2025 Filmmaker Biographies 

Michael, BRIMS; Jaime, BOFILL

Michael Brims is a documentary filmmaker & video artist from

Germany living in Houston, Texas. He is also an associate professor for Art, Communication & Digital Media Studies at the University of Houston Clear Lake. His documentary work focuses on Latin American musical traditions and as aspects of sustainability.

Jaime Bofill is a musicologist and an assistant professor at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico. His research focuses on Latin American music and the relationship between sound, music and environment.

Jeremy, CLANCY

As an award-winning filmmaker and social media strategist, I advocate for unions, charities, and progressive movements across the globe. I collaborate with orgaisations, individuals and groups to create narratives that make an impact. Stories are not just told; they are experienced.

Megan T. EBOR

Dr. Ebor is a professor, researcher, and founding director of the SDSU Health Equity Research Multimedia Lab. Her research and scholarship examines sexual health and wellness outcomes for older adults with a particular focus on racial and ethnic minority women. This research is guided by her interest in ways to improve sexual-health outcomes for African American women and older adults.

Specifically, she develops behavioral health interventions and is particularly interested in harnessing multi-media platforms for health promotion. By merging science and the arts Dr. Ebor aims to make research translational to under-resourced communities through narrative story telling. This research is grounded in her practice experience and interdisciplinary training in social welfare, gerontology, and the arts.

Rosalind, FREDRICKS; Sarita, WEST

Rosalind (Rozy) Fredericks is an urban geographer and Associate Professor at NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized study, specializing in urban environmental social movements in West Africa. She has been working in Senegal for over 20 years conducting research on the politics of waste labor in Dakar. Her book Garbage Citizenship, which was awarded the Toyin Falola Book Award for the best book in African Studies, chronicled the municipal waste workers’ union as it battled for respect and improved working conditions in the wake of structural adjustment. She also edited two volumes with esteemed historian Mamadou Diouf on citizenship in African cities: Les arts de la citoyenneté au Sénégal: Espaces contestés et civilités urbaines (Editions Karthala, 2013) and The Arts of Citizenship in African Cities: Infrastructures and Spaces of Belonging (Palgrave MacMillan, 2014). Fredericks is the co-director of the Discard Studies Collaborative at NYU. The Waste Commons emerged out of her ethnographic research (supported by a major grant from the National Science Foundation) at Dakar’s dump since 2016 and her advocacy work with the association of Mbeubeuss waste pickers and the non-profit organization WIEGO that defends the rights of informal workers globally. It is her first documentary film.

Sarita West has been making natural history films and social documentaries for 27 years. Sarita established Alchemy Films in San Francisco in 1994. She wrote, directed and produced two award-winning 35mm short fiction films before making the orangutan documentary, The Disenchanted Forest (2004) for National Geographic Channels. Sarita co-produced the PBS documentary, The Split Horn (2003), and was an associate producer on the PBS documentary, The Real Dirt on Farmer John (2006). In London, Sarita produced, directed and edited Fire Burn Babylon (2010), Exiles and Outlaws (2014), and has produced short films for The Guardian and Barts N.H.S. Trust. Sarita shot, edited, directed and produced ​In The Shadow of Ebola (2015) for PBS/Independent Lens and The Land Beneath Our Feet​ (2016) for the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Sarita is post-producing Outspoken, a social justice rap documentary partially filmed in Senegal, Kenya and Liberia. In recent years Alchemy Films has sought stories that consider life in the Anthropocene.

Paula M, FROEHLE

Paula Froehle is a director with a strong visual style shaped by her years as a visual artist and filmmaker, collaborator and mentor. She has directed and produced films for over 30 years. As a filmmaker Paula has directed 12 films and 20+ media projects, including her feature-length documentary, “The Show Must Go On, An Intimate Portrait of The Flying Wallendas,” which is distributed by MVD Entertainment Group.

Tracy, GRAZIANO

Tracy has produced over 60 films for the PA Game Commission since she came on board in 2010. She has won multiple professional awards and film festivals throughout the country.

Tracy owned Moonfire Film Productions (MFP) from 1999-2013. Here she was the recipient of several grants to complete films for various non-profit agencies. Her bird documentary won Honorable Mention for use of Natural Sound at IWFF, and has sold over 300 copies. Other projects include a promotional film on the Regional Science Consortium, and a film on invasive mussel species for PA Sea Grant. MFP also operated a large format theatre at the Tom Ridge Center.

