THE WRITERS LAB CANADA 2026
Presented by
The Writers Lab, Firecracker Department & Female Eye Film Festival
The Writers Lab CANADA Announces 2026 Participants and Bold Voice Award Winners
Toronto, ON — The Writers Lab CANADA is thrilled to announce the talented screenwriters selected for its 2026 Lab, taking place this January 2026.
Run by The Writers Lab (TWL)—founded in New York by Nitza Wilon and Elizabeth Kaiden and supported by Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman—the Canadian edition is presented in proud partnership with Firecracker Department (Naomi Snieckus, Liesl Lafferty, Virginia Abramovich) and the Female Eye Film Festival (Leslie-Ann Coles).
The Writers Lab champions women and non-binary screenwriters over 40, supporting their creative voices and helping bring their stories to the screen. This is our second year running this program. Last year’s writers have gone on to many exciting partnerships with production companies.
This year’s selected writers and projects represent a powerful range of perspectives, genres, and voices from across Canada
Selected Projects for The Writers Lab CANADA 2026:
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BOOB JOB – Kim Izzo (Dundas, ON)
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CANADA RESISTS – Lisa Gold (Long Beach, CA)
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DESCENT – Nadine Pequeneza (Toronto, ON)
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GOOD BONES – Rebecca Brewer (Vancouver, BC)
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LOOKING FOR DEZ CART – Paris Jefferson (Ottawa, ON)
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OPUS THIRTEEN – Carleen Nimrod (Pickering, ON)
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PANG & SUFFERING – Susan Hung (Toronto, ON)
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QUEEN OF TRASH – Helene Taylor (North Vancouver, BC)
In addition, The Bold Voice Award, which recognizes exceptional originality and courage in storytelling, is awarded to:
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GRIP OF THE KELPIE MOTHER – Claire Apps
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MAMMY – Anita Reilly McGee
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ROLLER DERBY SAVED MY SOUL – Nancy Kenny
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WILD WOMAN OF THE WOODS – Tobi Iverson
Produced in partnership with DGC Ontario
“The Writers Lab Canada continues to spotlight the brilliance, resilience, and imagination of Canadian women and non-binary writers over 40,” says Naomi Snieckus, co-director of Firecracker Department. “Their scripts are sharp, funny, and deeply human, exactly the kind of work that deserves to be made. We are so excited to see where these amazing scripts go!.”
“We’re delighted to see how TWL has built a community that uplifts and connects writers globally,” adds Nitza Wilon of The Writers Lab. “Canada’s storytellers weave such truth and depth into their scripts . This cohort is truly extraordinary.”
"Everything starts with the script! The Female Eye is delighted to be shining a light on Canadian writers in this 2nd edition of TWL Canada. The talent is undeniably compelling from this diverse group of film and television writers." Leslie-Ann Coles, FeFF founder, artistic and executive director."
The Writers Lab (TWL)
The Writers Lab (TWL) develops narrative features and pilot scripts by women and non-binary writers over 40. Founded in partnership with Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman, TWL operates lab intensives in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and global programming, nurturing underrepresented voices in film and television.
For Media Inquiries:
Sasha Stoltz Publicity:
Sasha Stoltz | Sasha@sashastoltzpublicity.com | 416.579.4804
