From a media release:

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (the Canadian Academy) today announced the return of its Apprenticeship for Women Directors program. This year, the program expands to include French language participants. The Canadian Academy also announced the addition of its new Principal Partner, Netflix, and the continued support of the RBC Emerging Artists Project and Canada Media Fund. The application process to the coveted program opens tomorrow, and those interested in applying can do so online at no cost. The application period is Friday, May 18 to Friday, June 15, 2018.

The Apprenticeship for Women Directors is aimed at providing emerging* female directors from across the country the opportunity to further develop and enhance their careers across all platforms. The intensive six-month program will run from September, 2018 to March, 2019, and match each apprentice with an established director currently working on a project.

Female directors accepted into the program will receive one-on-one professional development and on-the-job training, access to virtual discussions with industry and filmmaker guests, two-day summit meeting with industry executives during TIFF, as well as a conference pass to the festival, and a one-year membership to the Canadian Academy. This year, up to eight applicants will be chosen, and with Netflix’s sponsorship, two participants will be Francophone.

Last year’s inaugural program was met with great success. Six women, including Anna Cooley, JJ Neepin, Reem Morsi, Aisling Theresa Chin-Yee, Leah Johnston, and Jen Walden were welcomed at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Whistler Film Festival and attended Canadian Screen Week, as well as had mentoring opportunities with the award-winning The Handmaid’s Tale; Mary Kills People; Designated Survivor; Patricia Rozema’s new feature, Mouthpiece; Marie Clements’ Red Snow; and a new, narrative interactive VR project with Secret Location. Participants were also given the opportunity to have virtual discussions with industry professionals such as showrunners Stephanie Morgenstern and Mark Ellis, storyboard artist Sam Hudecki, director of photography Luc Montpellier, first assistant director Michael Lerman, and many more.

Applications will be reviewed by a diverse and established group of directors, producers and executives, who will identify a short list of 12 by August 6, 2018. Those shortlisted will participate in interviews with the selection committee, with the chosen participants announced in late August, 2018.

For more information on the project and full details on applicant requirements, please visit www.academy.ca/women-directors.

*For the purposes of the program, an emerging director is defined as those who have been working in the industry and have a director or assistant director credit on one of the following: no more than one feature film, a minimum of two short films, a minimum of 15 minutes of digital content in any format, or one or more music videos.