ALFF Guests

Emily Alden

Vice-President, Production & Development - Pacific Northwest Pictures

Emily Alden is Vice-President, Production & Development for Pacific Northwest Pictures where she oversees project development and production as well as distribution. Alden is the Producer of Sisters&Brothers and After the Wedding, and is Executive Producer of Charlie Zone. Prior to joining PNP, Alden handled development and production at Raven West Films, where she co-produced the feature drama Unnatural & Accidental. She was also President of the feature film production company All Done Productions. Alden is a member of the board of the First Weekend Club.

Jaybe Allanson

Senior Interactive Producer - Switch United

Jaybe Allanson’s decade plus in the interactive design arena has proven his ability to bridge ‘art’ and ‘technology’ towards the creation of award-winning story-driven experiences for film and TV properties, as well as large-scale digital installations employing innovative user interaction technologies. As Senior Producer at Switch United, Jaybe’s cross-platform versatility and deep understanding of project management (including funding models and user experience protocols) is backed by the patience of a yoga master, making him the calm at the center of such complex challenges as a 110 ft. long sensory and project based digital wall installation for the 2010 Olympics; an augmented reality mobile museum tour; or a comprehensive web, mobile, social TV and social media multi-platform campaign for a national television series. A lifelong ‘learner’ Jaybe keeps current with cutting edge technologies and continues to challenge his design team to come up with fund-worthy solutions that will propel the discipline forward. Current specialties include producing documentation for various TV funding applications such as Bell New Media Fund, CMF Convergent Fund, and CMF Experimental Fund. Current clients include Force Four Productions, Omnifilm, Lark Productions, Mosaic Entertainment, Gang of Two, Museum of Vancouver, and Rogers Media.

Xan Aranda

Freelance director/producer/curator

Born and raised in Illinois, Xan Aranda lived in California for ten years until moving to China and eventually Chicago in 2001. Xan is a freelance director, producer, and curator affiliated with acclaimed documentary powerhouse Kartemquin Films (Hoop Dreams) and the U. S. Department of Education. Her directorial debut, Andrew Bird: Fever Year, had its World Premiere as part of the New York Film Festival. It will screen over a hundred times worldwide during 2012. Xan is currently at work on her next film, Mormons Make Movies, and is also the founder and Executive Director of the Chicago Short Film Brigade.

Sue Biely

Media Consultant, Educator, and Facilitator

Sue Biely is an accomplished leader and member of the independent media community. She has over 12 years of varied domestic and international experience in administration, advocacy, curation, management and forward thinking in the areas of funding, producing, broadcasting, new media, public speaking, education and event co-ordination. Sue is a dynamic and passionate professional who is able to cross pollinate between worlds and motivate people to think outside the box. She launched a community speaking series called The What’s Going On Salons in Vancouver and works as an independent contractor/consultant.

Kevin Eastwood

Independent Producer & Filmmaker

Kevin Eastwood is a Vancouver-based producer and filmmaker. Most recently, Kevin produced “Eco-Pirate: The Story of Paul Watson”, a documentary about the controversial environmental activist. Kevin’s previous credits include the Gemini Award-winning CTV movie, “Elijah”; the cult hit zombie-comedy, “Fido” starring Carrie-Anne Moss and Billy Connolly; and the Canadian box office hit comedy, “The Delicate Art of Parking”. Kevin is currently producing “Do You Really Want to Know?”, a documentary about predictive genetic testing directed by Academy Award-winning director, John Zaritsky.

Kara Haflidson

Manager, Independent Production - Comedy and Unscripted, Bell Media

Kara is the Manager of Independent Production (Comedy and Unscripted) for Bell Media. In this role, Kara develops comedic material to air across Bell Media’s family of channels including CTV, The Comedy Network and Bravo! In her two years at Bell Media, Kara has worked on The Comedy Network’s Picnicface and Bravo!’s Way Off Broadway, in addition to participating in the development of a number of projects. Before joining Bell Media, Kara spent three years as Network Programmer for Movieola – The Short Film Channel. Kara also learned the ins and outs of television (and other things) on the sets of Talk Sex with Sue Johanson and Disaster DIY with Bryan Baeumler.

