2025
GENDER EQUITY IN MEDIA FESTIVAL
The 20th annual international Gender Equity in Media film festival took place March 5-9, 2025.
GEMS Vancouver’s signature event, GEMFest, is the only film festival dedicated to women and gender-diverse people in Western Canada, and one of just three international film festivals for women and gender-diverse people in Canada.
Now in its 20th year, GEMFest continues to provide a platform for challenging gender inequity and the lack of diversity in the screen-based media industry through a combination of film screenings, discussions, professional development and networking opportunities.
Program
Sahar, an Iranian international student in Vancouver, embodies the courage and resilience of a generation. Torn between her academic dreams and her yearning for justice, she secretly writes feminist blogs exposing Iran’s oppressive laws. When Mahsa Amini’s death sparks global outrage, Sahar joins a Women, Life, Freedom protest, igniting a chain of events that upends her life.
One Must Wash Eyes is a powerful testament to the universal fight for freedom, justice, and identity; a reminder that even in the darkest moments, courage can inspire change and hope for a brighter future.
NiiMisSak weaves shared truths with the raw personal experiences of being an IsKweWak storyteller in the film/documentary industry, specifically in British Columbia. Now is the time to share these important stories of resiliency and power because we are experiencing a revolutionary shift in Indigenous cinema in Canada. Iskwewak (Indigenous women) are taking control of their own STORIES, more so than in any other time in film herstory.
Village Keeper follows a family grappling with secrets that uphold domestic abuse and unresolved rage. After life’s precarious scale tips her fortune back into poverty, Jean relocates her children with their grandmother to the community housing project where she grew up. Jean lives in constant fear of everything that could go wrong, going to great lengths to shelter her children, so when a spree of violence comes to her doorstep, she secretly cleans an abandoned crime scene, which unknowingly leads her on a path that exposes generational chains of silence, self-discovery and finally putting herself first.
In a time of immense environmental degradation and global uncertainty, the buffalo can lead us to a better tomorrow. After a dark recent history, the buffalo herds of North America are awaiting their return, aided by dedicated Indigenous activists, leaders and communities, including award-winning Cree filmmaker Tasha Hubbard (nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up). Together with Blackfoot Elder Leroy Little Bear, Hubbard weaves an intimate story of humanity’s connections to buffalo and eloquently reveals how their return to the Great Plains can indeed usher in a new era of sustainability and balance. On her journey, Hubbard explores the challenges faced by buffalo allies and shares the positive steps already taken towards the ultimate – but uncertain – goal of buffalo rematriation. Richly visualised and deeply uplifting, Singing Back the Buffalo is an epic reimagining of North America through the lens of buffalo consciousness and a potent dream of what is within our grasp.
Ziggy receives her first internet influencer job offer to promote the seed and fertilizer company Nature’s Oath. When her cousin calls her back to the reservation, she is compelled to fight to preserve the history of her people and discovers her strength in the process.
Shorts Program: Hatch
The breadth of a trans woman’s life is shown as she navigates the complexities of a fading memory. Blending the past and present, glimpses of her struggles with love and her evolving gender identity showcase a heartfelt portrait of humanity.
Mơ roams through the rush hour traffic to avoid an unwanted phone call. When she meets Vicky by the side of the street with her broken motorbike, a visceral chance encounter unfolds between the two young queer women on the loud streets of Saigon.
Unibrow follows Leyla, a second-generation Irani-Canadian girl striving for the perfect brows, as she befriends a new student from Iran, Sahar, who introduces her to the cultural significance of eyebrows.
Katherine, a young speech therapist of Tongan and European heritage has lied about her Tongan language skills to work with Siaosi – an elderly Tongan patient with aphasia who has lost his ability to speak English.
Siaosi resents Katherine’s presence and is resistant to her speech therapy sessions. Katherine unwittingly offends Siaosi and is left feeling disconnected and insecure about her identity.
Shorts Program: Lift
A weekend holiday in Vegas turns sour for Ally when she wakes up in a hotel room in Henderson with no recollection of how she got there. With no phone, no memory and not a familiar face in sight, will she make it back in time for her friend’s wedding on the Vegas strip?
