped Productions, her work has been featured on CBC, YesTV, CGoodTV, Tubi and includes the award-winning GLIMPSES INTO THE SPIRIT OF GENDER EQUALITY (United Nations), TENAYA (TIFF’s Big Pitch Audience Award), BRAIDED TOGETHER (ImagineNATIVE/VoxPopular Audience Awards), and the international documentary project, PORTRAITS IN FAITH. In 2023 she was selected to the Canadian Academy Executive Residency Program, NSI/EAVE Access BIPOC Producers Program, and is a fellow of Hot Docs Deal Maker, Whistler Film Festival Doc Lab, Netflix/Banff Diversity of Voices, BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women, BIPOC TV & FILM Showrunner Bootcamp, and the WIFT/Bell Media Leadership Program. Laura champions women and diverse creatives in film through community initiatives like Creative Sovereignty Lab, Native Film & Storytelling Institute, The Big Pitch @TIFF, and Breakthroughs Film Festival.
Maissa Houri
Maissa Houri (she/her) is an Arab-Canadian award-winning independent filmmaker and ACTRA actor based out of Ottawa, Canada. Maissa attended Montreal’s Vanier College Theatre and Film Program and is a current graduate from Algonquin College’s Social Media Certificate Program. She is passionate about telling stories from the perspective of being an Arab-Canadian. Maissa is the Director of Equity Initiatives for the Digi60 Filmmakers’ Festival and is committed to fostering inclusivity and growth within the local filmmaking community. In a few short years, Maissa released an award-winning web series, a few short films and has been actively producing, writing, directing, and acting. Out of thousands of candidates, Maissa was chosen to be part of Netflix-Banff’s Diversity of Voices Initiative for the Banff World Media Festival in 2023. Currently, Maissa is in pre-development for her new television comedy series THE ARRANGED MARRIAGE with GAPC Entertainment. When she’s not on set, you can find her at home reading smutty romance novels or spending time with her husband and two young daughters.