The Quebec English-language Production Council (QEPC) announced last month the launch of its inaugural QEPC Market Access Program, a new initiative designed to help emerging English-language producers in Quebec gain access to Canada’s major film and television markets.
QEPC announced the first cohort selected for the program, which is supported by the Canada Media Fund’s Sector Development Support Program and the Bell Fund’s Industry Development Program. The initiative benefits from in-kind support from BANFF World Media Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival, who are supporting the cohort through discounted and free accreditation access for participants, respectively.
The program was created to address barriers many official language minority community (OLMC) producers face when entering national industry spaces, the QEPC said in a press release. It combines “market-readiness training, subsidized market access, and hands-on support from some of Quebec’s most established producers,” according to the press release.
Through the program, participants will receive guidance on pitching, packaging projects, navigating industry programming, and building relationships with funders, broadcasters and decision-makers across the Canadian screen sector, the QEPC said.
“Led by QEPC Co-President Debra Kouri, the program aims to create a structured and affordable pathway for emerging producers who may not yet have the networks, experience, or financial means to access major industry markets independently,” the press release reads. “Participants benefit from mentorship before, during, and after-market attendance, with experienced industry professionals accompanying the cohort on-site to help navigate meetings, programming, and networking opportunities.”
“The launch of the Market Access Program marks an exciting new chapter for QEPC,” Kouri said in a statement. “These markets are where careers and collaborations begin, but too often emerging English-language producers in Quebec are excluded by cost or lack of access. This initiative is about opening those doors, demystifying the process, and helping producers build meaningful long-term relationships within the industry.”
The inaugural cohort of the QEPC Market Access Program includes: Anna Burkholder, a playwright, performer and emerging television producer currently adapting her debut play Caravan for television; Emily Gan, an emerging producer and storyteller focused on character-driven narratives and cross-cultural storytelling; Anne Koizumi, a Montreal-based writer, director and producer of award-winning animated and experimental films, including In the Shadow of the Pines; and Jess Lee, a producer and creative collaborator developing original screen-based projects across documentary and scripted formats.
The QEPC Market Access Program builds on the organization’s slate of professional development initiatives, including the Producers Mentorship Program and Business Accelerator for Diverse OLMC Producers Program, both designed to strengthen and support Quebec’s English-language production sector.
Screengrab via QEPC website
