Canada's Supporting Women in Film Trades Conference (SWIFT) 2025

Saturday, December 6, 2025 (8:00 AM - 6:00 PM)

SWIFT 2025 Keynote Speaker: Internationally Renowned Production Designer, Elisabeth Williams (Three-time Emmy Winner)

Date: Saturday, December 6, 2025 (8:00 AM – 6:00 PM)
Location: University of Winnipeg (Riddell Hall – 411 Spence Street)
Registration Fees: General Admission: $50.00 | Students from any post-secondary school: $25.00

*Please note: Registrations are non-transferable. Registrations must be the attendees.

Film Training Manitoba (FTM) and our partners are proud to announce that the Canada’s Supporting Women in Film Trades (SWIFT) Conference 2025 is open for registration! Our conference welcomes crew members, filmmakers, performers and anyone interested in film and media. This year, the SWIFT Conference is taking place on Saturday, December 6, 2025. Our conference theme is: ACTION!: Your REEL Career!

This conference will provide customized learning and networking designed to champion the growth and development of our dynamic women-identifying and gender-diverse workers in the film industry. All speakers and panel sessions support improving the workplace culture to retain and attract more women-identifying workers within the film and media industry. 

FTM is a not-for-profit charity, and we are a member of the Province of Manitoba’s Sector Council Program, which supports economic development and jobs.  Canada’s SWIFT was founded in 2021 and created by a committee of 15 women film professionals.

Program Overview:

8:00 AM – 9:45 AM: Registration, breakfast & networking

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM: Panel 1 – ACTION!: Careers in Trades

This panel will feature film professionals from various backgrounds in the film trades and explore career pathways within the film industry. They will offer valuable insights from their journey, highlighting the challenges they encountered, achievements, and essential advice for the conference attendees.

10:45 AM – 11:00 AM: Networking break

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Panel 2 – Rolling!: Documentary Filmmakers on How to Get Your Project Seen & Screened – In Partnership with DOC MB (Sponsored by the Canada Media Fund)

During this panel session, Manitoba-based documentary filmmakers will share their experiences in the creative side of documentary production. They will provide learning on how to navigate challenges and how to achieve professional success.

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Lunch break

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: SWIFT 2025 Speaker: Connie Walker on Transformational Leadership

2:00 PM – 2:15 PM: Networking break

2:15 PM – 3:15 PM: Panel 3 – Close-Up!: Straight From the Source with Film Industry Labour Unions

Speakers from labour unions ACTRA, DGC-MDC, IATSE 856 and ICG 669 will provide SWIFT attendees with action-based information on the application processes and programs available for new workers. The panel will discuss topics such as preparing your resume and completing supporting documents for the permittee and training programs, and professional development.

3:15 PM – 3:30 PM: Networking break

3:30 PM – 3:35 PM: Special greeting

3:35 PM – 4:05 PM: Keynote Speaker: Elisabeth Williams

4:05 PM – 4:50 PM: Moderated Keynote session with Moderator, Tanya Mazur, FTM Board Member, Script Supervisor/Continuity (IATSE 856 ex officio) – (Sponsored by RBC)

4:50 PM – 5:00 PM: Canada’s SWIFT 2025 Award

Canada’s SWIFT Award recognizes a long-serving member of the film industry who has championed and supported women and underrepresented workers to build and grow Canada’s dynamic film industry.

Recipient of the SWIFT 2024 Award, Shauna Townley

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Reception

SWIFT 2025 Keynote Speaker

Elisabeth Williams (she/her)

The Keynote Speaker for this years’ SWIFT Conference is Elisabeth Williams, a visual designer/artistic director who’s been working in film and television for 20 years. She has worked on projects of various styles, including psychological dramas, dreamlike and futuristic worlds, horror films, as well as period series and films. She has climbed the ranks, gaining experience in various project styles, from American films like The Score and The Human Stain to Québécois TV series (Ces Gars-là and Les Invincibles) and American ones (Fargo, and The Handmaid’s Tale).

Her diverse and varied experiences, coupled with ongoing training in drawing and design, have allowed her to stand out in Quebec, Canada, and the United States.

Since 2017, she has been involved in the visual design of the extraordinary series The Handmaid’s Tale (MGM/HULU), a role that has earned her three Emmy Awards, an ADG Award, and two Directors Guild of Canada Awards for Best Production Design (for Fargo and The Handmaid’s Tale).

Elisabeth is fascinated by the psyche and strives to translate fear, obsession, anxiety, and quirks into something visible and tangible. Her interest in psychology and sociology drives her to delve into the lives of characters and find ways to expose the various layers of their story, those beyond the script, and those that are universal and relatable to the audience.

