WFA 2024 Directors Spotter Sheet

Anna Isabelle Matutina, the director and editor of 'i-Witness', has garnered acclaim with awards including the UNICEF Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award and the Peabody Award. Her international recognition includes an International Emmy Awards nomination in 2013. Her debut feature film, '12 Weeks', produced by Jules Katanyag and Danzen Santos Katanyag under Digital Dreams, further cements her status as a prominent figure in filmmaking.

Carlos Velandia and Angélica Restrepo are Colombian filmmakers with backgrounds in Film Programming and New Media. Their work focuses on feminism, anti-hegemonic representation and expanded animation. Their films have premiered several times at the Annecy International Animation Festival and have won the ZINEBI Grand Award (Oscar-Qualifying) at the International Festival of Documentary and Short Film of Bilbao and the Silver Lynx Experimental Award at FEST - New Directors | New Films.

Andrew J. Edison is a writer, actor, producer and editor, known for his breakout feature film 'Bindlestiffs' (2012), which won the Audience Award at Slamdance, and was subsequently purchased and distributed by Kevin Smith. He is also known for his short films, including 'Birdie' (2021), 'Tile M for Murder' (2007) and 'My Darling Clementine' (2008), as well as for his improvisational standup. This native Texan currently resides in Brooklyn, NY, with his french bulldog Peewee.

Tom Dream creates truly original commercials, documentaries and fashion films. He has made work for Gucci, DAZED, Nowness, High Snobiety, and artists Arlo Parks, Art School Girlfriend, and Celeste.

JaMar Jones, who grew up in West Baltimore and graduated from an HBCU, started his career in filmmaking with a desire to bring attention to systemic issues. He worked initially as a cinematographer, and his love for film led him to collaborate with major companies such as Disney, ESPN, and HBO. Today, he has taken up the role of a director to continue his mission of creating human-interest films.

Haitian born and raised, Vanessa Beletic is an award-winning writer and director. Her first narrative short 'Catching Spirits' won the Jury Award Live Action Short at the New Hampshire Film Festival 2022, making it Oscar eligible in 2023. Vanessa is one of eight filmmakers selected for the AFI DWW+ 50th Anniversary Class of 2024, where she filmed her 2nd short 'EVIL, I'.

Kryzz Gautier is a queer, Afro-Latina, formerly undocumented writer/director from the Dominican Republic. Kryzz was on The Black List 2021, has written on an HBO series, and on 2K Games’ 'BioShock 4'. She's sold shows and features to studios, some of which have her attached as director. Kryzz has been a fellow in prestigious programs like Netflix’s 'Directors On The Rise', NBC’s 'Female Forward', Ryan Murphy's 'Half Initiative', Joey Soloway's 'Disruptors', and the Sundance Institute, among others.

This is Jan Vardøen's sixth feature. He was born in Rotherhithe, London, grew up in West Cork, Ireland, but is Norwegian and lives and works in Oslo. His previous features are "Heart of Lightness", "Autumn Fall", "House of Norway", "Oslo Copenhagen". He also directed the Philip Glass documentary "Descent into the Maelstrom". He writes, produces and directs all of his films as well as scoring them. (His musical alter ego is "Ian Senior"). He is the author of many books, fiction and non-fiction.

Evan Silver aka Tiresias is a hybrid writer, director, composer, performer, mythmaker and ritualist based in Brooklyn. Naomi Saito is a born-and-raised Chicagoan and a real-life bird lover. She graduated with a BA in Film Studies from Wesleyan University and is now living and working in NYC.

Siddharth Gautam is an accomplished filmmaker and an architect. Born and raised in India, with a unique perspective and a keen eye for detail, his approach to both disciplines is rooted in the power of storytelling and the ability to shape a narrative. In Siddharth's view, architecture and filmmaking are not so different, as both require a narrative to shape and design one's vision.