The global pandemic rages on as authorities loosen regulations, leaving two immunocompromised Anishinaabe lovers vulnerable to a world that wants to abandon them. George lives with his Gokmis on a northern reserve, while his partner Eileen lives in Toronto. The universal stressors of long-distance relationships are exacerbated by eugenics, colonial violence, and misogyny. After an intense day, George and Eileen find themselves at a crossroads, prompting George to find answers in their traditional Anishinaabe medicine ways.
It has been raining heavily for months and the sixth wave is depressing humanity. In this prevailing darkness, Claude, 70 years old, compulsively buys lamps online to break his solitude and bring light into his life, at any cost.
Responding to a Supreme Court case in 2003, a groundbreaking cover of Newsweek featured a lesbian couple and asked: Is gay marriage next? A young, closeted woman saw the magazine and found the courage to come out. Two decades later, she searches for the couple who gave her hope.
Together, they explore the LGBTQ political landscape then and now. In a post-Roe era, this
compelling story asks a familiar question with a haunting twist: is gay marriage next—to go?
Shorts Program: Rise
In the quiet, haunting landscapes where memory and reality intertwine, pîķîwî follows a Two-Spirit Métis person on a deeply personal and transformative journey of healing. Set in the fractured spaces of trauma and resilience, the film explores the nuanced process of self-discovery and reclaiming one’s identity in the aftermath of violence.
pîķîwî presents the tender meditation of a Survivor returning not only to a physical place, but to a spiritual self. The path through swirling visions, fragmented memories, and moments of raw vulnerability echoes the complexities of rebuilding a world shattered by the echoes of past trauma.
Through evocative animation and tender imagery, the film captures the intimate process of healing, honoring, and embracing one’s true self—moving beyond the pain toward a radical place of self-love, joy, and resurgence.
Sexually frustrated Amy has a love-hate relationship with her vagina, Vivie. Every time she tries to have sex with a new lover Vivie absolutely refuses to open up. Amy gets increasingly frustrated with Vivie while Vivie is increasingly frustrated with Amy for not listening to her, and this leads to a huge argument between the two. When Amy’s “the one who got away”, Matthew, suddenly arrives back in town, Amy wonders if he is the missing key to cracking Vivie. Amy goes out on a date with Matthew and is surprised to get a positive response from Vivie. When Amy finds herself in bed with Matthew, things start to go to plan… or so she thinks.
The film opens at the temple with Jean sitting happily with Lama as they catch up on life. Suddenly, Lama’s hand slides down Jean’s back, and Jean’s world has never since been the same. At home, Jean’s mother Lucy is shaken by her daughter’s sudden coldness, and scolds her instead of showing empathy. Their relationship frays.
On her father’s death anniversary, Lucy forces Jean to come with her to visit the temple to gain blessings from Lama. Jean only agrees to avoid a fight, but when Lama begins to touch her leg under the table, Jean runs out of the room and courageously spills the secret to her mother in a fit of tears. Now, with the truth out, they decide to choose each other.
A waterborne disease ravages a town, the affliction slowly morphing you into an octopus. With the societal hatred towards those suffering building, a couple have the limited choice: afford the medication to carry on living, or drink the water and suffer being shunned.
Vancouver artist, Maureen Coles, shares her journey as an artist with low vision and takes us along as she prepares for an accessible exhibition of new paintings, adapting her artistic voice to her changing vision.
Shorts Program: Leap
On the eve of her First Communion, Rocío is taken by her father to pick up the dress that she will wear at the ceremony, but, unexpectedly, she will experience the pain of heartbreak. For her, the ceremony and life must go on.
A young woman embarks on a road trip making her way inland from the coast. As she travels, the landscape transforms from idyllic and blissful to cold and unwelcoming. She struggles with independence and self-reliance as she moves through the harsh landscape. It all comes to a head when she strikes a deer—she reckons with herself, with grief and with moving on.
Inuk Elder Levinia Brown shares the oral history of how she was born on February 16, 1947 while her family was travelling by dogsled across the open tundra from Tavani to Dawson Inlet. Her story is illustrated by cutout stop motion animation of hand sewn Inuit wallhanging designs in the style of her own artwork.
After missing their bus on a cold winter night, a young girl confronts the limits of her mother’s love.
