Announcing the Year Three CBC-BIPOC TV & FILM Showrunner Catalyst Participants
CBC, BIPOC TV & FILM AND CFC ANNOUNCE PARTICIPANTS FOR THIRD YEAR OF SHOWRUNNER CATALYST PROGRAM, SUPPORTING THE ADVANCEMENT OF DIVERSE CANADIAN CREATORS
Participants for 2025 are Lakna Edirisinghe, Carina Samuels and Eva Thomas
March 19, 2025 - CBC, BIPOC TV & Film and the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) today announced the participants for the third year of the CBC-BIPOC TV & FILM SHOWRUNNER CATALYST, the only accelerator program in Canada that is focused on elevating senior writers who identify as Indigenous, Black or People of Colour to showrunner status through hands-on and personally tailored experiences in prep, on-set and post that empower and elevate skills and knowledge base. Designed through an equity-focused lens, the Catalyst provides participants with additional tools and support systems necessary to reach a showrunner level in the Canadian film and television industry. The three participants for the third and final year of the program, which is now underway until the fall of 2025, are Lakna Edirisinghe, Carina Samuels and Eva Thomas.
“In designing this program, we asked ourselves, what could we do in three years that would have real, tangible results in mid-career writers’ careers and push the needle in transforming the industry? The biggest barrier is no longer breaking into entry-level positions, but moving from mid-level to leadership positions and recognizing that BIPOC creatives are skilled, trained and ready,” said Nathalie Younglai, Founder of BIPOC TV & Film. “We are grateful to the mentors, workshop leaders, TV series and production companies who have answered the call with resounding support. I’m so heartened to see the impact the Showrunner Catalyst program has had. It has given alumni and broadcasters alike the confidence to get bumps in credits, to co-showrun and lead. So the answer is yes, by identifying and rallying resources to elevate talent, it is possible to change hearts and minds. And yes, we have BIPOC Showrunners in Canada.”
“From the early stages of our collaboration with BIPOC TV & Film and the CFC, together we have striven to develop a program that would translate into meaningful real-life impact for the participants and the industry as a whole. After two completed years, we are thrilled to see how the talented creators have continued to build on their experiences in the program and further advance in their careers,” said Trish Williams, Executive Director, Scripted Content, CBC. “We look forward to supporting the final year’s participants in their journey to becoming showrunners, as part of the ongoing evolution of the industry to better represent this country’s wide range of voices and perspectives.”
"The Showrunner Catalyst program was designed to address a critical gap in our industry, and it has been inspiring to witness the remarkable progress made by the participants over the past three years," said maxine bailey, Executive Director, CFC. "This final cohort exemplifies the strength, vision and leadership that exists within Canada’s BIPOC creative community. In line with the CFC’s mission, we are proud to work alongside our partners at CBC and BIPOC TV & Film to foster these opportunities and create meaningful pathways for diverse storytellers to lead series and shape the future of Canadian content."
The 2025 participants are as follows:
*Participant headshots can be found here.*
Lakna Edirisinghe (she/her)
Lakna Edirisinghe is a Sri Lankan-Canadian writer and producer based out of Toronto. Originally from Windsor, Ontario, Edirisinghe moved to Toronto to study Film at the University of Toronto. She then went on to a post-graduate program in Television Writing and Producing at Humber. Since breaking into the industry, she has written for a wide variety of television shows, including hour-long law dramas like Diggstown (CBC), animated shows like Pinecone and Pony (Apple+), and educational kids comedies like Odd Squad (PBS), for which she was nominated for an Emmy. In 2022, she won a Writers Guild of Canada Award, and in 2023 she won a Canadian Screen Award for her writing. Her work can be seen on networks like Netflix, Universal, Family Channel, Hulu, CBC, PBS, Apple, Bell, Crave and more. Her latest work includes returning as a writer and co-executive producer on Season 2 of Late Bloomer with Bell/Crave.
“I’m thrilled to be part of the Showrunner Catalyst Program put on by BIPOC TV & Film. There’s no better feeling than knowing that my community supports me in pursuing my highest artistic endeavours, as I seek to create and lead content in the Canadian screen landscape.“ - Lakna Edirisinghe
Carina Samuels (she/her)
Based in Toronto, Carina Samuels has brought her perspective to a diverse slate of Canadian content. She co-produced and story-edited on the second seasons of CTV’s Sullivan’s Crossing and CBC’s Wild Cards, and spent three seasons in the writers’ room of CBC's Pretty Hard Cases, where her co-writing on the series finale earned a 2024 Canadian Screen Awards nomination for Best Drama Writing. Samuels has also ventured into the world of audio storytelling, writing for Audible series Wynonna Earp: Tales from Purgatory. Guided by a deep belief in the power of storytelling to challenge, connect, and inspire change, Samuels is passionate about centring authentic BIPOC and queer voices in her work.
