DIRECTOR / PRODUCER

Rawd Almasoud is a Syrian-Canadian Film and Theatre professional based in Calgary. Her multi-award-winning short documentary film "Uncivilized" toured film festivals nationwide. In addition to producing short films and being a mentor on several filmmaking initiatives, Rawd programs for the Calgary Justice Film Festival and Okotoks Film Festival, and serves on the Board of Directors of Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers and Documentary Organization of Canada's Alberta Chapter. Rawd also works in live theatrical productions as a Stage Manager, and as an Audio Describer for blind audiences with companies like Theatre Calgary. She aims to encourage women of color and faith from visible minorities to engage in the creative fields.

DIRECTOR / PRODUCER

Aleisha Anderson is an Albertan director and producer whose work in independent film over the past decade has been defined by a commitment to storytelling that invites curiosity and reflection. Aleisha fosters a collaborative environment that empowers creative voices and is deeply committed to mentoring emerging filmmakers, ensuring her productions serve as platforms for growth and learning.

Aleisha’s debut feature Father of Nations earned critical acclaim during its festival run and was theatrically released by Cineplex in Alberta. The film received multiple awards and nominations both locally and internationally. Her short, If Walls Could Talk also garnered several accolades, including Best Short Film at the Yorkton Film Festival. Her latest directorial project, Refuge, is in post-production, while her newest feature as producer, X-Communicado, is slated for release in early 2026.

FILMMAKERS

Tim Ursuliak and Carmen Cookson-Hills grew up together in the Medicine Hills of Central Alberta. Somewhere along the line, they completed respective degrees in Film and English. They are especially keen on the intersection of music and film, and in 2023 they completed their first feature, It’s Just a Lifetime: a portrait of Californian folk troubadour Craig Nuttycombe. The film screened at festivals and art centres in Canada, South Africa, and the US. Their next project -- a short experimental portrait of British painter/psychedelic songwriter Mark Fry -- is currently in post-production. Tim is a member of the Film and Video Arts Society of Edmonton (FAVA) and Carmen is a member of Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers (CSIF). They have been fortunate enough to receive Arts Council funding at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels. When they aren't making movies together, they're probably checking out the local flora and fauna or working on their geodesic dome. 

WRITER / DIRECTOR

Kevin Felix is a represented writer and director whose work spans psychological drama, action, and sci-fi thrillers. His short films have screened at festivals including the Central Alberta Film Festival and featured in the Lift-Off Global Network. His feature scripts have earned finalist and semifinalist honours at Page Turner, FilmQuest, the Rhode Island International Film Festival, the Finish Line Script Competition, and the Horror Origins Film Festival, to name a few. Kevin’s storytelling blends immersive world-building with cinematic authenticity, grounding his characters’ journeys in thought-provoking narratives. A graduate of Red Deer Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Applied Arts in Film, Theatre, and Live Entertainment, his work explores the struggle between fate and free will in worlds shaped by fear, disconnection, and power—reminding us that even in uncertain times, our choices still matter. He is currently in development on one of his feature scripts, moving it toward production.

PRODUCER / DIRECTOR / ACTOR

Last name pronounced (Gry-Ner), "JarvisG" was named 'Best Emerging International Director' by the 2020 International Screen Awards. He was also named 'Best Director in a Canadian Feature Film' by the Hollywood North Film Awards that same year. Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, he moved south at 17 to attend film school at Biola University in Los Angeles, California.

Jarvis is an experienced independent film and television producer, director and actor who is now based in western Canada. His feature directorial debut film 'John, 316' world premiered at the Edmonton International Film Festival in October 2020 and made its American premiere at the AoF Megafest in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2021. John, 316 was named 'Best Canadian Feature Film' by the Montreal Independent Film Festival, and the Ontario International Film Festival. The film additionally won 'Best Narrative Feature' at the Central Alberta Film Festival in Red Deer.

His second feature film, 'Markings of Murder', premiered at FAVA Fest and won the Warner Herzog Boot for 'Best Long Form Narrative' in 2024. His first feature length documentary, 'Survivors Speak: Domestic Abuse and the Legal System', was also released in 2024 and premiered at the prestigious NorthwestFest, the longest running documentary film festival in Canada.