All That Matters tells the story of three Brazilian families of trans people and their processes of understanding and celebration of their identities. These mums, dads and grandparents take a step forward and decide to fight for a society that respects and values diversity. Directed by a filmmaker who is herself the mother of a young trans person, the film connects generations by showing stories of love, transformation and learning.
Shorts Program: Flutter
Nawal, a young Palestinian woman grieving the death of her grandmother & clinging to the task of keeping a fig sapling alive as her last thread of connection to Palestine, builds an unlikely friendship with Tanya, an older Indigenous woman growing a guerilla garden on the lawn of their apartment building. As Nawal helps Tanya with her garden & battle against middle management, the two women find home in their connection with each other on the margins.
Gabrielle and Alix are about to compete in the finals of the regional karate championship. But when Gabrielle discovers that she is having her period when she wasn’t expecting it, things get complicated and the fight becomes unequal. But the two young women will then realize that they are in reality on the same team.
A filmmaker explores her journey of being diagnosed with Narcolepsy at age 21 and documents her participation in a scientific research study to help raise awareness for the condition that currently has no known cure.
Passageways is a stop-motion documentary hat takes a positive look at the emotional and physical transformations women experience during menopause. Drawing on the authentic confidences of five women who share their personal experiences of this natural stage of life. In a poetic and sensitive visual framework, the film offers an intimate portrait of resilience, growth and self-discovery trough the journey of a female character who tames a new environment and welcomes new ways of perceiving and projecting her femininity.
Shorts Program: Soar
Birthdays are special, like your very own personal Christmas. And we all know about Santa, but this short film allows us to finally answer the question of “who is the person who is making your wishes come true when you blow out the candles on your birthday cake?” This concept is a of who that magical person is, how she uses her power to make our wishes come true, but at the same time, there’s also something a little dark and terrifying about this person. With the ultimate power to make your wishes come true, there’s also the immense pressure of trusting that people won’t break the one and only rule around wish making… and when they do…well you’ll have to just watch and find out what happens.
Four-month pregnant Ebony isn’t ready for this baby and a podcast about wild childbirth stories only heightens her anxieties. Her wife of 3-months, August, comforts and reassures her… and it almost works until Justin, her best friend and hook-up-turned-father of her child, bursts into the house, armed with his binder of research. Determined to save these two wholly unprepared mothers-to- be, he invites himself to stay over—much to August’s dismay.
Reviewing Justin’s research only leads Ebony to a crisis of confidence, worsened when August and Justin clash. When Ebony asks for their help to create a birth plan, she’s ignored. She finally scolds August and Justin to work together for her and the baby. The two rivals sheepishly put their rivalries aside to build a plan to get Ebony to the hospital and the thruple form a united front, choosing to weather this lifelong co-parenting journey together.
On vacation in the south of France in November, I experience the emptiness of an out-of-season Banyuls. A handsome actor buddy of mine arrives to rehearse the scripts for his next shoot. I watch him from breakfast, in the privacy of our Airbnb. And outside, I watch him interacting with the others; the villagers, suddenly numerous. By the end of the week, we’re bound to be closer. But better that I don’t think about it too much.
Gurleen is learning how to cook pakoras from her mother. She is eager to gain this knowledge, recognizing the importance of maintaining cultural traditions. However, when the lesson shifts towards the importance of being a good cook to service her future husband, she pushes back against the misogynic rhetoric. Unable to see eye-to-eye with Chandani, an argument ensues, causing Gurleen to abruptly end the lesson. A year passes, and Gurleen is living on her own, estranged from her mother. It isn’t until she witnesses a loving interaction with Lilly, a student she tutors, and her mother, Mrs. Leung, that Gurleen attempts to learn the pakoras dish again on her own. After a failed attempt and Gurleen giving up, she’s led to have a heart-felt conversation with Mrs. Leung, who encourages her to reconcile with her mother.
Special Presentation + Panel
Alternating between myth and reality, Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos unravels the intricate tapestry of grief and the liminal space that exists between not belonging to the lands one was born on nor the lands one’s ancestors once came from. In a powerful exploration of her Greek Canadian heritage, she embarks on an introspective journey through the depths of her heart, akin to traversing a black hole, in search of the gifts hidden within her wounds. Guided by the presence of the plantain, a resilient plant often referred to as “white man’s footprints” due to its association with European settlers, she disentangles the fragmented threads of an ancient myth and pre-Hellenic ceremony. Through this profound exploration, she seeks to rediscover the art of navigating the loss of identity and the cyclical nature of life’s transitions.
