An exclusive three-day program of workshops, live pitches, one-on-ones and industry sessions. Kick off the Lab with complimentary coffee and tea from
Coffin Creek Coffee
đTranzac Club
(292 Brunswick Ave, Toronto, ON M5S 2M7).
Monday, November 17
For Lab delegates and Deluxe Pass holders
9:00â9:30 AM ET
Coffee meet & greet
9:30â9:45 AM ET
Opening remarks
9:45â10:45 AM ET
Pitching 101 with Vanessa Magic
11:15 AMâ12:15 PM ET
Insurance with Rorie McIntosh (McCam Insurance)
12:15â1:30 PM ET
Lunch
1:30â2:30 PM ET
Case study: Foreigner with Ava Maria Safai
2:45â3:45 PM ET
Equipment with Greg Jeffs (Sunbelt Rentals)
4:00â5:00 PM ET
Marketing strategies with producer Louie La Vella
Tuesday, November 18
For Lab delegates and Deluxe Pass holders
9:45 AMâ12:00 PM ET
Live pitches
12:15â1:30 PM ET
Lunch
1:30â2:30 PM ET
Financing with Telefilm Canada - James Luscombe (content analyst, project financing)
3:00â4:00 PM ET
Film market & festival strategies with Kirk Cooper (Film Market Access)
4:00â6:00 PM ET
Lab alum cocktail (Southern Cross)
Wednesday, November 19
Lab delegates only
9:00â11:00 AM ET
One-on-one meetings with industry leads
11:00 AMâ12:00 PM ET
Lunch
12:00â5:00 PM ET
One-on-one meetings with producers and companies
5:00â6:00 PM ET
Certificate photoshoot
2025 HORROR DEVELOPMENT LAB FILMMAKERS
As part of the 2025 Deadly Exposure Industry Conference, the BITS Horror Development Lab supports underrepresented creators in Canadian genre film.
đ©ž Weâre thrilled to announce the selected filmmakers who will be pitching and meeting with industry leaders November 17â19, 2025.
An Anishinaabe filmmaker from Migisi Sahgaigan (Eagle Lake First Nation) in Northwestern Ontario, Morningstar Derosier (she/her) blends realism and spiritual storytelling, centring Indigenous relationships to land, language, and community. Her short My Friend Saabe, shot on her home territory with local youth, has screened internationally, including at MÄoriland and imagineNATIVE. A self-taught filmmaker, she uplifts her people and preserves Anishinaabe ways of knowing.
An award-winning filmmaker of MĂ©tis, Caribbean, and European descent, Alex Vance has over a decade in film and television. A graduate of the Pacific Screenwriting Program, UCLA TFT, and UVic, she writes in comedy and horrorâoften blending the two. Her sci-fi horror Mt. Asha earned the Hagan Hicks Womenâs Voices Scholarship and reached Fantasiaâs FrontiĂšres market. In 2024, while pregnant, she made four shorts that screened across Canada and New Zealand.
An actor and emerging writer working across Canada, India, and Australia, Jazba Singhâs debut short Eating the Other premiered at the Oscar- and BAFTA-qualifying Flickerfest Festival in 2023 and has screened at over a dozen international festivals. The film is now studied in Race and Media programs at four Canadian universities. She is developing the feature adaptation with the Reelworld Screen Institute as one of ten emerging Canadian talents.
A Jamaican-Canadian creative producer and screenwriter with over a decade in film and television, Kristen Lambie (she/her) is the founder of Colrize Productions, where she tells stories exploring identity, belonging, and the experiences of women from the Caribbean and African Diaspora. Drawing from her upbringing in Jamaica and Canada, she crafts authentic, resonant narratives that celebrate and reflect a diverse world.
A filmmaker based in LA and Toronto, Hannah Cheesman is a TIFF Emerging Canadian Filmmaker whose debut feature Succor is being produced by Lulu Wang, Diversity Hire, and Lithium Films. She sold a 30-minute dark comedy to Apple TV+ and wrote on Workinâ Moms, Find Me in Paris, and Orphan Black. Nominated for a DGC Award for Something Undone, she recently joined Ryan Murphyâs 1/2 Initiative. Her short Marriaginalia premiered at TIFF 2025.
A Toronto-based writer, director, and artist, Prajj blends bold genre storytelling with an experimental, DIY spirit. Their films have screened at TIFF Next Wave, Reel Asian, and Toronto Youth Shorts, among others. Beyond filmmaking, they create installation work, video art, and zinesâbuilding a playful, genre-bending, and formally inventive practice that bridges narrative, visual art, and underground culture.
Toronto-born filmmaker Mina Sewell Mancuso earned her BFA in Film Production from York University and works as a writer, director, and editor. Sheâs created music videos for artists including Bahamas, Hooded Fang, and L CON. In 2019, she became the first recipient of the DGCâs Emerging Short Filmmaker Grant for A Brief History of the Unicorn, which screened globally and earned a Golden Sheaf nomination at Yorkton.