Her wolf and coyote footage has appeared on National Geographic, and her Algonquin wolf footage is used in the Algonquin Provincial Park’s Nature Center.

In 2005, Tracy was the first woman to graduate from the Science and Natural History Filmmaking graduate program at Montana State University. Here she produced several student films including two on coyotes, one on Japanese wolves, one on the Thermal Biology Institute, a promo for Montana EPSCoR, and many short format projects. “Spirit Dog,” “Chasing Coyotes,” and “Japan’s Lost Wolves” all won awards or were official selections at film festivals.

Photo on left sidebar

Adrien, HARPELLE

Growing up in a family of filmmakers, I have been on film sets my whole life. I am a professional music producer, composer, and filmmaker. I am a bilingual (English, French) artist who creates music and film with a focus on documentary, sound design and composition.

Producer and cinematographer, Kelly Saxberg has a MA in History. She works in English, French, and Spanish. She has directed and edited dozens of award-winning history films, most notably Rosie’s of the North, Letters from Karelia, Dorothea Mitchell: A Reel Pioneer. In 2017, she completed ” Long Walk Home: The Incredible Journey of Sheila Burnford”, a 30-minute documentary she produced, edited, filmed and co-directed.

Sara, KOLSTER

Sara Kolster is a director and visual designer. She makes films, animations, podcasts and interactive stories in a wide range of media. In 2023 ‘Dead as a Dodo’ was nominated for best youth series at the Cinekid festival. Award winning online animation ‘Why Don’t You Leave?’ was published in 2022 and her short film ‘To the Moon and Back’ premiered at IDFA in 2019. The celebrated ‘When I Was Five’ was released in 2017. As an independent filmmaker she made interactive stories such as the award-winning ‘Virtual Reality Drawing Room’, web documentary ‘Love Radio’, and interactive video ‘Hidden Wounds’.

Kelly, MILNER

Kelly Milner was raised by wolves in the Yukon and cut her professional teeth working across the North as a journalist before getting drawn into the world of First Nations land claims and wildlife co-management. She spent almost two decades in the wilderness of briefing notes and community consultations until one day she overheard her daughter talking about what her mom did for work, and she was dismayed to hear her say “My mom goes to meetings”.

Determined to show her girls they should always follow their dreams, she found a way to combine her experience working across the North with her creative storytelling roots, establishing her production company, Shot in the Dark, in 2014.

Telling stories that matter is what drives her. She is now a producer, director and writer. Her documentaries have won numerous national and international awards. Now her daughter says “My mom makes movies.” Much better…

Jeff, MCKAY; Takashi Iwasaki, IWASAKI

Jeff McKay: Born & raised on the Canadian prairies. Began in stage theatre, played drums in electro-pop/ dance bands. Making film since 1985. Spent 18 years as a freelance contract editor & director with the National Film Board of Canada. Independent freelance since 2003. Recipient of the Peabody Award and many national & international nominations. International co-productions making social, arts/cultural, sport & science/ natural history films.

Takashi Iwasaki: 1982: born in Hokkaido, Japan. Iwasaki moved to Winnipeg, Canada to study fine arts at the University of Manitoba in 2002, where he earned Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Attracted to the Winnipeg’s multiculturalism and friendly arts community, he gained the permanent resident status of Canada and now lives and works as an artist in Winnipeg and calls it his new hometown. Iwasaki’s art practice diverges into many media from embroidery, painting, collage, wooden sculpture, ceramic, to public artwork. Bringing joy and peaking curiosity of the audience are part of the main focuses of his creation.

Ilja, MLOSCH

Born in Starnberg, Germany, he grew up in Berlin and Ulm, his artist homebase is in Berlin, from 1994 until 1998 University studies in theater technology in Berlin, since 1994 Material research and freelance artistic work 1998 Diploma thesis “Methods of production of theatrical sculpture”

Thao, PHAN; Jeni, LEE

Thao Phan is a feminist science and technology studies (STS) researcher who specialises in the study of gender and race in algorithmic culture. She is a Lecturer in Sociology (STS) at the Research School for Social Sciences at the Australian National University (ANU). Her research examines the role of AI systems in constituting categories such as gender, race, class, and nation.