Elisabeth has collaborated with directors such as Denis Villeneuve (Polytechnique – set decorator), François Bouvier (Prozac), Martin Villeneuve (Mars et Avril), Daniel Roby (la Faille 3) and François Ozon (Je suis femme – artistic director), as well as Jeff Barnaby (Rhymes for Young Ghouls), Dominic James (Die), and Stobe Harju (Imaginaerum) for their debut feature films.

SWIFT Speaker:

Connie Walker (she/her) – Transformative Leadership

Connie joined United Way Winnipeg in 2008 as Vice-President of Community Investment and was appointed President and CEO in 2014. She was a driving force behind UWW’s commitment to a network of 125 front-line agencies and programs, while also advancing the organization’s focus on social innovation. Under her leadership, UWW championed initiatives such as a long-term plan to end homelessness, youth mental health hubs, and a network of family resource centres. Together with generous donors, dedicated partners, and outstanding staff, UWW raised more than $30 million annually.

Her career path has been diverse, spanning leadership of a strategic planning and initiatives unit at the City of Winnipeg to serving as an Audit Manager. She began her professional journey as a public health nurse in Winnipeg’s lowest-income neighbourhoods—an experience that deeply shaped her leadership values of respect and empathy, and ignited her determination to build a stronger, more equitable Winnipeg.

Connie holds a Bachelor of Nursing and an MBA from the University of Manitoba and completed executive development at the Ivey School of Business. She received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Winnipeg in 2023 for outstanding leadership in community service, and in 2024 was awarded the Order of Manitoba, the province’s highest honour.

Guest Speakers:

Panel 1 – Action!: Careers in Trades

This panel will feature film professionals from various backgrounds in the film trades and explore career pathways within the film industry. They will offer valuable insights from their journey, highlighting the challenges they encountered, their achievements, and essential advice for the conference attendees.

Jillian Groen (she/her) Construction Department, IATSE 856

Jillian knows what it’s like to be one of the few women on a work site, which is exactly why she’s working to make sure she’s not the last. After getting her diploma in Cabinetry and Woodworking Technology from Red River College Polytechnic, she spent six years at a high-end custom cabinetry shop in Winnipeg before film came calling.

Suddenly, she was constructing Incan tombs and Iron Age villages for television instead of kitchen cabinets. As a carpenter, set builder, and production designer, she’s worked on countless hours of TV, including as Production Designer for Ancient Bodies: Secrets Revealed on National Geographic. Most recently, she was on the tools for Little House On The Prairie hand-carving period furniture and doing the kind of work that proves women belong in the trades.

Now a fourth-level cabinetmaker, she wants to open doors for the women and non-binary folks coming up behind her.

Lisa Nelson-Fries (she/her) – AD Department (DGC)

Lisa Nelson-Fries is an Assistant Director, Indie Producer, and Actor who has been working on and off in the film industry for over 25 years. Her journey started at the age of 14, when she began her film acting career.

Lisa has worn many different hats in the entertainment industry, having made her start in theatre – working as an Actor, as a Stage Manager, and as the General Manager at Shakespeare in the Ruins (SIR).

Lisa’s first foray into film production was in 2014 as the Production Manager on the NFB short film The Measure of a Place. The pandemic allowed her to use her film-producing skills again. In response to the times, SIR turned to the screen. Lisa was an important catalyst in shifting the theatre company’s focus and resources to produce three feature-length films for SIR between 2020 and 2021: Macbeth, The Winter’s Tale, and Shakespeare’s Will.

In 2021, Lisa made a shift in her career from theatre, to working full time as an Assistant Director in film. She’s worked as an AD on numerous high-profile movies and series, including: Love Hurts, Clown in a Cornfield, Little Bird, Acting Good, and Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Shauna Townley (she/her) – Cinematographer, ICG 669

Shauna Townley is a Winnipeg-raised Cinematographer and ICG 669 Camera Operator. Shauna has over two decades of diverse experience working on projects ranging from large-scale Hollywood productions to television, commercials, music videos, short films, and award-winning documentaries.

When she’s not on set, she’s enjoying the great outdoors and exploring the landscapes with her son.

Khali Wenaus (she/her) – Art Department, IATSE 856

Khali has built a successful career over the last 20 years in the Manitoba film industry. She has gained extensive experience in the art department, managing large crews, tracking multi-million-dollar budgets, and coordinating complex production requirements. Khali brings knowledge and expertise, blended with a kind-hearted approach to every project.

Now firmly established in the film community, she strives to share those insights with others as they grow and prosper in their own creative careers.

Khali is currently enjoying the adventure of being the mom to a very busy toddler.

Panel 2 – Rolling!: Documentary Filmmakers on How to Get Your Project Seen & Screened – In partnership with DOC MB (Sponsored by the Canada Media Fund)

During this panel session, Manitoba-based documentary film professionals will share their experiences of working in the creative side of documentary production. They will provide learning on how to navigate challenges and how to achieve professional success. This panel session will offer essentials on how to get your work seen and screened.

