Kathleen Burgess (she/they) is an award-winning Tkaronto-based director passionate about exploring the dimensions of friendship, play, and queerness through a surreal lens.
Filmmaker Spotlight: Halima Ouardiri, The Skates
The Swiss-Moroccan writer and director is a graduate of the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema in Montreal, Canada. Her first short film, MOKHTAR, screened in the top festivals around the world. CLEBS won the Crystal bear in Generation at the 2020 Berlinale. She is currently developing her debut feature film, THE CAMEL DRIVING SCHOOL.
Filmmaker Spotlight: Vanessa Sandre, The Pleasure Is All Mine
VANESSA SANDRE is a Brazilian filmmaker based in Toronto, Canada. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Film and a Master's degree in Literature focused on Women and Gender Studies. Vanessa has cultivated a diverse career as a screenwriter, producer, director, and performer for the last 14 years. As a Latina immigrant and artist, she finds inspiration in crafting narratives that amplify underrepresented voices through a decolonial and intersectional feminist lens.
Filmmaker Spotlight: Emma Zuck, Adagio
Emma Zuck is a filmmaker and writer. She is wrapped up in the sentimental— unraveling themes of identity, home, queerness, and growing pains. Her thesis film Adagio premiered at Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, taking home the Air Canada Short Film Award. She has had the pleasure of working with CBC, Bell Media, PostMedia, and Angel Entertainment.
Filmmaker Spotlight: Sara Rangooni, Leveled
Founder of Dalphinium Media, SARA RANGOONI is a Director and Writer dedicated to changing the narrative for equity deserving communities through powerful storytelling. Born and raised in Toronto, her award-winning proof of concept, short film, Leveled still continues to make the festival circuit worldwide and has catapulted her to new heights. She believes in the power of changing perspective through four-dimensional storytelling.
Filmmaker Spotlight: Christina Ienna, Gemma
CHRISTINA IENNA is an award-winning cinematographer and filmmaker based in Toronto. She has an extensive background in commercial, documentary and narrative production. She also sits on the Board of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers. In her fifteen years of industry experience, Christina has filmed all over North America with companies like TOURISM CANADA, AMAZON, LIFETIME, PIXAR, CBC, THE GLOBE & MAIL, VICE and UNIVERSAL MUSIC. She spent the early part of her career working in Alberta and British Columbia before moving to Toronto. Christina leads with great curiosity, finding stories in the small moments and details that make up the human experience.
Filmmaker Spotlight: Nelie Diverlus, Ninth Step
Nelie Diverlus is an emerging writer and director. Born in Florida, her love of art blossomed amongst a large family of many artists. Most recently, her work has been featured in Breakthroughs Film Festival and St. John’s International Women’s Festival. With her thick Haitian roots, Nelie wishes to revolutionize cinema in ways that spark creativity and hope within the artist in all of us.