Hera Khanmirzaei is a 20-year-old Iranian film student at Tehran University of Art. Her main interest is filmmaking, and she works as a screenwriter, director, and editor. She has directed several short films and documentaries so far; she is joyful and hopeful in this extraordinary journey. Amirhosein Saqafi studied Urban Engineering and has a BA in Cinema and an MA in Dramatic Literature from Tehran University of Art and a certificate with the 36th FIFF Talent Campus 2018. He is an actor, editor and director and founded the first low & no-budget short film event in Iran in 2019.

Raúl Díez is from Spain and is a specialist in stop-motion animation who has won international awards. In 1999, he developed chapters for 'Sesame Street' (CTW). In 2003 he filmed the short film 'Sr. Trapo / Mr. Cloth', with prize from the Goya Spanish Film Academy for winning best animated short film. In 2004, he filmed the Disney series 'Felix At The Machine'. In 2018, he filmed the short film 'El Ermitaño / The Hermit', which was nominated for best animated short at the Goya Spanish film academy.

Onur Yagiz (1986) was born in France to Turkish parents. He studied literature, theatre and film at the Sorbonne-Nouvelle University, before directing Patika (2013) and Toprak (2017). 'Fatih the Conqueror' is his third film.

Stephan Leeper is a storyteller, animator and educator. He started his career as a Chicago-based Stop-Motion Animator and 3D Layout Supervisor on 'Jonah: a VeggieTales Movie' and is the founding professor of two university-level Animation Programs in the Midwest. In 2017, Steve started teaching at Central Michigan University where he continues to produce award-winning animation using stop-motion, pixilation, laser cut-outs and drawn animation. You can see examples of his personal and commercial work at www.jsleeper.com.

JN Huggins was born in France to a French mother and Trinidadian father. She was raised and educated in Trinidad and Tobago and completed ongoing studies in France and the United Kingdom. After working in the humanitarian sector in the UK and US for more than twenty five years, she decided to pursue film studies. She graduated from the Director Program at Prague Film School in May 2023. 'First Wednesday' is her 2nd Year Diploma Film.

Yin Q is a Queer, Chinese American parent, writer, and sex worker rights advocate. They are a core organizer of Red Canary Song and Founding Director of Kink Out. Their work can be seen in 'We Too' (pub Feminist Press), 'Mercy Mistress' (pilot), and the 'Fly In Power' short. www.yinq.net Yoon Grace Ra is a cultural organizer working with audio/visual media. Their filmmaking practice is formed in relationship with movement communities, soil + decomposition studies, and Korean shamanic folk music.

Eric Louis Jimenez is a father, husband and filmmaker. He is a native New Yorker from East New York, Brooklyn currently residing in The Bronx. After his daughter was born, he decided to make a career change from an ironworker to chase his dream as a filmmaker. He plans to pursue a career in film for the rest of his life

Norman Ng was born and raised in Hong Kong before the handover of the British colony to China in 1997. He studied business in college and worked in various industries. Since obtaining an MFA degree from the Hong Kong Baptist University's Film Academy in 2022 (at the age of 58), he has been actively preparing for his first feature film.

Fabián Archondo is a writer of the TV series 'Falco' (International Emmy Winner 2020), 'The Search' (Netflix mini-series) and writer-director of the Disney+ TV series 'Marvel Lucha Libre Edition'. He is the director of short films including 'Gone', 'Toxic' and 'Gill'. Valeria Mancheva is a sound designer for many films, including 'Treasures', 'Ya veremos' and 'Biodegradable'. 'Gone" is her directorial debut.

Born in 1992, Claire Barrault wrote and directed her first short fiction 'T’es con Simon' in 2017, followed by 'Hasta Luego' in 2018. She writes and consults on various screenplay and video game projects and is currently in development for her first feature. 'Grass on your Class (La Cour des Grands)' is her third short film.

Jean-Charles Charavin is a 31-year-old French director based in Paris. Cutting his teeth in the world of music videos, he has, over the past years, collaborated with French and international artists on over 80 video projects. Venturing into different realms such as fashion and narrative work, his style is distinguished by a highly visual and mastered approach in each of his films, while giving particular importance to storytelling and the emotion of his characters.

Nyala Moon is a graduate of City College with her MFA in film production. After working in the nonprofit community helping other transgender and queer people of color access affirming health care, Nyala took a leap of faith and pursued her passion for filmmaking.

