October Highlights — DSO at VIFF, SJIWFF, DIScover Conference and AccessCBC 4.0
October has been another busy month for the DSO! From the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) and the St. John's International Women's Film Festival Industry Forum to the DIScover Conference and AccessCBC 4.0, we've been connecting with disabled creatives and industry partners, sharing our latest resources, and contributing to conversations about accessibility and inclusion in Canada's screen industry.
Here are some highlights from our participation.
Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF)
DSO Delegation to VIFF 2026. From left to right: Adrienne Lindsay, DSO Executive Director Winnie Luk, Lauren Saarimaki, Ana Pacheco, and Kagan Goh.
We were delighted to return to VIFF this year with a delegation of five talented disabled creatives: Adrienne Lindsay, Ana Pacheco, Helene Taylor, Kagan Goh, and Lauren Saarimaki. A big thank you to VIFF and Ontario Creates for supporting our delegation through our Industry Events Access Program! Opportunities like these are critical to building connections that advance career growth for disabled creatives.
Winnie Luk and Stephen O’Keefe (Accessibility Consultant)
Winnie Luk and T Bannister (Telus Originals)
VIFF was also one of our partners in the Screen Festival Accessibility Program, which informed the development of our recently released guide, All-Access Pass: A Roadmap for Festival & Screen Industry Event Accessibility. Developed with support from Telefilm Canada, this free resource provides practical recommendations to help festivals and industry events integrate accessibility into their planning and operations. For the third year in a row, we had the pleasure of working with local Accessibility Consultant Stephen O’Keefe to audit VIFF.
We were also thrilled to see several films exploring disability, caregiving, accessibility, and lived experience featured in this year's festival programming. We love to see these stories reaching audiences and contributing to greater disability representation on screen.
DIScover Conference
On October 14 and 15, the DSO joined the DIScover Conference, hosted by The Disability Collective. The two-day event brought together arts professionals, accessibility advocates, and community members to explore practical ways to advance disability inclusion in the arts.
Our Operations Manager/EA, Elspeth Arbow, delivered a presentation introducing the DSO's work and sharing practical resources for building accessibility into screen productions, festivals, and industry events.
The presentation highlighted Reframing Access, our best-practices guide for disability inclusion throughout the production lifecycle, and All-Access Pass, which provides a roadmap for organizations looking to make their events more accessible. Elspeth also introduced other DSO initiatives, including our Industry Resource Hub and ongoing work to create opportunities for disabled creatives.
Thank you to The Disability Collective for inviting us to be part of this important gathering!
AccessCBC 4.0
On October 19, Elspeth also led "Get to Know the DSO," an industry workshop for participants in CBC's AccessCBC 4.0 program, which supports Deaf and disabled creators through training and mentorship.
The session introduced participants to the DSO's programs, resources, and advocacy work, with a particular focus on practical approaches to making screen productions more accessible.
Drawing from our Reframing Access guide, Elspeth explored topics including workplace accommodations, privacy and disability disclosure, accessible production environments, and the importance of incorporating accessibility from the earliest stages of production.
She also shared information about our Industry Resource Hub, All-Access Pass, and other initiatives aimed at removing barriers and creating more opportunities for disabled creatives across Canada.
We're grateful to CBC for the opportunity to connect with this year's AccessCBC participants and share resources to support their work in the screen industry.
A heartfelt thank you to all the organizers, partners, and participants who connected with us throughout October. We're always glad to be part of spaces where disabled creatives can build relationships, share knowledge, and help shape a more accessible Canadian screen industry.
SJIWFF
Panel "Making Work Work". From left to right: Ana Pitol, Susie Burpee, Melanie Hoyes, Winnie Luk and Ophira Calof.
Our Executive Director Winnie Luk joined the panel "Making Work Work" at the St. John's International Women's Film Festival Industry Forum on October 23. Moderated by educator and community advocate Ana Pitol, the panel also featured Susie Burpee (Balancing Act Canada), Ophira Calof (Disabled Producers Lab), and Melanie Hoyes (British Film Institute).
The conversation explored how accessible production practices and more sustainable ways of working can help create a more inclusive screen industry for disabled artists and caregivers, and what it takes to move those practices from the exception to the norm.
The panel also discussed Widen the Frame, a report drawing on insights from the Disabled Producers Lab, a program developed by the National Screen Institute and Women in View, in partnership with the Disability Screen Office and other organizations. The report highlights barriers to accessibility in film production and offers practical recommendations for creating more inclusive, sustainable working environments.
Winnie Luk, Ophira Calof (Disabled Producers Lab) and Christine Kleckner (National Screen Institute).
Group tour of the fishing village of Quidi Vidi.
Jennifer Holness (Hungry Eyes Media Inc.), Melanie Hoyes (British Film Institute), and Winnie Luk.