With the desire to help answer unresolved questions and heal lingering wounds, INAY investigates the flawed immigration pathways between the Philippines and Canada that kept so many Filipino children from their mothers.
Firecracker Film Fest
Friday, March 7 at 10:30AM
GEMS has partnered with Firecracker Department to host the first Firecracker Film Fest at GEMFest. The two organizations’ aligned values made this celebration of comedy a no-brainer. In this snappy 90 minute affair, 9 shorts crafted by women and gender-diverse folks from Firecracker West; Vancouver, Kelowna and Calgary will be screened, and some filmmakers will be in attendance. Firecracker Department is an international community of artistic women and non-binary folk empowering each other to take creative action through education and positive support.
Event sponsored by UBCP/ACTRA
BIPOC Networking Night
Friday, March 7th at 8PM
An event dedicated to connecting BIPOC creatives and industry professionals. Keynote Speaker Ella Cooper from Black Women Film will be in attendance, and this event takes place on Friday, March 7th at 8PM. This event is free of charge.
Expectations vs. Reality: Strategic Moves to Build Your Film Career
Friday March 7 at 5PM
Facilitated by Ghazal Elhaei (Chair of the Board GEMS, Capital G Media), this event is a 2 hour workshop on Friday March 7 at 5PM, designed to equip filmmakers and creatives with the strategic tools needed to navigate the business side of the industry. Beyond talent, success requires a strong personal brand, smart networking, and a clear approach to positioning projects. Attendees will learn how to assess their current standing, build key industry relationships, and craft materials that open doors—whether they’re just starting out or looking to level up. This event is free of charge.
Awards Ceremony
Saturday, March 8 at 2:30 PM
The GEMFest Awards Ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 8 at 2:30 PM at VIFF Center. The awards honour luminaries in the film and television industry, recognizing individuals who have made a significant contribution to advancing equity and creative excellence. This event is free of charge.
GEMS Showcase
Sunday, March 9, at 3:00 PM
The very first GEMS Showcase will take place at 3:00 PM on Sunday, March 9, and selected GEMS Talent Lab alumni will pitch their projects to a panel of industry professionals, followed by an awards ceremony celebrating this year’s standout contributions to the festival. The Presenting Sponsor for this event is Sunbelt Rentals Film & TV. This event is free of charge.
BC Director’s Panel
Thursday, March 6 at 6:30 PM
Join BC directors for an in-depth conversation on craft and creative process. Panelists include Carolyn Irwin (The Wish Baker, 2024), Thea Loo (Inay, 2024), Lori Watt (Henderson, 2024), Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos (Ask the Plantain, 2023), and Olivia Marie Golosky (pîķîwî, 2024). Moderated by Carol Whiteman from Women In the Director’s Chair (WIDC). Presented in partnership with WIDC and DGC BC.
Ethical Production Panel
Friday, March 7 at 6:30 PM
Industry experts discuss the importance of ethical practices in film production, from fair representation to sustainable practices. Panelists include sustainability consultant Smiely Khurana (The Sustainable Act), filmmaker Jules A. Koostachin (NiiMisSak: Sisters In Film), intimacy coordinator Aryn Mott (Vancity IC), Natasha Tony (Chief Executive Officer, Elevate Inclusion) and filmmaker Shannon Walsh (Adrianne and the Castle). Moderated by Anaïsa Visser (Executive Director of GEMS) and presented in partnership with CMPA.
Advocacy Panel
Saturday, March 8 at 10:30 AM
A panel on advocacy in film, showcasing organizations whose work drives social change and funders who are working to better their approaches to equitable access. Panelists include Tanvi Bhatia (Outreach and Strategy Lead, Women in View), Kadon Douglas (EDI and Strategic Communications Specialist), Prem Gill (Chief Executive Officer, Creative BC), Meghna Haldar (Content Analyst, Telefilm), Joy Loewen (Vice President of Growth & Inclusion, CMF) and Alethea Bakogeorge (Director of Programs and Development, DSO).
Moderated by Natasha Tony (Chief Executive Officer, Elevate Inclusion).
Presented in partnership with Elevate Inclusion Strategies.