His portfolio of work also includes many music videos which includes collaboration with decorated Metis artist Brandon Baker and his band Electric Religious. Jarvis directed a series of music videos for the group, including the video for the single 'One More Night', which was named "Best Music Video" by the 2021 International Music Video Awards. Jarvis was also nominated for an AMPIA Rosie award for 'Best Albertan Music Video' in 2023 for the video 'Pleasant Solutions by King of Foxes' with Edmonton based recording artist Olivia Street.

Colin was born and raised in Singapore. Being in the entertainment industry since 1980,  he wrote and acted in skits for Act 3 Theatrics (a children’s theatre group) and various other plays and musicals in Singapore. He joined the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (now MediaCorp) as a radio producer/presenter and later moved up to become the Assistant Programme Director/Music Director. Blessed with an ability to change his voice, he voiced numerous commercials and many animated characters for TV & film in Singapore. He studied Media Audiences from Murdoch University, Australia, and holds a Canadian Bachelor of Motion Picture Arts. He is a two-time nominee and an AMPIA award winner. His favourite film genres are animation and comedy.

FILMMAKER

I am a filmmaker originally from Montréal, where I co-founded Montreal’s Rubber Chicken Factory sketch comedy troupe, creating live revues and videos. A writer/performer (and somewhat reluctant director), I most enjoy working on smaller, community-driven projects like my French-language web series Mon Oeil and the French-language short feature Nouveaux Arrivants.

I currently live in Lethbridge and serve as a faculty member in the New Media department at Iniskim (University of Lethbridge), where I share my love of the moving image and comedy with my students.

FILMMAKER

V. Tony Hauser is a Toronto-based documentary filmmaker. A renowned portrait photographer for +40 years, primarily in Canada and the U.S., he has also travelled to most continents to photograph varied indigenous peoples. In 2019 he was named a Member of the Order of Canada in recognition of his photography work.

FILMMAKER / WRITER / EDUCATOR

Aleem Karmali is a documentary filmmaker, writer and educator from Edmonton. His films explore the intersections of history, diversity, culture, and religion in a thoughtful, balanced way. His recent feature-length documentary, Thrown into Canada, examines the first major movement on non-European refugees in Canadian history, after thousands of South Asians were expelled by Ugandan President Idi Amin in 1972. The film screened at over 15 festivals globally, including CAFF in 2023, winning two awards at the 2023 Vancouver Asian Film Festival. 

DIRECTOR / CINEMATOGRAPHER / EDITOR

Laura La France is a director, cinematographer, and editor on Treaty 6 Territory in Edmonton, Alberta. Under Big Mimic Productions, Laura shoots a variety of work with a focus on Super 8mm film production and editing. Since 2020, Laura's shorts and music videos have screened at festivals from the Bay Area to Cardiff, and in 2023, Laura showcased her work in-person at the Las Cruces International Film Festival. Last year, Laura began production of her first major documentary short with help from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Edmonton Arts Council, which will be out of post-production in 2026. Laura also sits on the board of directors for Northwest Film Fest and works as a digital and 35mm projectionist for Edmonton's Metro Cinema. 

ANIMATOR / DIRECTOR

Kasha Malinowski is an independent animator and film director driven by a passion for visual storytelling. She graduated in 2023 from Emily Carr University of Art & Design with a Bachelor of Media Arts, specializing in 2D and Experimental Animation. Her award winning directorial debut, Gerald, a 2D animated short, was screened at multiple film festivals across North America.

DIRECTOR / WRITER / PRODUCER

Vincent has a sharp sense of the filmmaking process, having worked on set in every department from pre-production to post-production, alongside a successful career as a manager and producer in the Visual Effects industry. His passion, care, high standards, and rigor define him as a filmmaker, while his devotion to storytelling—both in narrative and documentary form—drives him to share his vision with fellow artists and audiences alike.

In 2023, Vincent’s latest short film Trail earned multiple awards internationally, including Best Director and Best Thriller. Building on that momentum, he launched his production company, C/Fe Studios, securing investments to develop a slate of narrative and documentary projects. He is currently preparing his next short film, alongside other exciting works in both fiction and nonfiction storytelling.