A CSA-nominated and internationally acclaimed writer, actor, and producer, Heidi Lynch creates female-focused stories that amplify underrepresented voices. She co-showruns and produces Avocado Toast the Series (Amazon Prime/OUTtv, Peacock) and developed Finding Green with support from the IPF and CMF. Currently, sheâs developing a 6Ă1-hour erotic thriller with TIFFâs Series Accelerator and was named a âProducer to Watchâ by Telefilm/Ontario Creates at Series Mania 2024.
A director drawn to the shadows where genre and emotion collide, Rouzbeh Heydariâs feature Neon Lights (starring Kim Coates and Dana Abraham) landed on Netflix via eOne and Lionsgate. His film A Hundred Lies had a theatrical run and now streams on Tubi. Heâs directed episodes of Eli Roth Presents: A Ghost Ruined My Life and his short Astraea screened at the Guanajuato International Film Festival. With The Haunting of Old Finch, heâs reinventing found-footage horror for the TikTok age.
An Iranian-Canadian writer based in Toronto, Tannaz Keshavarz-Agulto creates bold, character-driven stories. Winner of the 2021 Amnon Buchbinder Story Prize, she later joined a development incubator with Nikki Saltz and was selected for Reelworldâs Emerging 20 in 2024. Sheâs developing a diverse slate, including a digital horror series with Rouzbeh Heydari, and has cast projects like Revenge of the Black Best Friend and Bria Mack Gets A Life.
A Toronto-based filmmaker, Lee Lawson explores embodied storytelling through directing, writing, and performance, examining how emotion manifests through the body. Her work has screened at TIFF, on HBO, and in Telefilmâs Cannes Not Short on Talent Showcase. Directorial credits include Richard and Mary (CBC Radioâs Here and Now) and Man Eating Pussy, supported by CCA, OAC, Panavision, and the NFB. Sheâs developing INTER ALIA and Polycepolis, a study of neurodivergence and coupledom.
A first-generation Nicaraguan-Canadian filmmaker based in Southern Ontario, Denise BodĂĄn brings passion and precision to every story she tells. Her debut as lead producer, The Ropes, premieres on Bell Fibe TV1. Dedicated to securing funding for innovative projects that spark conversation, she uses her collaborative spirit and industry network to champion diverse voices, strengthen creative communities, and reshape Canadaâs filmmaking landscape.
Ăric Falardeau is a writer and director whose work spans short films, music videos, and genre cinema. His cult horror feature Thanatomorphose (2012) won multiple awards on the festival circuit, followed by the porn-horror The Thing from the Lake (2019). He has curated exhibitions at the CinĂ©mathĂšque quĂ©bĂ©coise and published volumes on Quebecâs special effects and gore history. Falardeau is currently developing his second feature film.
A MontrĂ©al-based filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist, Alice BĂ©dard holds a degree in feature screenwriting from Lâinis. Largely self-taught, she has written, directed, or produced more than twenty short films and six feature-length screenplays across genres including horror, fantasy, romance, and experimental. Her work reflects a fearless curiosity and commitment to exploring emotion through form and imagination.
A DGC director, screenwriter, and producer, Kim Barr co-wrote Susanne Serreâs debut feature Celestine (SLYKID), funded by Telefilm, SODEC, and WIDC. She also wrote Walter: Earth Day Adventure (IceWorks), starring Rick Hoffman and Thierry Lhermitte. Her shorts Snow and Elevator aired on CBC and GEM, with Snow earning a Golden Sheaf nomination. Kim will direct Cutting the Cord for Moving Day and brings eight yearsâ production experience with Muse Entertainment.
Tiffany is a versatile Canadian Producer who began her career in unscripted reality television and worked across many genres and formats. She has produced several award-winning MOWs and independent features. This Time (2025), which she co-executive produced, received nominations at the Orlando and Whistler Film Festivals and won the Special Jury Prize at the Massachusetts Independent Film Festival; Kill Victoria (2024) won Best Sound Design in Los Angeles.
A Canadian screenwriter, director, and producer, Andrew G. Cooper blends physical mediums like puppetry, dance, and circus arts into genre storytelling. Their work spans speculative fiction, fantasy, and horror, exploring non-conformity and outsiders. Projects include Windchasers, So Dark the Sky, Under the Plaza, and Strangers. A puppeteer on The Jim Henson Companyâs Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, Andrew lives in Calgary, AB.
2025 HORROR DEVELOPMENT LAB & DEADLY EXPOSURE TEAM
Vanessa Magic is a Canadian Screen Award-winning director and writer, and founder of Miss Magic Productions. Her genre-blending shorts have screened at festivals worldwide with support from the Canada Council and Ontario Arts Council. Sheâs an alum of Slamdance, WBD Access, Women in the Directorâs Chair, and the 2023 BITS Development Lab.