Sonya Ballantyne (she/they)

Sonya is a Swampy Cree writer, filmmaker, and speaker based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her work explores contemporary and futuristic portrayals of Indigenous women and girls.

Her award-winning projects include the documentary Nosisim (2024 Barry Lank Award) and the graphic novel Little by Little (In The Margins, 2025 Top Ten Title).  Her film The Death Tour screened at Cannes in 2023 with a world premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival in 2024.

Erica Daniels (she/her)

Erica is a Cree/Ojibway filmmaker, documentary director, producer, entrepreneur, and proud mother from Peguis First Nation. She is the founder of Kejic Productions (est. 2017), an Indigenous-owned media company dedicated to amplifying Indigenous voices and stories.

Through her work, Erica focuses on heart-centred storytelling that fosters healing, cultural revitalization, knowledge preservation, education, and social change.

Erica has written, produced, and directed multiple documentaries, with her feature debut documentary Coming Home  receiving a Canadian Screen Award in 2024. She began her filmmaking journey 19 years ago through JUST TV, a multimedia program for at-risk youth in Winnipeg. She is an alumna of the CBC New Indigenous Voices and NSI IndigiDocs programs and is currently a participant in the NSI BIPOC Access Producer Program.

Passionate about empowering Indigenous youth, Erica is the co-creator and facilitator of Spirit of the Story, a film training program designed to help Indigenous youth reclaim their cultural identity through storytelling. Inspired by the resilience of her community and the beauty of her culture, she is committed to preserving Indigenous history and cultural teachings shared by Elders, ensuring these stories are carried forward to inspire future generations.

Catherine Dulude (she/her)

Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Catherine Dulude has over 10 years of experience in the television industry. Holding a master’s degree in international journalism, she began her professional career at Radio-Canada.

In 2018, she started to freelance as a concept creator, scriptwriter, researcher and director for television series. She has contributed to over 50 audiovisual projects.

In 2023, her self-produced short documentary, I Would Like to Thank My Body, was showcased at the Berlin Short Film Festival. It was nominated for a Golden Sheaf at the 2023 Yorkton Film Festival and won the Audience’s Choice Award at the 2023 International Short Film Festival.

In 2025, Petit Mollusque, her animated scripted short was long-listed for the Short Film of the Year by Vimeo’s Short Films Matter, won Best Animated Short at the Toronto Short Film Festival, was showcased at Montréal’s Courts d’un Soir Film Festival and won Best Manitoba Short at the International Gimli Film Festival.

She also produced 55 Years Apart, a short unscripted film set to enter the festival circuit shortly. She is currently writing and directing a French language documentary series about women in agriculture.

Nilifur Raman (she/her)

Nilufer Rahman is an independent filmmaker based in Winnipeg. She has a Master’s degree in History and has spent much of the past 15 years working with grassroots nonprofit and community organizations to amplify local stories and voices through video production. Through their company, Snow Angel Films, she and her sister Saira have also developed their own projects, including their first documentary feature, Arctic Mosque, about a little mosque’s epic journey across Canada to the Arctic.

In 2015, Nilufer was a TEDx Youth speaker in Winnipeg. She was accepted into the inaugural NSI-EAVE program for writers/producers in 2022. The following year she was among ten women and women-led organizations recognized at the inaugural Inspiring Women Awards honouring Manitoba women.

In 2022, Nilufer wrote her first children’s book published through Pearson Canada called YOU Can Make a Movie! She is passionate about community and serves on several boards including DOC Manitoba, Winnipeg Central Mosque and The Mujaadilah Centre. She has facilitated filmmaking workshops for organizations like Freeze Frame and the National Council of Canadian Muslims. Currently, Nilufer is exploring the world of fiction and is creating a TV drama with the support of Buffalo Gal Pictures.

Kerri Woloszyn (she/her)

Kerri has worn many hats in documentary production during her 18+ years in the industry.

She began her career at Merit Motion Pictures in 2006 as an accounting assistant, later moving into a Production Coordinator role on The Science of the Senses series for CBC’s The Nature of Things, and The Truth About Liars for CBC’s DOC ZONE. She then took on the role of Production Manager on The Secret World of shoplifting, directed by Andy Blicq, which received among the highest ratings ever for documentaries on DOC ZONE. She continued as a Production Manager on several other MMP projects including Vietnam: Canada’s Shadow War, Dr. Keri: Prairie Vet, and Polar Bear Town.

More recently, Kerri has worked in development, and as a visual researcher.