Joel Heath

Documentary Filmmaker & Scientist

Joel Heath possesses a doctorate in Wildlife Ecology / Behavioural Ecology Research from Simon Fraser University. He has been studying the population of eider ducks on the Belcher Islands in Hudson Bay since 2002, which led to his becoming a documentary filmmaker. The film People of a Feather (winner of Best Environmental Film at VIFF 2011) and The Arctic Sea Ice educational package are an International Polar Year Education and Outreach Initiative, directed and produced by Joel.

Kim Hudson

Writer & Consultant

Kim studied at Vancouver Film School, University of British Columbia, and the International School of Analytical Psychology Zurich. She is the developer of an original theory on the feminine journey to know yourself and be yourself. She created this theory by drawing upon her life experience and varied education. The Virgin’s Promise is Kim’s first book. Kim speaks and consults including at the 2011 Screenwriter’s Expo in LA, the University Film and Video Association, Boston 2011, keynote address at the 2011 BC Student Film Festival, and guest speaker at Vancouver Women in Film and Video, Vancouver Film School and Yukon College.

Julia Ivanova

Documentary Producer/Director/Writer

Julia Ivanova was initially trained at the Russian Film Institute (VGIK) in Moscow, the world-renowned film school. In 1995, Julia immigrated to Canada where she concentrated on writing, directing and producing documentaries. Her first film, an award-winning documentary From Russia, For Love, about adoption of older children, has been televised in 26 countries. She has worked on numerous documentaries since then and is on the boards of the Documentary Organization of Canada BC Chapter and Hot Docs Documentary Film Festival. Family Portrait in Black and White is her third feature documentary.

Selwyn Jacob

Producer - National Film Board (Pacific & Yukon)

Selwyn joined the National Film Board in 1997. As a Vancouver-based producer at the Pacific and Yukon studio, his recent productions include This Land, Warrior Boyz and River of Life directed by Yukon filmmaker Werner Walcher. He also produced Jeni LeGon: Living in a Great Big Way, the Leo Award-winning The Journey of Lesra Martin and recently completed work on a feature documentary Mighty Jerome about Harry Jerome, with director Charles Officer. Prior to joining the NFB, Jacob was an independent producer and director for more than fifteen years.

Larysa Kondracki

Independent Director/Writer

Larysa Kondracki was born in Toronto and studied English and theatre at McGill University. She received an M.F.A. in film direction from Columbia University. The Whistleblower is her feature directorial debut. A Canadian-born Ukrainian, the topic of sex-trafficking resonated deeply with her. She spent two years in Europe with co-writer, Eilis Kirwan, researching the subject of trafficking.
Kondracki is currently based in Los Angeles and has written feature projects for Focus Features, HBO Films, Participant Media, and Showtime Entertainment, amongst others. She has numerous projects in development, including The Count of St. Petersburg, which she plans to direct.

Oliver Linsley

Founder - Doghouse Films

Founder of Doghouse Films, Oliver Linsley has been working in film in Vancouver for more than a decade. Coming out of a background as a Painter and Photographer, Oliver had a short life as an accountant before finding himself in film, but only behind the camera. Way behind. Currently, Oliver is producing the Reality TV series SAW DOGS, premiering in Canada on OLN in January 2012, as well continually developing feature projects. Of late he has just completed two feature films in 2011: The Odds, a dark mystery set in the world of illegal gambling, and Doppelganger Paul, a film deeply rooted in a culture of narcissism.

Cory Mann

Entrepreneur/Filmmaker

Cory Mann (Gutchquena) is a Tlingit Indian entrepreneur and filmmaker operating out of Juneau, Alaska. He runs an independent business, Stories & Legends, that has been sharing Northwest art and culture since 1994 through trolley tours and gifts. Over the past 4 years he has been working with co-producer and co-director Luke Griswold-Tergis on his film, Smokin’ Fish. Cory hopes the film will inspire people to take the time regardless of how difficult it might be in the modern world to go out and do what your culture is calling you to do.

