The Visible and Invisible of Mental Health

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    Films

    Focus Throw

    The Spinning Wheel

    i absolutely hate this place

    A Town Called Needville

    I Bathe With Moths

    Looking Glass

    In My Skin

    Animals

    Unfolding

    Sorry I Missed Your Call

    Filmmakers

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    Hae Ji Cho

    Hae Ji Cho is a Korean Brazilian American writer-director exploring the beauty and grief in human contradictions. With experience across scripted and unscripted media, her work has contributed to projects nominated for Clio, Webby, and Shorty Awards.

    Meghna Chakraborty

    Meghna Chakraborty is an LA-based director, producer and dancer/choreographer. Her projects span documentaries, music videos and narrative film.

    Audrey Lane

    With a background in psychology and experience working with end-of-life and special needs individuals, Audrey embraces filmmaking with care and humility. Audrey's projects often focus on activism and delve into themes such as mental health.

    Mentors

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    Gavin Seal

    South Asian Québécois Canadian Writers Guild of Canada prize-winning filmmaker and President of Intersectionnel Films. ​ Favourite film: Gattaca

    A man with dreadlocks wearing a red shirt and jeans sits on a set of concrete stairs in an outdoor setting.

    Bomani J Story

    Bomani J. Story, a USC graduate, is a writer and director. His 2018 film Rock Steady Row won awards at Slamdance. In 2023, his directorial debut, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, premiered at SXSW and theaters.

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    Josephine Anderson

    Josephine Anderson is a documentary filmmaker exploring time, irreverence, and female experience. Her work has screened at Tribeca, IDFA, and Hot Docs and been showcased by The New Yorker, CBC, and the NFB. She is a Berlinale and CFC alumna.

    A woman in a black dress is holding an Emmy award trophy while posing in front of a backdrop featuring the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences logo.

    Nancy Schwartzman

    Nancy Schwartzman is an Emmy winning and Peabody nominated documentary filmmaker and a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences.

    A man sits at a mixing console surrounded by various electronic musical instruments and equipment in a recording studio setting.

    Johnny Knittle

    Johnny is a music composer primarily for animation but loves all things sound. At 6, his first dream career was to be a syndicated comic strip artist, ended up on guitar instead. He also enjoys DnD, mainly for the cool dice.

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    Fu Yang

    Fu is a stop-motion filmmaker and partner at the boutique animation studio, Cafe LaBobo. She specializes in mixed media storytelling and crafts each project from concept to final. In one of her past productions, she directed a segment for "Yo Gabba GabbaLand!", streaming on Apple TV+.

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    Jeff Petry

    Jeff Lee Petry is a Canadian-born documentary producer, director, and cinematographer. He is co-founder of SALAZAR, a Vancouver-based production company focused on documentaries. Jeff has earned a Grammy and Juno nomination, been honoured in the British parliament, and has had multiple films included in the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Library.

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    Natalie Sandy

    Natalie Sandy is a television and film producer for AppleTV+ based out of Los Angeles, CA. ​​​​ Favourite film: Silence of the Lambs

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    Mitra Shahidi

    Mitra Shahidi is an Iranian-American, director, screenwriter, working as a Story Artist at Pixar. Shahidi's passion for art and storytelling began at a young age and led her to pursue a career in animation in United States.

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    Glenn Holsten

    Glenn Holsten creates human-driven documentary films about art, social justice and mental health. I explore journeys of recovery and discovery, and strive to give the “red carpet treatment” to stories that are hiding in plain sight.

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    Linnea Velikonja

    Linnea is a Canadian sexologist, mental health advocate, and gender-based violence prevention specialist. Her work has involved developing and leading evidence-based education programs and resources related to sexual health in post-secondary institutions.

    Jurors

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    Emily Diamond

    Dr Emily, a lover of illustration and arts, studies mental health and societies under strain from climate destabilization. Favourite film: The Last Emperor

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    Juan Sosa

    Juan Sosa, M.D. is a psychiatrist with sub-specialty training in forensic and addiction psychiatry. Dr. Sosa appreciates the use of various art forms, including film, to highlight and reflect on the impact mental illness has on those diagnosed.

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    Amanda Holda

    Associate Director of Advising and Student Services in NYU's Applied Psychology Undergraduate Program.