Judith Lynn Stillman, renowned pianist, composer and filmmaker has a distinguished international career. With a doctorate from The Juilliard School, she is Artist-in-Residence and Music Professor at Rhode Island College. She is celebrated for her film scores and music videos, with showings in 48 countries. Stillman's album with Wynton Marsalis was on the Billboard Top Ten. Winner of a Pell Award for Excellence in the Arts and PBN’s Creative Services Industry Leader, Stillman’s first love is scoring films.

Courtney Deelen is an award-winning director, actor and producer from Toronto, Canada. She is a Norfolk County native with a degree in Musical Theatre Performance who was once a famed Dawson City Gertie Girl and now Co-Founder of DEELEN with TROUBLE, Inc. Courtney is a proud member of both ACTRA Toronto and the CMPA, whose on-screen credits include: 'Good Witch', 'Suits', 'Murdoch Mysteries', 'Becoming Burlesque', 'Blink Twice', 'Reign' and '12 Monkeys'.

Hugo Sanz is a screenwriter and director of six short films with great international impact.

Donna DiGiuseppe was inspired by her Italian roots to write about an historic Italian woman, Sofonisba Anguissola. DiGiuseppe studied the Italian Renaissance at the University of California, Berkeley, and Sofonisba Anguissola at San Francisco State University. The novel 'Lady In Ermine: The Story of a Woman Who Painted the Renaissance' was published in 2019 and is found at sofonisba.net. This short film is a proof of concept for a feature film adapting the novel as a 104 minute biopic feature.

Kayla Arend is a Luxembourger-American film director. Her films are noted for their surreal, quiet and suspenseful elements accompanied with strong leading female characters and unique wilderness settings. Echoing the cinematic textures of David Lynch and Lynne Ramsay; her work demands attention. Kayla Arend studied film, photography and entomology at Montana State University before earning her Master’s degree in writing-directing at NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Lisa Datz, acclaimed for her roles in the original Broadway casts of "Titanic" and "The Full Monty", as 'Yitzhak' in Off-Broadway's "Hedwig And The Angry Inch", also starred regionally in "Three Days Of Rain". Known for TV appearances in “FBI: Most Wanted” and “Elementary”, and films like "The Perfect Holiday", and in the gaming world for her role as ‘Jessica LeClerk’ in “Red Dead Redemption 2”. Her directorial debut, “Life Of Riley” won the Jury Prize for Best Short Film of 2023 at LAIFF.

Álvaro G. Company studied cinematography at the Ciudad de la Luz Study Center. He has directed award-winning short films, and currently directs the audiovisual department of Grupoidex, producing and directing advertising spots for well-known brands. Meka Ribera studied Audiovisual Communication at the Ciudad De La Luz Study Center. He is co-founder of the production company "Bilby" based in Alicante and Madrid, where he combines his work in advertising with the development of fiction projects

Carin van der Donk is a Dutch photographer and camerawoman, based in New York City. At 15, she became an international fashion model. After settling in NYC, she became an assistant-producer for Art + Commerce, followed by becoming an agent and producer at Julian Meijer et Associes. She is a 2021 graduate of the International Center of Photography program in Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism. The short documentary 'Living Loud' is her directorial and producing debut.

Born in India, Ritvick Mehra started producing and shooting his own films at a very young age. Most recently, he received the Harold Greenberg Fund and established his own production company Butter Chicken Films Inc. to produce and direct his latest film "Lover Boy’s Little Dream”.

Danish born Charlotte Schiøler started her career as a dancer in Paris and now spends her time between NYC, Paris and Copenhagen. She has established her personal style in satire and social commentary over the themes of diversity and toured internationally with her plays and performances in London, Toronto, Vancouver, NYC and Paris. Her last short film, 'SLØR aka By Any Means A-Veilable' won multiple international awards. 'Maoussi' is her first feature film.

Before his MFA in Filmmaking at City College of New York, Michael Murray studied Film and Theatre and graduated with honors at North Carolina State University. He has performed on Off-Broadway and regional theatre stages, and can be seen in TV, film, and video games. He roots for the Yankees, is an Aries, an Eagle Scout, can dock a pontoon boat, and is the same height as George Clooney.