Jeremy Mendes

Interactive Designer & Art Director

Jeremy Mendes is a Vancouver based artist with over 10 years’ experience working on interactive projects. He specializes in Art Direction, Creative Direction, Design and Illustration. His experience spans interactive design, motion design, information design, creative conceptual work, storytelling, brand development and advertising. He is currently working on interactive projects with the National Film Board of Canada, recent projects including This Land and Bear 71.

David Paperny

Filmmaker/Producer and President of Paperny Entertainment

David Paperny is an Academy Award® nominated and Gemini-award winning documentary filmmaker, executive producer, and head of the Vancouver-based television production company, Paperny Entertainment. Paperny Entertainment specializes in non-fiction programming and has produced over 30 original documentary specials and 20 long-running series.
David received his B.A. from the University of Toronto and his M.A. from the Annenberg School of Communications, University of Pennsylvania. He began his career in broadcast journalism in 1983 at the CBC in Toronto. In 1994, David received an Academy Award® nomination for The Broadcast Tapes of Dr. Peter (CBC/HBO).

Teri Snelgrove

National Film Board

Teri Snelgrove worked extensively in theatre before joining the NFB in 2006. She studied film/video at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, and following her graduation in 1999, she was the recipient of the Academy of Canadian Film and Television Apprenticeship, where she worked on a variety of productions in various capacities. She produced the video installation In Her Footsteps: Celebrating BC Women in Sport for the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and the Miscellaneous Productions video production of e-race, and worked extensively as a voice director for documentaries and animation. Recently, she worked with Marie Clements on the short Jesus Indian, and she is currently producing Jan Derbyshire’s Sanity for Beginners for the upcoming WAM Festival. This is her second visit to the ALFF and she’s happy to be here.

Dan Sokolowski

Independent Filmmaker

Dan Sokolowski is a graduate in Fine Arts from the University of Ottawa. He currently lives in Dawson City, in Canada’s Yukon, and is the producer of the Dawson City International Short Film Festival. He has taught courses in 16mm filmmaking, animation and studio arts. He was a board member of the Independent Filmmakers Cooperative of Ottawa (5 years) and currently sits on the board of the Canadian Film Institute. He is a member of the Dawson City Arts Society and the Yukon Film Society. In addition to many of his own films, Dan has worked on over 40 independent productions as cinematographer, animator, assistant director, lighting director and editor.

Ingrid Veninger

Producer/Director and Founder of pUNK Films

Born in Bratislava and raised in Canada, Ingrid Veninger formed pUNK Films Inc. in 2003 with a ‘nothing is impossible’ manifesto. An award-winning creative producer and director, Ingrid has made numerous films, including: Gambling, Gods, and LSD (TIFF 2002, Genie Award for Best Documentary), NURSE.FIGHTER.BOY. (TIFF 2008, nominated for 10 Genie Awards in 2010), and Modra (TIFF 2010, official selection Canada’s Top Ten). Upcoming, Ingrid is co-producing Peter Mettler’s Time Being with the National Film Board of Canada, and releasing her next feature (i am a good person/i am a bad person). She is also joining the film faculty at York University to teach 3rd and 4th year students.

Charles Wilkinson

Independent Writer/Director

Charles Wilkinson got his start in feature documentary production while shooting a short documentary for the NFB (The Little Town That Did). During the shoot he and the crew secretly shot a feature film, My Kind of Town, which went on to receive national theatrical release. Charles has since directed 6 independent features and numerous TV movies and episodes. He’s also continued writing feature length screenplays, five of which have been produced to date. Charles has been awarded a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of British Columbia, teaches film directing at Capilano University, and continues to direct film and television programs, including his first feature doc, Peace Out.