DIRECTOR / PRODUCER / WRITER

Amy Miller is an award-winning director, producer and writer based in Montréal. Her feature films include Manufacturing The Threat, Tomorrow’s Power, No Land. No Food. No Life., The Carbon Rush and Myths for Profit. Her documentaries have been screened at festivals throughout the world, have been broadcast in over two dozen countries and are featured in library catalogues of hundreds of universities and colleges worldwide.

She remains dedicated to creating documentaries for transformative social change.

SCREENWRITER / DIRECTOR

Jesse Pickett is a screenwriter, director, and visual storyteller. Pickett has created a diverse body of work including scripted and documentary film. Pickett often explores themes such as physical disability, aging, toxic masculinity, construction work environments, and speculative fiction.

DIRECTOR

From an early age, Linda was fascinated to hear people share their stories. As she grew older, she became passionate about writing life experiences.

From 1997 through 2007, she worked as a direct sales consultant, assisting clients with preserving and documenting family photos. This experience became a catalyst to realizing a passion for working with people to convey their stories.

In 2016, Linda had the opportunity to be on a film set, and so began a new learning which would eventually lead to assisting with writing and production on other film projects.

In September of 2020, Linda endeavored to put together a team and an idea and made a pitch to create a documentary film for Telus Storyhive that reflected the local community. The pitch was successful and with the hard work of a great team “Anonymous Heroes” was launched in 2021. Linda continues to work hard in her writing and future film projects.

CINEMATOGRAPHER / EDITOR

David Puff was born on August 24, 1981 in Canada. David is a cinematographer and editor, known for Unidentified Flying Object, Broken (2021) and Genesis (2020). 

FILM & VIDEO GAME ARTIST

Dominic Sawicki is a creative artist with a diverse portfolio that spans film and video games. Inspired by a love for high-octane action movies, he developed his first full-length feature in high school, setting the stage for his future endeavors. Pivoting his educational pursuits to study New Media at the University of Lethbridge, Dominic directed several award-nominated short films, showcasing his talent for captivating storytelling. Currently residing in Vancouver, he channels his creativity into producing original works and contributing his skills to the video game industry, aiming to create immersive experiences that resonate with all audiences.  

DIRECTOR

Jakob Schaefer is an Alberta-based, award-winning director. His films have screened internationally, from Hollywood to Sweden. His style is characterized by fast-paced visual storytelling and absurd comedy. Jakob is also the co-director of The Theatre in Calgary, AB.

WRITER / DIRECTOR / PRODUCER

Jason Seelmann was born on the 12th of May, 1976 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Although he grew up across much of Western Canada. Far from a show business family, the only child of a single mother, Jason found solace in creating characters and stories either out of self-preservation, or entertainment. During his high school years he found a home in theatre; performing in several plays and musicals and contributed as much as he could to the production of the shows, including set building and lighting.

Years later, Jason became involved in films primarily as background. He began to learn the complexities of the industry while watching and engaging with many of the crew as well as cast, when it was suitable. Discussions with folks like Ang Lee (while on the set of Brokeback Mountain), Paul Gross (while on the set of Passchendaele) as well as Tyne Daly and Beau Bridges continued to spark creativity. He rooted himself in the process of creating the projects and began working on many of his own ideas.

Theatre took a backseat for a few years, but Jason returned to the stage and has rediscovered his love for the art. His company 2BlocksNorth Productions continues to be involved with theatre, however focus has turned to film. The company's first short film "Whisky" received festival screening and an award.

Jayson Therrien is an award winning filmmaker and actor. Originally from Toronto he now resides in Calgary with his wife (Molly) and two Dalmatians (Jasper and Bo). His directorial debut "Operation: Clean Slate" screened at multiple film festivals around the world and won Best Live Action Short Film (Alberta) at the 2020 Edmonton International Film Festival.

ACTOR / PLAYWRIGHT / FILMMAKER

Abagail Vanmerlin is a Calgary-based actor, playwright and filmmaker. She is co-director of The Theatre in Calgary, AB, a space that is dedicated to bold, uncompromising storytelling. Her multi-award winning feature documentary The Theatre (2023) follows the creation of this artist-driven space, and was named Best Feature Documentary at the 2024 Central Alberta Film Festival. Through her work, Abagail champions truth-telling, artistic risk, and the power of performance to challenge and transform individuals and communities.