Casting Director Panel
Saturday March 8, at 12:30 PM
Insights from casting directors Corinne Clark and Jennifer Page (Clark & Page Casting) along with Kris Woznesensky and Kara Eide (Kris & Kara Casting) on the evolving landscape of casting and representation. Moderated by celebrated local actress Johannah Newmarch (When Calls The Heart) and presented in partnership by UBCP/ACTRA.
Screenplay Panel
Sunday March 9, 10:30 AM
Select finalists from this year’s screenplay competition will discuss their work and the power of storytelling in a conversation moderated by filmmaker Andy Alvarez (Curl Power). This year’s finalists are: Corina Bizim & Maddy Hillis, Brenna Goodwin-McCabe, Mykayla Filipovic, dre larivée, Jasleen Kaur, MK Morris and Tessa Parker.
Pitch Forum
Sunday, March 9 at 12:00PM
The GEMFest Pitch Forum starts at 12PM on Sunday, March 9, which serves as a dedicated platform for filmmakers to present their projects to production companies, broadcasters, and distributors within the industry. The event is by registration – registrants will be paired with their desired pitch recipient for a one on one 10 minute pitch.
Designed to empower and propel Canadian talent, this event offers a distinctive space for project development, networking, and exposure to influential figures in the film and television industry. Filmmakers are encouraged to research and tailor their pitches to the company they are targeting.
Ashley Glover, Studio BRB
Originally from New Zealand, Ashley Glover has 14 years experience in the industry and has worked in BC film for the last 9 years. As BRB’s expert in production, Ashley oversees physical production from development through to delivery and simultaneously spearheads the management of internal workflows and operations at Studio BRB. For scripted, Studio BRB is always looking for Hallmark friendly content to develop and pitch. We love our MOWs! Anything Christmas, magical romance and cozy mystery. We’re really leaning towards internationally set productions in beautiful places like Scotland, Ireland, Iceland etc. Series and feature length films for streamers in the thriller, crime, mystery, drama and comedy genres as well.
On the unscripted side, we’re really looking for a mix of content—from talent-driven docu-series to fun, ambitious formats, as well as documentary series and one-offs. At the moment, we’re especially focused on True Crime, including both formatted series and standalone docs. We’re gearing up to announce a big Studio BRB unscripted pitch competition in the coming weeks. We’ll be inviting producers from across the country and internationally to submit their ideas for a chance to develop and pitch to networks with us!
Carol Whiteman, WIDC
Dr. Carol Whiteman has been recognized by two Governor General’s award nominations, the Leo Award for Outstanding Achievement (2024), and multiple other awards for promoting gender equity and inclusion in Canada’s screen industry. With a passion for creating space for authentic voice she has advanced a generation of screen writers and directors across Canada and internationally. An executive producer on thirteen award-winning feature films, including Monica’s News (2024), With Love and a Major Organ (2023), and Marie Clements’ Red Snow (2019), Whiteman also serves on a variety of industry committees including as co-chair of Screen BC’s MPIO Task Force.
Request a meeting if you are a woman or non-binary storyteller or an industry stakeholder interested in discussing WIDC programs, mentorship, development, production of narrative fiction or collaboration opportunities, or if you would just like to practice your pitch and discuss next steps.
David Strasser, Director/Executive Producer (Hallmark)
David Strasser is an award-winning film & television director and executive producer based in Vancouver, Canada. Known for his work on Hallmark and Lifetime, his projects span holiday, romance, mystery, and thriller genres. Recent highlights include The Wish Swap (2025), Nelly Knows Mysteries (2024). An alumnus of the TIFF Filmmaker Lab and Berlinale’s JETS Talent Lab, David’s work has earned accolades, including Canadian Screen and Leo Award nominations. With a Film Production degree from Vancouver Film School and a Juris Doctorate from UBC, he has also contributed to script development for numerous acclaimed television features.
David is seeking pitches for television features in the rom-com, holiday, and thriller genres, with a strong emphasis on unique and clever hooks that stand out while remaining grounded in the conventions of their genre. Stories should captivate with fresh concepts that instantly spark curiosity and feel both relatable and engaging for audiences.
