Netflix Renews Partnership With ACE Canada Career Advancement Program

Netflix and the Animation Career Excelerator (ACE Canada) Society will extend their existing partnership this year with the launch of ACE Five, the fifth cohort of the national career accelerator for women, non-binary, and Two-Spirit animation professionals.

The ACE Program is designed for mid-level Canadian artists and creatives and offers mentorship, advanced training, and hands-on production experience as participants collaborate on an original short film and earn creative credits to fill out their resumes. Since it was founded in 2018, the program has expanded from five roles in British Columbia to nine roles nationwide and has been responsible for 47 career advancements, including 28 new job placements and 19 promotions to supervisory roles.

Netflix first became ACE’s premiere partner during ACE 3, which produced the short film Ostinato, now streaming on Netflix. That collaboration marked the program’s shift into a fully national initiative.

In a release, Rose-Ann Tisserand, executive director at ACE Canada, said:

ACE is extremely proud that Netflix recognizes the measurable impact of our mission as we join forces to launch ACE 5. Although more women enter animation programs than men, too many lose sight of their dream to become Directors, Art Directors, Writers, Creators and more because the opportunities for them have not historically been there. Our goal is simple: reignite those dreams and empower underrepresented voices to shape the future of Canadian animation.

Sunita Balsara, who wrote ACE 3’s Ostinato, added:

Working on our ACE 3 short film, Ostinato, has allowed us to broaden the scope of thinking about ourselves and our work, while talking about the film and its success on Netflix has helped us create new relationships and given us the confidence to pursue new avenues. As women and (for some of us) mothers, the opportunity to be mentored and work within such an incredible team is rare to find and essential for career growth. This program is unique in its collaborative approach and as an opportunity to create authentic films.

The next ACE-produced short, Rocketship Mai, created by the ACE 4 cohort, will get a private screening at this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Market (MIFA).

Applications for ACE 5 are open now and will be accepted through February 22, 2026, with shortlisted candidates to be announced in March.