CBC, BIPOC TV & Film and the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) announced Wednesday the three participants for the third year of the CBC-BIPOC TV & Film Showrunner Catalyst program.
This program is “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,” reads a CBC press release.
The participants for the third and final year of the program, now underway until the fall of 2025, are Lakna Edirisinghe, Carina Samuels and Eva Thomas.
Edirisinghe is a Sri Lankan-Canadian writer and producer originally from Windsor, Ont., but now based out of Toronto. She studied film at the University of Toronto before going on to a post-graduate program in television writing and producing at Humber. She has written for a variety of TV shows, including law drama Diggstown (CBC), animated shows such as Pinecone and Pony (Apple TV+), and educational kids comedies like Odd Squad (PBS/TVO), for which she was nominated for an Emmy. She won a Writers Guild of Canada Award in 2022 and a Canadian Screen Award for her writing in 2023. Her work can be seen on Netflix, Universal, Family Channel, Hulu, CBC, PBS, Apple, Bell Media, Crave and more. She recently returned as a writer and co-executive producer on season two of Late Bloomer with Bell/Crave.
“I’m thrilled to be part of the Showrunner Catalyst Program put on by BIPOC TV & Film,” Edirisinghe said in CBC’s press release. “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.”
Samuels is based in Toronto and has brought her perspective to a diverse slate of Canadian content. She was a co-producer and story editor on the second seasons of Sullivan’s Crossing (CTV) and Wild Cards (CBC). She also spent three seasons in the writers’ room of Pretty Hard Cases (CBC), where her co-writing on the series finale earned a 2024 Canadian Screen Award nomination for best drama writing. In addition, she has written for the Audible series Wynonna Earp: Tales from Purgatory. She 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,” Samuels said in the release. “Growing up, I love 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.”
Thomas is a writer, director and producer whose directorial short film debut, Redlights, premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). She co-directed and co-wrote her first feature film, Aberdeen, which premiered at TIFF 2024. She is currently in post-production on her solo feature Nika & Madison. She directed episodes of seasons eight and nine of Still Standing (CBC), earning a 2024 Canadian Screen Award for best direction, factual. She also worked as a writer and director on season three of Acting Good (Bell Media/Crave). As a writer, she was in the writing room of Don’t Even (Bell Media/Crave), Shelved (CTV) and season two of Zarqa (CBC Gem). 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,” Thomas said. “This opportunity will support my journey toward becoming a Showrunner and delivering stories that entertain, connect, and leave a mark on Canadian television.”
The CBC-BIPOC TV & Film Showrunner Catalyst program was launched in 2022 and is now in its final year.
“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 of scripted content at 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.”
Previous participants of the Showrunner Catalyst program 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).
Photos of (l-r) Lakna Edirisinghe, Carina Samuels and Eva Thomas courtesy of CBC and BIPOC TV & Film