Anna Moot-Levin and Laura Green are award-winning documentary filmmakers with a focus on telling stories about health and healthcare. Their debut feature documentary, 'The Providers', premiered at the 2018 Full Frame Film Festival and aired on PBS’s Independent Lens in 2019. They are currently directing 'Matter of Mind', a 3-film series about people living with neurodegenerative diseases. Anna is based in Brooklyn, and Laura is based in San Francisco.

Lilian T. Mehrel is an award-winning writer and director with a visionary sense of feeling and humor. Her films have premiered at Tribeca and Clermont-Ferrand. She earned her MFA from NYU Tisch Grad Film, and her BA from Dartmouth with a Senior Fellowship. A mixed-ethnicity daughter of immigrants, she also authored/illustrated a family memoir and is a PD Soros Fellow. Lilian inspires audiences to laugh and cry with her funny, hopeful swirl of cinematic poetry. www.lilianmehrel.com

Alejandra Parody is an NAACP Image Awards nominated film director and writer based in New York City. Originally from Colombia, she moved to the U.S. to major in Film and TV and in Religious Studies at NYU, where her thesis film 'Rosa' earned her a King Prize Award. Her work has appeared in media outlets such as Billboard and Huffpost, as well as a number of festivals worldwide such as NBCUniversal, Urbanworld and Tribeca, where her latest film 'Gets Good Light' was nominated for best short.

Donna Weng Friedman enjoys a distinguished career as a pianist, educator, curator, producer and filmmaker. She was inducted into the 2023 Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame. Donna wrote, directed and produced the award-winning documentary short 'Never Fade Away' featuring history making dancer Chun Wai Chan, and won the Women Who Innovate Grant 2023 for her "impactful and meaningful" work. Her EP 'Heritage and Harmony: Silver Linings', won two Silver Medals at the 2022 Global Music Awards.

Andrew Lyman-Clarke's films have included two feature documentaries about alternative psychiatrists, which played in festivals and conferences around the world. He directed and edited the thriller short 'Follow the Leader', as well as the documentary 'Island Lobsterman' which played the festival circuit. His work has appeared on MTV, PBS, Discovery and other major outlets. Andrew currently works as a Producer/Director at JPMorgan Chase, where he creates advertorial and other content for the brand.

A graduate of NYU Tisch, Tyler Savage was a Story Editor at Warner Bros before going on to work for Terrence Malick on four back-to-back features. He went on to write full-time for a few years before directing his first feature ('Inheritance', 2017), which was lauded by genre critics after premiering at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival. His second feature ('Stalker', 2020) premiered at Fright Fest, won an audience award at the Austin Film Festival, and went on to be acquired by Vertical Entertainment.

After studying art in Paris VIe, Stiv Spasojevic started as a character designer for animation and as a motion designer in advertising for brands such as Greenpeace, The Economist, World's Fair French Pavilion. He has participated in numerous award-winning projects at international festivals.

Anthony Misiano is an award winning filmmaker multi-hyphenate living in New York City. As an actor he's kept the lights on by working in television, independent film, commercials and voice over. As a director he doesn't believe he has any particular style, yet all his projects tend to look alike which he finds hilarious and bizarre. Anthony takes his work very seriously, but feels if nobody’s laughing on set, something’s terribly wrong.

Tom Dean and Mac Eldridge met in film school. Tom wanted to be Franois Truffaut and Mac wanted to be John Carpenter. Though they couldn't be more different, they bonded over a shared love of film and started to expand each other's tastes. Over time, a shared grammar took hold, and after graduating, while Tom was writing studio features and Mac was directing spots, they decided to make their collaborations official in 2017. They're preparing to make their debut feature 'Charlie Harper' in 2024.

Sunny Liu, a versatile filmmaker, pianist, and animator based in NY, champions marginalized voices through compelling storytelling. With degrees from Emerson College, The New School and the School of Visual Arts, her talent spans diverse creative realms. Her films received acclaim at Doc NYC and The Nepal American International Film Festival, highlighting her commitment to impactful narratives that resonate globally. Sunny Liu's heartfelt stories consistently inspire audiences worldwide.

