ACE Canada Names Nine Animation Professionals For Its Fifth Career Excelerator Cohort

ACE Canada has selected nine animation professionals for the fifth edition of its Animation Career Excel-erator program. ACE announced the cohort last Friday at the Ottawa International Animation Festival, with Netflix Canada returning as the program’s lead sponsor.

As we reported in January, Netflix renewed its partnership with ACE Canada for the program’s fifth edition. This announcement names the nine professionals in that cohort.

The participants will spend the next year making an animated short together, each taking on a senior creative or production role. ACE is designed to help women, non-binary, and Two-Spirit professionals gain the key credits and leadership experience needed to advance in Canada’s animation industry. The program also provides mentorship and workshops.

The ACE 5 team in the order pictured above:

• Writer: Goun Lee (Toronto), whose credits include Unicorn Academy and Piñata Smashlings.
• Director: Alice Manieri (Vancouver), a filmmaker and story artist who worked on The Dragon Prince and Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer’s.
• Producer: Meeka Stuart (Ottawa), an Emmy-nominated director and animator whose credits include Through the Woods, Dora!, and Cyberchase.
• Head of story: Sara Mota (Vancouver), whose credits include The Bad Guys 2, Unicorn Academy, and Big Nate.
• Production manager: Helen Lysenko (Vancouver), a producer whose credits include LEGO Pixar: BrickToons and Spidey and His Amazing Friends.
• Art director: Sujin Kim (Vancouver), a visual development artist with credits on The Addams Family 2 and PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie.
• Animation director: Jade Laflamme (Edmonton), a Métis animator who has worked on My Little Pony, Johnny Test, and Clone High.
• Editor: Sarah Fricker (Vancouver), whose work includes Spidey and His Amazing Friends and LEGO Disney shorts.
• Composer: Chihiro Nagamatsu (Toronto), whose credits include Gracie and Pedro: Pets to the Rescue! and Bubble Tea Time.

ACE Canada says it received more than 150 applications, narrowed the field to 45 finalists, and selected the nine participants with the help of a jury of more than 35 industry professionals. According to the organization, 29 alumni of earlier cohorts now work in senior animation roles. Previous ACE shorts include Pivot, Ostinato, and Rocketship Mai.

The new team’s film has not yet been announced.