Now in its 14th year, this competitive event is the last step in the nine-month CaribbeanTales Black Incubator and Studio Access Project (CTBISAP) and the CineFam Limitless Incubator, which champions the creativity of women and non-binary people of colour, which provides Black Canadian filmmakers market-driven training from concept through delivery and monetization to ensure their success in the film and television industry.

Participants of these programs are supported by CaribbeanTales Media Group in the production and packaging of a short proof of concept for their series or feature film, and 12 will be selected to pitch to an industry jury on September 10, 2023 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. TIFF industry passholders and the audience will be able to vote for the best presentation along with the industry judges. The 2023 BIG Pitch Edition will stream via CaribbeanTales-TV.

This year’s BIG Pitch mentors include Founder and CEO of CaribbeanTales Media Group, Frances-Anne Solomon, Director of Engagement and Inclusion at CBC, Nick Davis, Line Producer and Production Manager Moe Rai, Award-winning Director and Producer Sudz Sutherland, and David Hamilton of Hamilton-Mehta Productions.

This year's program cohort includes: Celestina Aleobua & Naira Adedeji with a TV series, Jaded Andrea Martina Crowther with a feature film Labranza Mahlena-Rae Johnson with ELLIES, an episodic series Atefeh Khademolreza with a TV series, Fish Island Nauzanin Knight with an animated series, Happy Pappy KhaRå Martin with feature film, Scarborough Love Giselle Miller with a web series called Novelette is Trying Vanessa Mitchell with Baked Goods, a TV series Chelsea Nyomi with feature film Blooming Dancer Vicky Plancher with Dorsin and Brown, a feature film Lulu Wei with feature documentary, What’s My Name?

Access to Spotlight sessions varies by event partner. If you are interested in attending this session, please contact [email protected].