Raina Yang (she/her) is a Chinese writer and director based in New York City. She has made multiple short films highlighting Asian stories, voices, and perspectives. Her short film 'Sink' was supported by the Panavision New Filmmaker Program and the 2023 NYC Women’s Fund. Raina is a TV writing fellow in the Thousand Miles Project. She is currently an MFA candidate in the Film Directing and Screenwriting program at Columbia University.

Li Wei Chiu graduated from Tainan National University of the Arts and received his PH.D at Beijing Film Academy. His works have won numerous awards, including the 2011 China International Cartoon & Animation Festival, the 2012 SICAF / Special Jury Award, the 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2021 Golden Bell Awards / Best Animation, the 44th Golden Horse Award for Best Short Film, the 54th Golden Horse Award for Best Animation Feature film and the 2008 Golden Harvest Award for Best Animated Film.

Rising from foster care to producing television, Ramon Pesante overcame the pitfalls of generational trauma through the escape of movies, sitcoms, and comic books. He implemented the skills he developed working in television to create his first feature, 'Playing Sam'.

Kayla Aalia is a Chinese-Indian filmmaker born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After completing an internship at the award-winning production house 'Double Vision’, she made the decision to move to Los Angeles to continue her studies and pursue a career in filmmaking. Coming from Malaysia, Kayla's art has always been influenced by Southeast Asian culture including her fascinating directorial debut, 'Pontianak'.

Louis Carrasco is a videographer and photographer from the Bronx, NY. He has worked on numerous films from PA to Director; his focus is now more on directing. He recently received a grant from the Inwood Arts Festival for his latest short film, 'Puerto Rican Jew'. Louis films usually blend drama with comedy.

Belle Butler is a multi-disciplinary artist and storyteller from the Blue Mountains, Australia. She is a musician, writer and photographer with a fresh interest in film. While much of her work falls strictly within the boundaries of each chosen artform, she also enjoys mix-and-matching them and finding new ways to tell stories. 'Quick' is her first attempt at stop-motion animation as well as her first attempt at filmmaking. She intends it not to be her last!

'Real Estate Sisters' marks Rea Moeti-Vogt's highly anticipated debut in the world of fiction feature films. Her writing and directing credits include the South African adaptation of 'Ugly Betty' titled 'Ubettina Wethu' and the successful female prison series 'Lockdown', which earned her a South African Film and Television Award for her outstanding television writing skills.

Steven St. Pierre is an actor raised in Queens by hardworking Haitian immigrant parents. Steven had a career working with the special needs population until he discovered acting. Having played lead and supporting roles in a number of short and feature films, Steven embarked on producing and directing his first short, 'Corey', which he also wrote. St. Pierre continued to direct both on stage and on screen. Fun fact: Steven shares his birthday with Spike Lee and are both suffering Knicks fans.

Javier Polo is a Valencian filmmaker who shares his passion for documentaries and fiction productions with the world of advertising. He made his first documentary film, "Europe in 8 Bits"(2013), which was broadcast in more than twenty countries and world premiered at IDFA, and "The Mystery of the Pink Flamingo" (2020) which world premiered at South By Southwest, recognized with three Berlanga's and nominated for best documentary at the Gaudí's. Now he is working in his first fictional film "Pequeños Calvarios".

Natalie Metzger is an award-winning director, writer, and producer, whose work is visually rich and thoughtful. Her directing credits include feature documentary ALONE IN THE GAME (AFI Docs, Outfest), horror short SLEEP STUDY (Best Horror - Indy Shorts, Hulu’s Bite Size Halloween), sci-fi short IMMORTAL (Best Narrative Short - Eastern Oregon Film Festival), and feature documentary SPECIAL BLOOD (Dolores Huerta Award for Best Director).

