BIPOC TV & Film, Indeed, Hillman Grad and TIFF announce the filmmakers selected for the Rising Voices Canada Program
The emerging filmmakers will receive tangible skills, resources and networks to build their careers in film.
TORONTO — BIPOC TV & Film, Indeed, Hillman Grad and TIFF are delighted to announce Mitchell LeBlanc, Janet-Rose Nguyen, Sara Rangooni, and Shanele Soares as the talented filmmakers set to participate in the inaugural Rising Voices Canada program.
As part of the program, the filmmakers will take part in feature film development sessions, workshops and networking conversations with other directors, writers and producers, led by Hillman Grad and BIPOC TV & Film. Additionally, the candidates will have access to TIFF facilities and memberships through TIFF’s support of the program. The up-and-coming filmmakers will also be invited to attend the Rising Voices Season 4 premiere, with the potential opportunity to pitch concepts to industry professionals.
“We’re so excited to announce the first-ever Rising Voices Canada filmmakers. Each of these individuals has a brilliant story to share and we are grateful to support them on their journey over the next year.” – Rishi Rajani, CEO at Hillman Grad and Justin Riley SVP, Operations and Business Development at Hillman Grad
“As an industry, we’ve made substantial progress in amplifying diverse voices, but none of it is possible without programs and mentors willing to invest in the next generation of filmmakers. We can’t wait to see what these filmmakers have in store for us over the next year and look forward to working with Indeed, Hillman Grad and TIFF to accelerate their careers.” – ” Kadon Douglas, Executive Director of BIPOC TV & Film
“Our selected filmmakers came together in Toronto for the first of many times this week, representing a huge milestone not only for the Rising Voices Canada program but also for Canadian film. We look forward to continuing to support these filmmakers on their journeys and can’t wait to see the impact they have on our industry at large.” – Marsha John-Greenwood, VP of People and Culture at TIFF
“At Indeed, our mission is to help people get jobs, and, while we know that talent is universal, opportunity is not. We are thrilled to work with these talented filmmakers to amplify their voices and help break down barriers to opportunity in the Canadian film industry.” – LaFawn Davis, SVP of ESG at Indeed
The Rising Voices Canada program was announced at TIFF 2023 and began accepting applications in October. Over 100 filmmakers from across Canada applied for the program.
Meet the filmmakers: Rising Voices Canada 2024
Mitchell LeBlanc. Mitchell is a mixed-race writer and director based in Toronto. He is an alumnus of the 2023 CFC Norman Jewison Film Program and the 2022 Warner Brothers Discovery x Canadian Academy Writers Program. Mitch loves stories about the horrors lurking beneath everyday life — impossible odds that force characters to become better or worse people to survive. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy from the University of Toronto, a diploma in Comedy Writing and Performance from Humber College, a post-graduate certificate in Screenwriting and Narrative Design from George Brown College, and a piece of paper for graduating from the Second City Conservatory. He’s also a professor in the Faculty of Media and Performing Arts at George Brown College. His recent credits include Melody (2021), Atom (2021), Mothers (2023) and Noise (2024).
Janet-Rose Nguyen. Janet-Rose Nguyen is an actress, writer, and filmmaker. Her work explores magic, horror, feminism, queerness, and the Asian diaspora. She is a twice-elected ACTRA council member, an alumnus of the Reelworld Emerging 20 Program and the Canadian Film Centre’s CBC Actors Conservatory. She taught screenwriting to youth as the first Writer in Residence for INKSpire and served on the bursary committee at Firefly Creative Writing and as the co-chair of the ACTRA Diversity and Inclusion committee. Her films have been featured with the National Screen Institute and Myseum Toronto. Her feature “Christmas in Toronto” was featured at the Regent Park Film Festival table read. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Screenwriting from York University. Selected acting credits include Workin’ Moms and The Boys.
Sara Rangooni. Sara Rangooni is a director and writer, born and raised in Toronto. As a first-generation Pakistani Muslim, she is dedicated to changing the narrative for equity-deserving communities, with an emphasis on amplifying the Muslim voice. Her award-winning short screenplay “Leveled”, which she wrote and directed, is currently screening at festivals worldwide. With a slate of projects in TV and film in development, she continues to chart a path as a filmmaker to create powerful stories that share a meaningful message of purpose and hope.
Shanele Soares. For over a decade, Shanele Soares has worked as a videographer and digital marketing director for companies across Canada, the United States, West Africa and the Gulf. She specializes in projects that explore the authentic experiences of her intersecting identities as a Black Muslim woman. Since pivoting to the film and television industry, Shanele has worked as a writer, story consultant, marketing executive and EDI executive. She has also written and directed two shorts and a feature-length documentary. Currently, Shanele has several scripted projects in early development.
V.T. Nayani Joins Program as Mentor-Facilitator
V.T. Nayani is a director, producer, and writer whose work has been championed by The Gotham, UN Women, Telefilm Canada, Netflix, CBC Films, L’Oreal, BIPOC TV & Film, Reelworld Institute, the Canadian Film Centre, and the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Her films have been supported globally at festivals, including Hot Docs, Outfest, Frameline, BlackStar, Inside Out, and IFFI Goa. V.T.'s award-winning debut feature, 'This Place’, co-written with Devery Jacobs and Golshan Abdmoulaie, had its World Premiere at TIFF in 2022 and is available across multiple platforms. V.T. will work closely with Hillman Grad CEO Rishi Rajani to program and deliver workshops and networking sessions for the Rising Voices Canada filmmakers.
About BIPOC TV & Film
Founded in 2012, BIPOC TV & Film has grown from a meet-up group to a powerful grassroots movement—creating new networks of support, care, and knowledge sharing, democratizing access, and challenging discriminatory policies and practices in the industry. Now, as a national not-for-profit organization, BIPOC TV & Film focuses on building impactful and transformative career training programs and advocating for equitable access to jobs and funding, demonstrating what is possible when a group of determined and creative people come together for good. In 2020, the organization launched HireBIPOC, a hiring initiative to facilitate connections between employers and BIPOC above and below-the-line crew and creative professionals in Canada. From professional development training and mentorship to wellness support and community engagement initiatives, we ensure that BIPOC media professionals have the necessary resources, access, and opportunities to participate fully in the screen media industry—at all levels in front of and behind the camera.
About Indeed
More people find jobs on Indeed than anywhere else. Indeed is the #1 job site in the world (Comscore, Total Visits, June 2023) and allows job seekers to search millions of jobs in more than 60 countries and 28 languages. Almost 3.5 million employers use Indeed to find and hire new employees. More than 350M+ unique visitors use Indeed each month to search for jobs, post resumes, research companies and more.
About Hillman Grad
Hillman Grad was founded by actor, producer and Emmy®-winning writer Lena Waithe and CEO Rishi Rajani to empower and provide industry access to underrepresented artists and amplify the stories of diverse, historically marginalized communities across all industries. Hillman Grad Productions, their development and production arm, is run by Naomi Funabashi and currently has projects at Netflix, Disney, BET, Showtime, HBO, Universal, Amazon, and Focus Features. Current producorial projects include the Emmy-nominated documentary film Being Mary Tyler Moore and the 2023 Sundance Film Festival award-winning films A Thousand And One, which received the Grand Jury Prize in the U.S. Dramatic Competition, and Kokomo City which received the NEXT Audience Award and NEXT Innovator Award.
About TIFF
TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization with a mission to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival®in September; TIFF Lightbox, which features five cinemas, learning and entertainment facilities; and the innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $200 million CAD. TIFF Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel, and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation, and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.