She has published on topics including whiteness and the aesthetics of AI, big-data-driven techniques of racial classification, and the commercial capture of AI ethics research.

Jeni Lee is a Research Fellow and documentary filmmaker at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making & Society (ADM+S). With 20 years of filmmaking experience, she specialises in collaborating with diverse groups to produce character driven documentary films. Her work combines filmmaking and communication for social change, with a focus on promoting positive gender norms, diversity, and climate justice. Throughout her career, she has had the privilege of showcasing her films at esteemed festivals including SXSW and the Adelaide Film Festival and having them broadcast on ABC and SBS. Additionally, she has directed over 100 hours of documentary commissions for cultural institutions, non-profits, artists, activists, and academics. Currently, her documentary research practice revolves around the critical areas of ethical and inclusive Artificial Intelligence- AI beyond Silicon Valley.

Gordon David, PEPPER

Gordon Pepper is an internationally acclaimed documentary and experimental filmmaker from Regina, Canada. Gordon’s short films, including Annabel Lee, Discarnate: McLuhan’s Wake and This is Maki have been selected to screen at numerous film festivals around the world. Each film finds its unique voice capitalizing on cinema’s unlimited potential for artistic expression. Gordon teaches both film production and studies courses and was the recipient of the University of Regina’s ‘Inspirational Teaching Award’.

Stephen A., SMITH

Stephen A. Smith has been exploring the Far North since the late 1970s. A wildlife biologist, Smith has three decades of experience in polar wildlife research. He has led more than 60 expeditions in the High Arctic. As a director, Smith’s films have been informed and shaped by the intensity of his experiences on polar ice. « Albedo — In Search of a Frozen Ocean » is his third exposé on Arctic change. His earlier feature « Vanishing Point » tells the story of diminishing sea ice through the eyes of an Inuit elder whose culture is being challenged by a changing Arctic (finalist: Best Feature Documentary, 2014 Canadian Screen Awards; finalist for People & Nature Award, 2014 Panda Awards). His International Polar Year documentary « Arctic Cliffhangers » examined the impact of ecological changes to the polar marine environment (Best Wildlife Film, 2010 San Francisco Ocean Film Festival). In 2004, Smith was director of operations for the feature documentary production « Abandoned in the Arctic » (filmed in the Last Ice Area).

Genevieve, SULWAY

Originally from Sydney, Australia, Genevieve trained professionally as an actor with Hugh Jackman at WAAPA – ranked as one of the top 30 Drama Schools Drama in the world. She went on to appear in commercials, films and TV shows such as Home & Away over the next 10 years. A lateral move into the corporate world saw her living and working in China, Singapore, the U.S and Europe. She returned to the film industry in 2018 graduating with a masters in Film & TV Producing.

Genevieve founded Salty Paradise Productions and is now based in London, UK. With an innate ability to speak to people, her signature emotional storytelling style gains unfettered and intimate access to the stories that she captures on film. Her documentaries focus on the underdog experience, under-represented communities and the power of overcoming adversity.

Directors Credits: “I am Kanaka” and “When Worlds Collide” have garnered 98 awards during the 2023-2024 international film festival season. Producer Credits: Short doc: The Last Queen (2020), Feature film the crime thriller: The Mother, the Gun, the Rat, and the Son (2021) has 18 wins at the 2022 film festivals. She’s been employed as a development producer at Chalkboard TV in London and pitched projects to Channel 5 and the BBC.

Chen, SING YAP

Chen Sing Yap (he/him) is a Singaporean-born filmmaker living in Oakville, Ontario. Before moving to Canada he was a picture editor working primarily in long form factual television for Singaporean and international markets. In the last 5 years most of his directing, writing, and editing work has grappled with mental health in some way, starting with Overthinking It (2019), Shift (2020), and Feeling the Apocalypse (2022). Feeling the Apocalypse, a mixed-media piece on climate anxiety, is now being distributed by GOOD DOCS to schools and non-profits across the world.