“I’ve always been inspired by Toni Morrison’s call to write the stories we want to read. Growing up, I loved Canadian television, but I often felt the absence of stories that truly reflected me. Now, having the opportunity to bring BIPOC and queer perspectives into Canadian writers’ rooms feels like a dream realized. As I work toward becoming a showrunner, I’m driven to help others do the same by creating spaces where the rich, untold mosaic of their experiences can finally be reflected on Canadian TV.” - Carina Samuels
Eva Thomas (she/her)
Eva Thomas is a writer, director, and producer. Her directorial short film debut, Redlights, premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). She co-directed and co-wrote her first feature, Aberdeen, which premiered at TIFF 2024. Thomas is currently in post-production on her solo feature, Nika & Madison. She directed episodes of CBC's Still Standing Seasons 8 and 9, earning a 2024 Canadian Screen Award for Best Direction, Factual. Thomas worked on Acting Good Season 3 (Bell Media/Crave) as a writer and director. As a writer, she was in the writing room of Don’t Even (Bell Media/Crave), Shelved (CTV) and Zarqa Season 2 (CBC Gem). Previously, she was associate producer on Danis Goulet’s Night Raiders and executive producer on Kaniehtiio Horn’s Seeds.
“I’m honoured to participate in the Showrunner Catalyst Program as I sharpen my skills in creative leadership and television production. This opportunity will support my journey toward becoming a Showrunner and delivering stories that entertain, connect, and leave a mark on Canadian television.” - Eva Thomas
The first part of the Catalyst, which began in late fall 2024, sees each participant build upon their foundational skills in showrunning by working with an experienced showrunner on a Canadian-produced series and participating in all key elements of production: from prep meetings to production through to post. Throughout the process, each participant is also paired with an external showrunner, who will serve as a mentor. The program is customized for the needs of each writer and participating production, offering wrap-around wellness and advocacy support through an anti-racism, anti-oppression lens.
The second part of the Catalyst will consist of masterclasses and sessions designed to give a full 360-degree knowledge of showrunning, including anti-oppressive leadership, people management, budget considerations, building relationships with network, studios, department heads and crew, and all facets of bringing a show to life, from the writing room to prep, production, post and delivery.
Participants from previous years of the program who have continued to advance in their careers include Vance Banzo (Snotty Nose Rez Kids); Andrew Burrows-Trotman (The Porter); Nelu Handa (Run the Burbs); Ian Iqbal Rashid (Sort Of); Amanda Joy (Son of a Critch); JP Larocque, (Allegiance); Robina Lord-Stafford (Saint-Pierre); Shannon Masters (Allegiance); and MOTION (Coroner).
Catalyst participants are nominated by showrunners, producers, production companies or broadcasters, in consultation with BIPOC TV & Film and the CFC, based on their experience and readiness to further progress in their career. For more information, visit bipoctvandfilm.com/showrunner-catalyst. Learn more about the participants of the first and second years of the Showrunner Catalyst.
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About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
About BIPOC TV & Film
BIPOC TV & FILM is a national nonprofit organization advocating for racial equity and justice for Black, Indigenous and Persons of Colour in Canada’s screen media industry. From professional development training to mentorship to wellness support and community engagement initiatives, we ensure that BIPOC creative professionals have the necessary resources, access and opportunities to fully participate in our industry—at all levels in front of and behind the camera. BIPOC TV & Film is about to relaunch HireBIPOC 2.0 with a job board. Originally launched in October 2020, HireBIPOC is a bilingual online database of above and below-the-line Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour crew and creative professionals in Canada with over 7,500 users—including employers—and more than 200 production roles.
About the CFC
The Canadian Film Centre (CFC) is a charitable cultural organization that drives the future of Canadian
storytelling. Our intensive, hands-on programs in film, television and entertainment technologies
empower, shape and advance opportunities for Canadian creators and entrepreneurs working in screen-
based industries. Learn more at cfccreates.com.
Media Contact:
Tanya Koivusalo, CBC PR