Claire Desmarais is a
Canadian producer working
in scripted film and television.
She is an alum of the Canadian Film Centre Norman Jewison Film Program, the country's leading incubator for film industry creative leaders.
Claire Desmarais is a
Canadian producer working
in scripted film and television.
She is an alum of the Canadian Film CentreNorman Jewison Film Program, the country'sleading incubator for film industry creative leaders.
She is an alum of the Canadian Film Centre Norman Jewison Film Program, the country's leading incubator for film industry creative leaders.
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Photographer: Gillian Mapp
Claire, Age 12
ABOUT
Claire is a creative producer working in scripted feature films and television, with a foundation in production, writing, and large-scale live entertainment. Her work is driven by a lifelong fascination with the magic of moving audiences. Though it has been years since her childhood on stage and her career behind the scenes in concerts and festivals, the disarming, connective impact of live performance continues to inspire her approach to storytelling for the screen.
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Before transitioning into film, Claire had a decade-long career in live entertainment. First as an independent talent booker and event producer, then in a variety of roles across concert touring and festivals over eight years at Live Nation. Operating in that “show must go on,” deadline-driven environment within the world’s largest live entertainment company trained her to self-manage under pressure, lead within high-stakes creative ecosystems, and navigate the politics of working with major studios and partners.
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When the live events industry paused in 2020, she took the opportunity to redirect her career toward her lifelong passion for film and television. She began her DIY education in screenwriting through writing programs at The Second City and Script Anatomy, and entered the industry from the ground up, becoming a member of the Directors Guild of Canada to work as an Assistant Director. Those years remain foundational to how she produces today.
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As a producer and writer, Claire’s projects have been supported by the Canada Media Fund, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Creates, and the Toronto Arts Council. Her produced work has premiered at internationally renowned festivals including TIFF, Fantasia, and Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
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In 2022, Claire was selected as one of five producers nationwide for the Canadian Film Centre’s Norman Jewison Film Program, the country's leading incubator for film industry creative leaders. In 2026 she was selected for the St. John’s International Women’s Festival Producers Cohort, a five-month development program for producers to advance their producing practice, impact and capacity at a national level.
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Since 2024, Claire has also worked full-time with one of Canada’s leading service producers on both independent feature films and major studio series for Netflix, Netflix Canada, and A24. These projects have been produced with domestic and international producing partners including Scythia Films, Upside Down Pictures, Pacesetter Productions, Tango Entertainment, Point Grey Pictures, Pressman Film and Esmail Corp. This experience has further strengthened her ability to bridge creative ambition with production realities at scale.
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A proud member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, Claire is committed to building a body of work that authentically reflects diverse audiences while helping shape a more inclusive, accessible, and sustainable Canadian screen industry and elevating Canada’s cultural voice on the global stage.
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She currently sits on the Board of Directors of Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival and is a voting member of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television
Tyler Mckenzie Evans, Director/Writer
“From development to delivery, Claire is one of the most hardworking and supportive producers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. She is deeply committed to the director’s vision and always prioritizes what is best for the film.”
Melanie Oates, Director/Writer
“As a creative producer Claire brings so much insight, getting into the weeds with me on all things story. She pushes me in the best way with her priority always being to make the story the strongest it can be. Her passion and dedication are unmatched.”
Vanessa Magic, Director/Writer
"Claire is a great collaborator who cares about the story and the artist making it."
Bonnie Do, Producer
“Claire and I are frequent collaborators, and getting to produce our first feature together was one of the best experiences. Claire is always prepared, and has an impressive ability to keep the creative at the centre without losing sight of the challenges and realities of production. Anytime we get to work together I breathe a little easier because I know that she's here with me to make sure that everything that matters gets taken care of.”
Dani Kind, Director/Actor
"Claire brings a strong balance of professional, artistic and joy to work. She has an incredible work ethic and charismatic way of working with people on set. She was the first person that came to mind when building a team for my short film and is a producer with great integrity."
Alicia K. Harris, Director/Writer
“Claire is committed and passionate. She truly cares about her projects and that is very clear in how she carries herself on set. She’s able to foster a strong team environment even under stressful situations, which makes her a great collaborator!”
Claire Desmarais, Age 12