More recently, Chen Sing co-wrote and edited for Minerva Navasca’s short film DESYNC, which has won him awards from TIFF Next Wave and the Canadian Cinema Editors. He is currently co-developing the mixed-media narrative ABROAD with Minerva

Lyndon, SUNTJENS

I am a teacher of 15 years. I have taught Indigenous Studies 10, 20, and 30, Social 7, 8, and 9, Cree and Culture 7, 8, and 9, Physical Education 7, 8, 9, and 10, and currently working at Amiskwaciy Academy, a public school planned by Elders and Knowledge Keepers for Indigenous students. I have always worked with First Nations youth and have a passion for passing on our culture, our language, and our ways of knowing and being to the next generation. As a nêhiýaw nâpêw (Cree man), I feel it is my responsibility to keep our culture, traditions, and customs alive. I have made it my life’s work to make sure that the knowledge I have obtained is passed onto future generations. I enjoy all sports, especially basketball, golf, and volleyball. I love to hunt and fish. Basically, anything active that gets me onto the land is a passion of mine.

Jiamu, TAO

Current grad student at University of Southern California.

Markus, TISCHNER

Markus Tischner is a seasoned filmmaker, learning expert, and trainer with a filmmaking career spanning over more than 15 years since 2008. Specializing in educational media and science communication films, he brings knowledge to life.

With a background in geography, focusing on soil science and high mountain ecology, alongside geology and biology, Markus has a deep understanding of scientific topics. With his experience as a journalist, he excels at making them accessible and engaging for the targeted audience.

Besides his freelance work, Markus leads media production at the Innovation in Learning Institute (ILI) at Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) in Germany. Beyond creating educational and scientific media, he teaches on media production in the master’s programme “Learning Design” and trains university staff in science communication and production of educational media.

Navalik, TOLOGANAK

Navalik Tologanak is a proud Inuinnaq from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut who celebrates her heritage and traditions. She is a residential school survivor. Sent away to Inuvik and Yellowknife for 12 years, she lost traditional skills and her language. She fought hard to relearn Inuinnaqtun and graduated from the Indigenous Languages Program from the University of Victoria in 2019 at the age of 65. She began her journalism career in 1995, writing for Nunavut news. She’s been photographing and documenting events in her community in Inuinnaqtut for 29 years. She would like to continue telling those stories using digital media to make a series of short films.

Navalik dedicates much of her time to community service. She was a board member of the NWT Status of Women Council and for the Pauktuutit Inuit Women’s Association of Canada. She was an Inuit/ Inuk board member for 13 years with the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. She saw the great need for healing programs, and to reach out to those who were lost, or violated through abuse and loss of language. She is honoured to be chosen as one of the Inuit representatives as a committee member for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation steering committee. She was chosen to speak at the unveiling of the site for the Truth and Reconciliation monument in June 2023.

In 2011 Navalik Tologanak attended filmmaking workshop in

Iqaluit she made her first short film and dedicated it to the memory of her son Julian (Tolok). She has worked as cultural advisor, researcher and production assistant on international film projects shot in her region. In January 2022, Navalik joined Kelly to work on the documentary film project “A Tale of Two Qallunaat” as production manager, researcher, co-director and producer. A Tale of Two Qallunaat is a one hour documentary about the legacy of two women artists from Thunder Bay who travelled to the Arctic in the early 1970s and what happens when elders and youth in today’s Pond Inlet encounter that unique record of the past. The first shoot took place in June in Iqaluit and Pond Inlet. They also organized two events where they brought a reproduction of Susan Ross’s sketchbooks and Sheila

Burnford’s film footage to share and leave with the community. They returned in August, to do a few more days of filming and connect with Philippa Ootoowak who works with the Pond Inlet

Archives. They are now in post-production and will complete the film in Inuktut languages and English by in early 2024.

Navalik has just completed Silent Cries (Kiayunik Tuhanak) in English, Inuinnaqtun and Inuktitut. It is a moving 17 minute documentary about Residential school survivors like herself and the outcome of the Pope’s visit in July 2022. She has incorporated her production company Tolok Productions. They plan to premiere “A Tale of Two Qallunaat” and “Silent Cries (Kiayunik Tuhanak)” in Pond Inlet, Iqaluit and Cambridge Bay in early 2024.

Marleine van der WERF

Marleine van der Werf (1985) is a filmmaker, visual artist and researcher working from a documentary starting point. She often collaborates with experts in the fields of science, philosophy and technology. Her films screened at international festivals where she won various awards, including the NEXT Talent Award (2018, Playgrounds Digital Art Festival) and the Scientist Award (2019, Abu Dhabi Imagine Science Film Festival).