Elena Avdija has a degree in Sociology from the EHESS in Paris, with a focus was on gender studies. She worked for several years as assistant director in documentaries, notably for Point du Jour in Paris where she developed screenplays for the historical documentary series 'Arte'. She also directed two self-produced short documentaries. On her return to Switzerland, she began working as assistant director on fiction films. 'Stuntwomen' is her first documentary feature.

Zishan Sun is a Chinese filmmaker from Shanghai and Seattle, who graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in 2023 with a B.F.A. in Film & TV Production and a minor in Business, Entertainment, Media, and Technology. Her cinematic journey started with songwriting and acting, transforming into a dedication to directing and producing authentic, emotionally rich stories that prompt reflection and invite new perspectives.

Malgorzata Saniewska is a Polish-American photographer, documentary filmmaker, and video editor. Making her home in NYC in 2003, she shot for modeling agencies, designers & NYFW. In 2011, she began her first passion project, photographing the world of NYC Burlesque, which inspired her to leap into filmmaking with her film “PlayMe Burlesque,” winning the Coney Island FF and Dona I Cinema FF. After the success of her movie, Saniewska began a career as a video editor in adverting and entertainment.

Alvaro Rozas was born in Santiago, and studied Architecture, Fine Arts and Film Postproduction. He has been a scriptwriter and director of several short films, both live action and animation.

Ángel Pazos is a Spanish director. He studied filmmaking at Complutense University and New York Film Academy. He has directed many short films, music videos and Spanish tv series. He has also worked as an editor in many feature films and is currently working in his first full length movie as a director.

Aubrey Franchell believes in the power of stories. Through both her short-form documentaries and scripted works she shines a light on the hidden narratives that surround us. Her work is grounded in the idea that by creating opportunities for viewers to look more deeply into a subject they will become activated to make positive change in the world.

Alexander Graeff is a German film director living in France. He studied philosophy, history and German literature in Cologne and Paris, while also attending workshops in film making. Since 2013, he has worked as an assistant director, production manager and location manager on short films, feature films and documentaries. 'The Photographer', his first produced film, focuses on two important figures in photojournalism and their little-known history.

Christina Acevedo is a Philadelphia-based filmmaker, composer, and designer. Her directorial and screenwriting path took off in 2008 with her debut short film "Wild Idle" making waves at the Cannes Film Festival and ICA in Philadelphia. Her portfolio spans narrative shorts, video art, music videos, and experimental music. Passionate about horror filmmaking, Christina is now deep into the research of her next horror project, promising thrilling cinematic ventures with heavy practical effects.

Beirut-born, Canadian Maryanne Zéhil is fluent in French, English, Arabic, and German. She began her career as a journalist before directing documentaries for France, broadcasted in over 30 countries. Since 2004, she scripts, directs and produces fiction films, screened theatrically in Canada and abroad, broadcast on media platforms and sold to broadcasters around the world. She participates in juries and sits on evaluation committees. She is currently preparing to shoot her fifth film.

Wendi Tang is a Los Angeles-based writer/director and producer. Wendi's work focuses on character-driven stories that explore various corners of female narratives. Her short films have been selected by numerous film festivals worldwide including Flicker's Rhode Island IFF, the Norwegian Short Film Festival, Red Sea IFF, and more. She is a 2022 BAFTA Newcomer.

With a background in writing, photography, performing arts and music, S.C. Teles took up the challenge to direct the short film 'The Waters' in the midst of the pandemic, and in a foreign language. Teles saw this story as one that she could empathize with, and could use her varied skills and experience to bring the film to fruition along with a small but dedicated team. She also worked on writing the script, and music vocals on this film.

Maxwell Carrier, a 3D generalist and self-taught filmmaker with a side of formal education, started in film, photography, and graphic design. Creating home videos with siblings sparked an early passion for a wide range of media expression. Initially a jack of all trades, he focused on 3D animation, and draws on over 10 years of expertise to create a space for his imagination.

Esteban Bailey is an award-winning Puerto Rican filmmaker. After graduating from NYU Tisch, Esteban joined several screenwriting fellowships such as the NYU Production Lab Development Studio and Sundance Ignite.