David Strasser, Director/Executive Producer (Hallmark)
David Strasser is an award-winning film & television director and executive producer based in Vancouver, Canada. Known for his work on Hallmark and Lifetime, his projects span holiday, romance, mystery, and thriller genres. Recent highlights include The Wish Swap (2025), Nelly Knows Mysteries (2024). An alumnus of the TIFF Filmmaker Lab and Berlinale’s JETS Talent Lab, David’s work has earned accolades, including Canadian Screen and Leo Award nominations. With a Film Production degree from Vancouver Film School and a Juris Doctorate from UBC, he has also contributed to script development for numerous acclaimed television features.
David is seeking pitches for television features in the rom-com, holiday, and thriller genres, with a strong emphasis on unique and clever hooks that stand out while remaining grounded in the conventions of their genre. Stories should captivate with fresh concepts that instantly spark curiosity and feel both relatable and engaging for audiences.
Dylan Playfair, Crystal Mountain Films
Dylan Playfair owns and operates Crystal Mountain Films alongside his wife Jen Araki Playfair. Their films have appeared in Cannes Indie Shorts Awards, and New York Film Festival to name a few. Crystal Mountain Films recently began production on the feature film Breeder alongside Rabbits Black (Longlegs).
Crystal Mountain Films is searching for contained horrors, thrillers and low to mid budget buddy comedies.
Geoff Manton, Boldly
Geoff is a co-founder and Executive Producer of Boldly. He has worked closely with his partners to spearhead a Values-based producing model that has influenced countless commercial productions over the last decade. He has also woven this model into original projects and documentaries produced for Telus Originals and the CBC, along with multiple short films that have earned premieres at TIFF, SXSW and Slamdance. Geoff is currently developing a long-form documentary about climate change and vulnerable masculinity. True to his community values, Geoff founded Filmable, a non-profit community-building initiative, which has created new opportunities to meaningfully connect independent filmmakers and strengthen the Vancouver independent filmmaking industry.
Boldly is interested in daring projects that challenge the status quo, make us sit with discomfort and shift our perspective; insightful commentary on society with strong aesthetic appeal; documentary, series and narrative features.
Martin Calvo, Studio 104 Entertainment
Martin Calvo is a Canadian-Argentine Producer & Director currently based in Vancouver, BC. In 2019 he co-founded the indie production company Studio 104 Entertainment which focuses on bringing unique and original ideas to the screen while prioritizing inclusivity in all aspects of collaboration. Martin’s goal is to continue to enhance his craft and uplift under-represented voices by working alongside other artists in the indie film scene through writing, co-writing, story editing, and producing. In 2022 he co-produced a Telus Original documentary Overtime, visited TIFF with the DGC short film N’xaxaitkw which he was an associate producer on, and more recently in November 2024 he produced a ISO funded short film titled LUCIEN. Martin has returned to his documentary directing roots with his ongoing project No More Wet Feet, which started production in late 2022 and was part of The National Film Board’s Filmmakers Assistance Program in 2023.
Martin is looking for feature films with a clear point of view, largely in the genre and thriller space for the time being.
Natasha Howes, Telefilm
Natasha Howes is Telefilm’s recently appointed Regional Feature Film Executive for Western Canada. She is a seasoned entertainment executive and entrepreneur with over 20 years experience as an independent developer, producer and marketer of international films. Natasha founded MATRIARCH Entertainment, a North American film finance and production company mandated to acquire and develop a slate of scripted and factual TV and film content which amplifies the female voice. She has produced and co-produced award-winning films in the US, Canada, the UK and Europe including features, shorts and documentary titles: FATIMA (2020), Late Harvest (2016), Cosmic Origins 3D (2011) and The 13th Day (2009).
Natasha is seeking feature length films built for theatrical release with original authentic storytelling and a bold creative vision.
Rachel Knapp, Lark Productions
Rachel Knapp is a development associate at Vancouver-based Lark Productions. With a decade of production experience in both Canada and the U.S., she joined Lark in 2021 and works across both scripted and unscripted development projects, helping take them from pitch to screen. Rachel is looking for 1-hour episodic or serialized dramas – with emphasis on procedurals, grounded genre or romance space. Lark is not necessarily looking for 30-minute comedies but always happy to take those pitches.
Lark is not looking for anything in the young adult or kids space. Rachel also works in the unscripted department, so she’s happy to hear anything on the reality/factual side!