Outside of work, Kerri does theatre and improv, is an ardent Winnipeg Jets fan, and really loves animals. In 2022, she completed her MA in the Department of English, Theatre, Film & Media at the University of Manitoba.

Danielle Sturk (she/her) – Moderator

Danielle is a Franco-Manitoban storyteller, directing episodic drama for television and unique award-winning documentaries for over two decades.

Her hybrid-documentary EL TORO was nominated for the DGC’s Allan King Award for Best Documentary Film and awarded two Golden Sheaf Awards at the Yorkton Film Festival, one for Best Director Non-Fiction and one for Best Experimental Film. It also garnered a spot on the 2019 Hot Doc’s Top 5 Audience Pick list. Danielle adapted the documentary into a six-part, one-hour drama series which she wrote and directed. The original series for Radio Canada received a nomination for both a DGC Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Miniseries, and a Golden Sheaf Award for Best Series nomination from the Yorkton Film Festival.

Her work has been screened at national and international film festivals, and has been featured on platforms such as CBC, CBC Documentary Channel, CBC GEM, Radio-Canada, ICI TOU.TV, ART TV, Crave, Bell Super Écran, APTN, NFB, Vision TV, Bell MTS TV, TFO, TV5 and Unis TV.

Danielle is currently in post-production on a one-hour documentary she wrote and is directing for CBC on Winnipeg architecture, and on a short-form dramedy series she is producing that will be available on ICI TOU.TV in January.

Panel 3 – Close-Up!: Straight From the Source with Film Industry Labour Unions

Speakers from labour unions ACTRA, DGC-MDC, IATSE 856 and ICG 669 will provide SWIFT attendees with action-based information on the application processes and programs available for new workers.

Leanne Darke (she/her) – Vice President of the Manitoba DGC Board

Leanne Darke has been in the film industry in Winnipeg since 2008. She has worked her way up from accounting clerk to Head of Department as a Production Accountant.

Her experience covers over 28 projects, including feature films, TV series, and documentaries, working for independent producers as well as studios and networks such as A24, Netflix, Amblin Entertainment, Lifetime, Bell Media, the CBC and NBC Universal. Leanne currently sits as the Vice President of the Director Guild of Canada’s Manitoba District Council.

Shay Martin (they/them)  – ICG 669

Shay is ICG 669’s Professional Development Coordinator, responsible for creating and organizing training programs that help members enhance their technical expertise and professional growth. Shay also attends conferences and industry events, investigating new technologies and opportunities that benefit members in their craft.

Serina Ram (she/her) – ICG 669

Serina is ICG 669’s Membership Services and Trainee Coordinator, and your go-to contact for all things membership-related. From joining the union to upgrading classifications, Serina guides members through each step of the process. She also oversees the Trainee Program, supporting the next generation of ICG 669 members as they begin their careers in the film industry and work toward full membership.

Sydney Sabiston (she/her) – ACTRA MB

Sydney is a Manitoba-based actress and filmmaker whose passion for storytelling drives her work both on screen and behind the camera. She has starred in projects including Time Cut, All Fun and Games, The Magic of Lemon Drops, & Under The Christmas Sky, etc.

In addition to acting, Sydney has built extensive experience as an Assistant Director, Production Coordinator, and has worked in Casting and Research. She currently works with Farpoint Films, an award-winning production company, and is pursuing her goal of becoming a producer. Deeply committed to Manitoba’s film industry, she is passionate about championing local talent and bringing bold, authentic stories to life.

Margarita Vailas (she/her) – IATSE 856

Margarita is a Greek-Canadian make-up artist in the film community. She has been doing makeup and esthetics for over 20 years, but has been full-time in film for 10 years. She’s worked in Winnipeg and all over Greece during these times.

Margarita is a mother of two little boys and is an advocate for women and period poverty. She collects products to send to northern communities.

Keynote Speaker Session (Sponsored by RBC)

Elisabeth Williams (she/her)

During this session, internationally renowned Production Designer Elisabeth Williams will deliver the 2025 SWIFT keynote speech. Williams will speak about her career in the film industry and women’s important roles in film and media. Williams will share her personal experiences with the attendees and participate in a moderated Q&A session.

Elisabeth Williams has been a visual designer/artistic director in film and television for 20 years. She has worked on projects of various styles, including psychological dramas, dreamlike and futuristic worlds, horror films, as well as period series and films. She has climbed the ranks, gaining experience in various project styles, from American films like The Score and The Human Stain to Québécois TV series (Ces Gars-là and Les Invincibles) and American ones (Fargo, The Handmaid’s Tale).

Her diverse and varied experiences, coupled with ongoing training in drawing and design, have allowed her to stand out in Quebec, Canada, and the United States.

Moderator: Tanya Mazur (she/her) – Script Supervisor, FTM Board Member, IATSE Local 856 ex officio