The Banff World Media Festival and Paramount+ in Canada announce 25 Womwn-owned production companies taking part in 2025 program

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. 

'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', said Jenn Kuzmyk, Executive Director of the Banff World Media Festival.

'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', said Vanessa Case, Vice President Content, Paramount+, Canada. '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'.

2025 BANFF Spark: Producers Edition participants are (listed in alphabetical order) : 
Ric Esther Bienstock - Good Soup Productions 
Fennella Bruce - FKB Media Productions 
Rachel Bulatovich - Hi/Lo Entertainment 
Katia Café-Fébrissy - Ka-Fé Productions 
Patricia Chica - Flirt Films 
Rosalia Chilelli - Edge Entertainment 
Lauren Corber - LoCo Motion Pictures 
Tara Ellis - 3B Content 
Trinni Franke - A Token Entertainment Company 
Magali Gillon-Krizaj - Reign Films 
Allison Grace - Here's The Thing Productions 
Carmen Henriquez - RealWorld Media/RealWorld Films 
Teresa Ho - 100 Dragons 
Shazia Javed - LifeSketch Media 
Angelique Knights - Knights Group Media 
Debra Kouri - Poutine Studios 
Samantha Little - Little Productions 
Thea Loo - No More Productions 
Sera-Lys McArthur - Fanning Feathers Productions 
Shasha Nakhai - Compy Films 
Han Nguyen - SandBay Entertainment 
Julia Rosenberg - January Films 
Asis Sethi - Fly Away Films 
Danielle Sturk - Ray Films 
Jennifer Weiss - Nice Picture

LC