Screenwriters Pitch Event
The Emerging Screenwriters Fellowship is designed to provide screenwriters with the tools and support needed to bring their creative vision to life. Our commitment is to identify and empower three writers each year who have started a feature-length film screenplay.
Through personalized editorial support, mentorship, and access to industry experts, our selected writers will be able to elevate their work to the next level.
Watch the 2026 cohort of the RIFFA Emerging Filmmakers Fellowship pitch their feature film projects to a panel of Canadian development executives. Free to attend but RSVP to save your spot.
Opening Soon!
Rhauni Zoutman – Screenwriting Fellow
Rhauni Zoutman is a screenwriter based in Manitou Beach. Her work explores themes of belonging, human connection and the quiet courage it takes to start again. Rhauni started writing screenplays at the tender age of thirteen and has written and directed several children’s plays and short films.
Esfandiar Baraheni – Screenwriting Fellow
Esfandiar Baraheni is an Iranian-Canadian actor, filmmaker and storyteller who is driven by a passion for exploring the cultural intersections of society through emotional and high stakes narratives. With a background in performance, his work often explores character-driven themes of identity, family, and morality. Baraheni has worked in a wide range of industries, from music, to television, to sports and attempts to brings these experiences into his storytelling. All of this is in attempt to achieve one thing through storytelling: an understanding.
Murray Grant– Screenwriting Fellow
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