Ronny Kurland, Reckless Pictures
Ronny Kurland is a graduate from Capilano University with a bachelor’s degree of Motion Picture Arts. Since a young age she has always been intrigued by the film industry, driving her to produce and develop her own films. In university, Ronny opened her own film company Octopi Media which produced commercials, documentaries, corporate videos, and independent films. Ronny first joined Timeless Pictures in 2021 and worked her way up from an Executive Producer’s Assistant to Co-Executive Producer. Ronny has produced over 35 TV-movies, shot all over the world, and has helped set up series with networks such Hallmark, NBCU and Amazon.
Now as Reckless Pictures’ Creative Executive (Development & Production), Ronny oversees an extensive development slate which includes high concept series in all genres, TV movies, and feature films.
Zac Hoffman, The Grove Films
Zac Hoffman is a producer at The Grove Films. After wrapping up a career on the Canadian National Ski Team, Zac shifted his focus to filmmaking, striving to tell authentic and honest stories in the world of sport. His producing work spans numerous documentaries for Telus Originals, Arc’teryx and more, all known for their thoughtful portrayal of the human experience through the lens of sport. Amongst these documentaries Zac has directed numerous episodes of outdoor sport travel show Ascend TV on Apple TV, CBC Gem, Outside, Roku and more.
Zac is looking for feature length and short documentaries in production and development with a focus on sports & the outdoors, focusing on human stories of challenge and adversity with topics of gender, mental health, identity and societal barriers; and other projects in early stage development with similar themes across a wider range of genres and formats (Series, Narrative fiction, etc.).
GEMS proudly presents a range of awards that champion established and emerging women and Two-Spirit, trans and nonbinary filmmakers from around the world. Below are the winners of 2025.
Screenplay Competition
Screenplay Competition: Best Feature
Poisonous by Jasleen Kaur
Presented by Rephrase Filmworks
Screenplay Competition: Best TV Pilot
Young Hags by Corina Bizim and Maddy Hillis
Presented by Firecracker Deparment
Shorts Awards
Impact
Karateka (Director: Florence Fauquet)
Presented by North Shore Studios
Best Performance
Carmen Sylvestre (Lumen)
Presented by Lucas Talent
Best Cinematography
Nina Wells (Vivie)
Presented by ICG 669
Best Editing
Grace Zhang (Lovin’ Her)
Presented by Vancouver Post Alliance
Best Direction
Geneviève Tremblay & Milla Cummings (Passageways)
Presented by WIDC
Best Short
Is Gay Marriage Next? (Director: Emily Clark)
Presented by ACFC
Best of BC
NiiMisSak: Sisters in Film (Director: Jules A Koostachin)
Presented by Cinelease
February Sixteenth Nineteen Forty-Seven (Director: Jessica Miinguuaqtii)
Presented by Vancouver Film Studios, prize provided by Sparky’s Grip and Lighting
Little Miss Sleepy (Director: Jenny Lee-Gilmore)
Presented by MBS Equipment Co.
Features Awards
Impact
Inay (Director: Thea Loo)
Presented by CMPA
Best Performance
Olunike Adeliyi in Village Keeper
Presented by UBCP/ACTRA
Best Cinematography
Negin Khazaee for One Must Wash Eyes
Presented by Keslow Camera
Best Musical Score
Melody McKivor for Singing Back the Buffalo
Best Editing
Anna Chiyeko Shannon for Inay
Presented by Canadian Cinema Editors
Best Screenplay
Sepideh Yadegar for One Must Wash Eyes
Presented by CFL Law
Best Documentary
Tasha Hubbard (Singing Back the Buffalo)
Best Direction
Singing Back the Buffalo
Presented by DGC BC
Best Feature
Village Keeper
Presented by Telefilm
Industry Awards
Lifetime Achievement in Advancing Equity
To a leader whose impact on equity spaces has been felt over a long-term
Tracey Friesen
Presented by Elevate Inclusion
Emerging Changemaker Award
To a newcomer whose impact on the industry has made a difference to equity
Doaa Magdy
Presented by Creative BC
Leadership in Education Award
To an educator whose impact on equity in the classroom has been significant
Sharon McGowan
Artistic Achievement Award
To a leader whose impact on equity spaces has been felt over a long-term
Jules Koostachin
Presented by IATSE 891