Emily Dix is a creative producer and director with 15 years in Torontoâs theatre, film, and TV worlds. Sheâs Artistic Executive Director of Bygone Theatre and runs The Bridge arts space. With a love for vintage style and true crime, her work blends bold creativity with unique storytelling. She studied English, cinema, drama, and recently completed a paralegal program.
Shanice Bowrin is a Montreal-born actor, writer, and director whose work spans theatre, film, and audio storytelling. Her credits include Cocoa Butter Wishes, The Absurdity of the Black Female Experience, and Wacky Wednesdays. She brings a bold, multidisciplinary voice to genre media.
Kelly Michael Stewart founded Blood in the Snow in 2012 and leads as Festival Director, promoting diverse Canadian genre film. A writer, producer, and film event host, he advocates for intersectional media representation. Identifying as Queer-polysexual, he amplifies underrepresented voices in the genre space.
2025 BITS HORROR DEVELOPMENT LAB LEADS
Heather Buckley is a New Jersey-born producer, writer, and film preservationist with a deep love for horror. Sheâs worked on special features for The Thing, Army of Darkness, and Saw, and produced the punk-horror hit The Ranger (SXSW/Shudder). Founder of Black Mansion and winner of the Winter Film Awardsâ âPatron of the Cinema,â Heather is also a longtime advocate for women in genre film.
Anelle Dehghani is a Toronto-based industry veteran and Head of Sales at The Coven, where she oversees international sales for genre titles including Terrifier 3. A former executive at Raven Banner and a mentor with Reelworld, she brings over a decade of experience in editing, acquisitions, and navigating global horror markets. Dehghani is known for championing bold, boundary-pushing voices in genre film.
Rueben Martell is a Cree filmmaker from Waterhen Lake First Nation whose debut feature, Donât Say Its Name, played BITS and Fantasia. Having heard Cree tall tales from his grandmother from a young age, he was enamoured with the oral tradition of storytelling. Rueben is currently developing a TV series, RedWater, a feature film script, A Life Less Empty, and a feature film titled Tied.
2025 BITS HORROR DEVELOPMENT LAB JURY
đ©ž The Lab Jury reviews submissions and selects 12 standout filmmakers from across Canada to participate in the Lab.
Joanne Belluco is a bilingual, award-winning journalist and filmmaker based in Toronto, originally from France. A Hillman Prize winner and Prix GĂ©meaux finalist, she began her career at Studiocanal on global hits like Mulholland Drive. Her documentary The Terror Group premiered at Sitges and drew attention across the genre world. Joanne champions bold, diverse storytelling, with a focus on Francophone and genre voices.
Joel H. Brewster is a Canadian horror and sci-fi screenwriter whose award-winning work has reached audiences on platforms like Amazon Prime, Tubi, and Spotify. Drawing inspiration from 1980s suspense and grounded in cinematic storytelling, his work blends nostalgia with fresh perspectives. Brewster is a rising voice in indie genre filmmaking, pushing boundaries and redefining what the genre can be.
Theresa Cutknife (she/her) is an Alberta-born, Toronto-based actor, writer, and storyteller of NĂȘhiyaw and Puerto Rican descent, and a proud member of the Samson Cree Nation in MaskwacĂźs, Alberta, situated in Treaty 6 Territory. A graduate of the CBC Actors Conservatory and Soulpepper Academy, her storytelling honours Indigenous traditions while pushing genre boundaries on stage and screen.
Raine Petrie (they/he) is a queer trans illustrator, writer, video editor, and film programmer based in London, Ontario. Their work explores homoeroticism and trans subtext in horror, new wave music, cult/exploitation cinema, and corn syrup blood. In addition to editing trailers and programming films for Hyland Cinema, Raine has contributed to Little White Lies, Gayly Dreadful, and In The Mood Magazine, and has collaborated with the Forest City Film Festival.
Chloe Navaretnam is a Toronto actor and visual artist whose films have screened at TIFF Next Wave's Open Screen, Regent Park Film Festival, New York Shorts International Film Festival, Emerging Lens, and Toronto Black Film Festival. A longtime festival coordinator and Submissions Coordinator at TIFF, she brings a sharp curatorial eye to emerging genre voices.
2025 HORROR DEVELOPMENT LAB
The BITS Horror Development Lab is a groundbreaking program dedicated to supporting underrepresented Canadian genre filmmakers. The Lab is a development program focused on facilitating business and production opportunities for genre (horror, sci-fi, action, thriller) scripted projects and shorts films by traditionally underrepresented BIPOC, women, and 2SLGBTQIA+ Canadian filmmakers and content creators.
The program backs 12 short-form film or web series concepts, aiming to develop them into features or full series. Participants will meet top industry professionals and attend workshops during the Blood in the Snow Film Festival (Nov 17-19, 2025), with access to the Deadly Exposure Industry Conference.
đ©ž This isn't just mentorship-it's your gateway to the industry. Are you ready to take your project to the next level?