Brady Peeti (No Ngāti Maniapoto me Te Ati Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Wahine Māori) is an award-winning trans female director, actress and singer. Brady directed Season One of 'TransGenerations'.

Àlex Lora is a director, screenwriter and editor, winner of 7 Emmys, 2 Gaudí Awards, and Nominated for the Goya and the Oscars Student Academy Awards. He has screened his work at Sundance at official competition 3 times, and has won more than 100 awards at international festivals.

Iara Lee, Brazilian of Korean descent, is an activist, filmmaker, and Cultures of Resistance Network founder. The organization fosters global solidarity, supporting agitators, educators, farmers, and artists for a more just and peaceful world through creative resistance. Her films address overlooked topics like indigenous rights, food sovereignty, and environmental justice in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America and screen globally, from refugee camps to Berlinale and Sundance.

Michal Sinnott is an actor/writer/director/storyteller. She's performed in 70+ projects for ABC, Sundance, The Whitney Museum and more and is performance capture artist for lead Tracey De Santa in the $3B video game 'Grand Theft Auto V'. Alexandra Clayton is a writer/director/actor/creative producer whose work leans into the awkward and earnest experience of being human. She believes the stories we tell create the culture we live in. She lives in LA with her dog Roo.

Charlotte Wanhill is an award winning editor and director with more than 20 years of professional experience. She is credited with many New Zealand and international TV programs and documentaries. Her production 'Misconceptions - First Trimester Miscarriages' won a Best Editing award at the New York International Women Festival 2021 and received several nominations at various international film festivals. Her latest documentary series won Best Web Series Episode at the LA Independent Women Film Awards 2023.

Ian Phillips was born and raised in New York City. His first Feature Documentary “Coach Jake” premiered at the Urbanworld Film Festival in September of 2017 and was distributed by First Fun Features. He is also a co-founder of Willful Productions along with his frequent collaborator, Otoja Abit.

Meneka Das was born in India and moved to London to follow her dream to study Theatre and Film. As an actor, she has worked with directors such as Mike Leigh, David Yates and Dexter Fletcher in 'Bohemian Rhapsody’ (mother of Freddie Mercury). She is the recipient of the BAFTA Rocliffe Feature script award. Her first feature won her the Grand Jury Award for Emerging Talent at HBO’s SAIFF NY. Her feature script ‘The Songs Within Me’ is in development with the BFI and is also being adapted into a musical.

Caroline Ho is a Chinese American animator from the Bay Area currently studying in New York. As a fan of East Asian web novels, this film takes heavy inspiration from a certain type of Chinese fantasy that has driven their artistic passion for several years.

Sunčica Fradelić's work experience covers productions, co-productions, workshops, educational programs, and job positions ranging from production, publishing, editorial, mentoring, curating and jury tasks. She has been an independent auteur since 2004 and her works have been shown at exhibitions and festivals worldwide.

Huriyyah Muhammad is an award-winning director, writer and producer whose projects have been invited to Sundance, Blackfest, Newfest, Outfest, AFI, Austin Film Festival, New Voices in Black Cinema and many others. She's a director in the AFI DWW with her film, 'Chocolate With Sprinkles', a recipient of the SFFILM Rainin Grant for Screenwriting, and Black List Feature Residency. Huriyyah’s work invites audiences on a journey as she tackles tough subjects - death, divorce, eviction - with humor and heart.

Nadine Wilson is a British screenwriter. Her journey has been shaped by her working-class roots and the responsibilities of single motherhood, meaning her pursuit of a Masters in Screenwriting for Film and Television came as a later chapter in life. Nadine’s narratives delve into authentic experiences of individuals facing real adversities of life in modern day Britain. With a deep understanding of storytelling and structure, Nadine’s work is marked by its emotional resonance and relatability.

Flaminia Graziadei is a British and Italian citizen and award-winning Director, Producer and Choreographer. With her production company, LonRom Film, she directed and produced award-winning shorts, commercials, music videos, web and TV pilots and the feature 'The Final Haunting', currently available on Amazon Prime. She has won 28 awards and more than 80 nominations, including at two BAFTA qualifying festivals. She is a member of BAFTA Connect.