SCRIPT READINGS SERIES
DAY ONE - OCTOBER 15th
Women’s Art Association of Canada (WAAC)
23 Prince Arthur Ave, Toronto, ON M5R 1B2
FREE Event. Open to festival delegates, industry professionals, and the general public.
The Script Reading Series at FeFF is a creative incubator for writers with completed features and pilots that are ready to be kicked up to the next level. It’s an intensely creative, collaborative, and career-enhancing experience. This program centres on public readings where screenwriters receive feedback from industry experts, and their peers, fellow writers.
10:15 AM – 11:30 AM
Mel of Astoria
Written by Maggie McMeans
Feature, Romantic Dramedy, USA
A perpetually single 40-something is thrown back into the dating world when her closest friend winds up on her couch after yet another break up. With their chemistry obvious to everyone else, she must make peace with her asexuality and learn how to be in a relationship on her own terms.
Bio: Maggie McMeans is an actress and singer based in New York City. After her third national tour, she decided to give screenwriting a try — which led to her first feature, Mel of Astoria. She is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
All or None
Written by Kristin Holodak
Feature, A Sexual RomCom, USA
A perpetually single 40-something is thrown back into the dating world when her closest friend winds up on her couch after yet another break up. With their chemistry obvious to everyone else, she must make peace with her asexuality and learn how to be in a relationship on her own terms.
Bio: Kristin Holodak is a genderqueer, asexual writer-director. She likes to defy the expectations imposed by her upstate New York, Norman Rockwell-esque upbringing. After getting an MFA in film directing from Boston University, Kris moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and now teaches filmmaking at Marquette University A storyteller and image-maker since her early days sneaking photos on her dad's film camera, Kris is drawn to narratives highlighting the invisible and overlooked in society. From Enid in the arthouse drama ENID'S WALL to Fiona in the platonic romance ALL OR NONE, her protagonists often depict queer older women navigating their place in the world. Kris's short films have screened at festivals across the US. Her feature directorial debut, DIFFRACTION, is being released by Glass House Distribution later this year.
BREAK 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
3:30 PM - 4:45 PM
Ben & Ronnie
Written by Erin Mick
Feature, Thriller Dark Comedy, Canada
Ben is traveling to his remote mountain cabin when he encounters Ronnie, a chatty, camera-wielding hitchhiker on her way to nowhere in particular. Ben finds Ronnie's demeanor off-putting and she finds his unassuming charm suspicious. Despite this, they seem drawn to each other and agree to travel as a pair from the scorching Canadian prairies into the cool cover of Rocky Mountain forests. Over the course of a single day and night, their relationship morphs into something both darker and more absurd as they discover that Fate might have a truly twisted sense of humor.
Bio: Erin Mick is a writer and actor originally hailing from a small prairie town in southern Alberta. She moved to St. John's, NL in 2011, and there completed BA & MA degrees in history while also pursuing acting. She moved to Toronto in 2018 after being accepted into U of T’s Cinema Studies PhD programme - an attempt to mesh her interests in both scholarship and film - where her research focuses on contemporary horror. She is delighted to be here in FeFF's script development program with her absurdist-thriller feature BEN & RONNIE.
INDUSTRY GUEST
DANIELA SAIONI
Screenwriter, Story Editor, Punch-up Artist
Daniela is a screenwriter, story editor, punch-up artist, script supervisor and educator. Her online film and writing programs have served over 1,000 students in 30 countries, and over the past three decades she has taught for numerous film industry organizations including Pacific Screenwriting Program, DGC Ontario, ACTRA, WIFT-T, IATSE 873, Skills Training Manitoba, ScriptFest PEI, WIFT-T and The CFC, and has guest story edited for ReelWorld E20 and The Female Eye Film Festival.
She has earned 15 laurels for her screenplays, including Grand Prize - WE Screenplay Diverse Voices 2021 and Best Screenplay and Best Fresh Voice at Female Eye Film Festival 2019, but is even more thrilled by her alumni accomplishments, most being first-time writers. From getting staffed in writers’ rooms to optioning original series to notable production companies, this is an exciting time for new voices and Daniela is especially here to help underrepresented talent access the industry.
In her work on set, she has script supervised major motion pictures (A Simple Favor, Another Simple Favor, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Shazam!) and TV Series (Suits, Vladimir, Soul Food:The Series) in 10 countries.
A former stand-up comedian and character actress, her talents are varied, but her mission is singular: change the world, one laugh at a time.
LinkTree of Current Courses: linktr.ee/directorwhisperer
YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@schticktoscript
Instagram: www.instagram.com/hellaciousdee/
INDUSTRY GUEST
REBECCA DIPASQUALE
Television Producer, Development Consultant, and Network Executive
Rebecca DiPasquale is a television producer, development consultant, and network executive with nearly two decades experience developing and overseeing the production of scripted dramatic and comedic tv series. Her career began with an internship at CHUM Television in the early aughts, and has since included time as a Development and Production Executive at Bell Media, Rogers Media and CBC. Known for her expertise in all things Sci-Fi and Fantasy, she has shepherded numerous scripted series that have earned critical acclaim, record-breaking ratings and numerous awards. Rebecca now works independently as a highly sought-after producer, development consultant and story editor, and serves as co-president of Robot Monkey Entertainment.
INDUSTRY GUEST
ALLEGRA FULTON
Go Diva Productions Inc.
Allegra Fulton is a multi award-winning actor, in film, television, stage, and VO with over 150 credits including THE SHAPE OF WATER, MAPS TO THE STARS, SUITS, FARGO, CASCADE, 19-2, THE GOOD DOCTOR, TITANS, SUPERMAN & LOIS, SCHITTS CREEK, and MOONSHINE among others. Her directing and dramaturgy/script editing work continues to propel her into new arenas.
More at IMDB www.allegrafulton.com
INDUSTRY GUEST
ANNIE BRADLEY
Emmy Nominated - Producing Director/Writer
Emmy nominated Director Annie Bradley is known for her striking cinematic work and maverick storytelling. Included in The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment List in 2024, she is the recipient of the 2025 WIFT Crystal Award for Mentorship and the 2023, Trailblazer Award from the Firecracker Dept.
A proud member of both the DGA and DGC and currently serving her third term as Chair of DGC Ontario, she is also an alumna of TIFF, Sundance, the TIFF Talent Lab, The Female Eye Festival, TIFF Pitch This, CFC Directors Lab, Film Fatales, WIFT, Firecracker Dept, AWD and WIDC.
Annie continues to expand her international directing credits while developing a dynamic slate of film and TV content through her company The Heat Mansion.
INDUSTRY GUEST
ALLEY TURCOTTE
Writer, Story Editor and Accessibility Consultant
Alley is a graduate of Toronto Film School’s screenwriting program, with a Bachelor of Creative Arts from Yorkville University. She is a writer, story editor and accessibility consultant. She has worked with many emerging and established short film directors and producers, including Reeth Mazumder and Jordan Walker. She also teaches classes in accessibility in content creation to other creatives with a variety of disabilities. Her aim is helping new writers tell their stories honestly and authentically, and helping the industry become more accessible and inclusive as a whole. Her own writing is usually about monsters, and always about disability, autonomy, and incredible women.
