Whether you’re cast in a project that shoots abroad or you’re a producer on a quest for locations and tax credits, we’re all finding ourselves traversing the globe more than ever. Getting to know (and joining) our sister Women in Film & Television organizations around the country and the world can be a resource of unending value. From the quickest route to crewing-up with talented women to taking advantage of great events and programing, WIFTs around the world expand our networks and our horizons.
By Mellini Kantayya
This past summer, I was warmly welcomed by Women in Film and Television – Toronto (WIFT-T). Established in 1984, WIFT-T is the oldest Women in Film and Television chapter in Canada and also boasts of the largest Canadian membership and staff. They represent women in all areas of screen-based media at every stage of their careers.
Though we share the same mission, every organization is unique. If there were two words to capture the spirit of WIFT-T, they would be “cultivation” and “mentorship.” WIFT-T operates under a “cohort” system, with programming specifically tailored to those in their early careers (less than five years), mid careers (five to ten years), and at the executive level (over ten years). This facilitates, as Executive Director Heather Webb said, “women learning, sharing, and mentoring throughout their careers [while] offering each member unique opportunities to tap into a diverse and supportive network in the industry,” whether their goal is breaking into the business or securing that corner office.
Left to right: Christina Anderson (Program & Special Events Coordinator), Heather Webb (Executive Director), Kadon Douglas (Communications & Engagement Manager)
One exciting manifestation of this is WIFT-T’s recent launch of a six-month formal mentorship program. Members at the early-career or mid-career level apply to be coached by an executive level member who has chosen to participate. Both mentors and mentees attend workshops to ascertain goals and expectations. Mentees emerge with a plan with quantitative, tangible outcomes and support along the way.
WIFT-T August “Walk and Talk” at Trinity Bellwood Park in Toronto
Before leaving Toronto, I also had the pleasure of participating in another program that embodies their spirit of cultivation and mentorship by joining one of their “walks and talks.” Inspired by serial media entrepreneur Geraldine Laborne’s “Global Mentoring Walks,” members meet monthly at one of Toronto’s beautiful city parks to, well, walk and talk—giving members the opportunity to chat and network in a casual environment with leading women in the industry.
You can learn more about (and join!) Women in Film and Television Toronto at http://www.wift.com
Mellini_Kantayya
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Rhona Silverbush
Welcome to NYWIFT, Rhona Silverbush! Rhona’s windy career path led to her co-writing the award-winning pilot for Dark Ladies, a series she and Sami Plotkin are poised to take into the marketplace. Rhona studied psychology and theater, acted regionally, became a lawyer representing asylum seekers, and worked with the Roosevelt Institute before returning to her first loves – theater and writing. She co-produced/co-directed Conversations with Shakespeare with Daniela Varon at Symphony Space. She’s written Speak the Speech! Shakespeare’s Monologues Illuminated with Sami Plotkin; ‘wichcraft: craft a sandwich into a meal–and a meal into a sandwich’ for chefs Tom Colicchio and Sisha Ortuzar; and the Terrific Toddlers picture books with Carol Zeavin. She’s also a story consultant for documentarian George Nierenberg. In our interview, Rhona shares insight on pivoting careers, the lessons she’s learned along the way, and all things Shakespeare.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Asha Dahya
Welcome to NYWIFT, Asha Dahya! Asha Dahya is a social impact filmmaker and storyteller. She is the director and producer of an award-winning short documentary about later abortion called Someone You Know, which premiered at the 2024 Athena Film Festival. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for My Name Is Siri, an autism awareness documentary that premiered on PBS. In 2025, Asha executive produced and co-hosted an award-winning audio and video series about Latin America’s Green Wave abortion rights movement called Green Tide Rising. Her latest short documentary is A Tiny Revolution, the story of how Meg Crane invented the first home pregnancy test.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Alison Fraser
Welcome to NYWIFT, Alison Fraser! Alison is an award-winning producer and media executive with more than 20 years of experience in the North American entertainment industry. Her career spans work with major organizations including HBO, BET, Court TV, TELUS Storyhive/Originals, and Rogers. She has served as a board member for Gender Equity in Media Society Vancouver (GEMS), formerly Women in Film and Television Vancouver (WIFTV). She has also held leadership roles with Storyhive, Telefilm, Entertainment One, Shaftesbury, and as an Executive Producer at Rephrase Filmworks. Alison holds a graduate degree in Journalism from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, is a graduate of the Women in Film and Television Media Leadership Program, and recently completed an Executive MBA with a Business in the Americas specialization, which included studies at business schools in São Paulo, Mexico City, and Nashville.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Rachel Schwartz
Welcome to NYWIFT, Rachel Schwartz! Rachel Schwartz has been a staff member at the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) since January 2019, in rising roles as the Manager, then Director, and now Head of Daytime and Children’s & Family Emmy Awards. Prior to that, she worked at the American Theatre Wing, founder of the Tony Awards, for eight years. Therefore, she is halfway to an “administrative EGOT.” Rachel graduated magna cum laude from Northeastern University with a BA in Theatre and a minor in Women’s Studies in 2005. The crowning achievement of her education was her undergraduate thesis on a proposed new voting system for the Primetime Emmys. She has been obsessed with awards shows since sixth grade, when she passed out Oscar ballots to the rest of her class. She is proud to be a native New Yorker, born and raised in Queens.
READ MORE