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    Angela Isabelle

    Psychology graduate dreaming of making the world even the slightest bit better through MH advocacy! ​ Favourite film: Barbie

    Deena Gorland

    Associate Director of Archives at the Melvin Sabshin, M.D., Library & Archives, preserving psychiatric histories!​ Favourite film: Parasite

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    Jane Carter

    I am a socially conscious psychologist who is full of mischief, and a lover of motorcycle trips! Favourite film: The Lobster

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    Michelle Jobes

    Dr. Michelle Jobes is a dedicated public servant working in substance use disorder research with an eye and heart always on reducing the stigma of substance use disorders and mental health.

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    Mikaela Ivanco

    Dedicated and creative health promoter with over a decade of experience in evidence-based health promotion. 

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    Abigail Palazzo

    I'm a nonprofit communications strategist and a Georgia Bulldog! ​ ​ ​ ​Favourite film: Poor Things

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    Katie Bendel

    I like learning about mental health, helping other people feel less alone, and spending time outside (with my dogs)!​ ​ Favourite film: Billy & Molly

    Kim Lange (Huynh)

    Kim Lange is a filmmaker, photographer, curator, and mindfulness facilitator based in Charleston, SC. Favourite film: Almost Famous

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    Lilia Coffin

    Corporate and Foundation Relations Officer for the APAF, excited to work with other groups supporting mental health. Favourite film: Clue

    Mel Jonnson

    ​N/A - kept private due to current work

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    Olivia DePaul

    An Occupational Therapist who loves helping others reach their full potential.​ ​ Favourite film: Airplane!

    A black and white portrait of a middle-aged man with short gray hair and a serious expression, set against a dark background.

    Perry Voulgaris

    Creating, managing, launching and distributing programming in screen-based, immersive and experiential media.​ ​ Favourite film: Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

    Richard Espinoza

    Dr. E is a psychologist passionate about expressive arts therapy, applying cinematherapy to help healing. Favourite film: The Silence of the Lambs

    Sarah Coupland

    ​N/A - kept private due to current work

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    SJ Valiquette

    SJ (she/ they) is an actor, poet & photographer from Treaty 7 who moonlights as a beekeeper & farmhand.​

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    Sol Mirkin

    Creative problem-solver who enjoys fusing art, design + tech to inspire change & discover new ideas Favourite film: Hunt for the wilderpeople

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    Sonya Littlejohn

    I'm a poet, writer and community championing active listener who loves movies!​​ ​ Favourite film: The Princess Bride

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    Hao Zhou

    Zhou is a filmmaker from Southwest China, making films in narrative and documentary genres.​ ​ Favourite film: Days of Being Wild

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    Randy Kelly

    Randy Kelly is an award-winning director, editor, and cameraman based in the Ottawa/Gatineau area. With 25 years of experience in film, TV, and documentaries, he focuses on projects highlighting Indigenous cultures, traveling across Canada and internationally.

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    Feyannie Hung

    Feyannie Hung was born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan, and is based in Vancouver, BC. Fey graduated with a degree in Film Production from the University of British Columbia and currently works in the film industry. Fey has been nominated for and has won a number of notable awards including the Leos Award and awards at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival and Seattle Asian American Film Festival. Fey has produced short films including Especially Joy (2019), Midlife (2019), Cheers! (2019), The First Coffee (2020), American Girl (2020), and Coming Home to Myself (2022), and worked on Avatar the Last Airbender, Shazam 2, The Last of Us, and more.

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    Asha Alaji-Sharif

    With a passion for creativity, Asha aims to uplift underrepresented communities through storytelling. She is a graphic designer and filmmaker from Atlanta, GA, who has created two documentary shorts through VWI. Her favorite film is Zoolander!

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    David McShane

    Director and animator based in London, love stories centered around queerness & fantasy. Primarily work in stop-motion! ​ Favourite film: Pan's Labyrinth

    A man with a beard and curly hair is shown against an orange background, looking directly at the camera with a friendly expression.

    Gavin Seal

    South Asian Québécois Canadian Writers Guild of Canada prize-winning filmmaker and President of Intersectionnel Films. ​ Favourite film: Gattaca

    A man with a beard and glasses, wearing a black shirt, stands in a dark background.

    Jason Eskuzian

    A 2023 Voices With Impact grant recipient, Jason Eksuzian is an award-winning director, writer, producer and cinematographer based in Los Angeles, California. As both a scripted and unscripted director, Jason has helmed a vast array of projects, from independent short films to commercials and network television shows.

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    Jaime Jacobsen

    A filmmaker who uses storytelling and her work directing the Center for Science Communication at Colorado State Uni.

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    Kincaid Walker

    Kincaid Walker, a Northwestern graduate based in LA, is an actress, writer, and producer. She has appeared alongside Rosario Dawson, Minnie Driver, Aziz Ansari, and Nick Offerman. Kincaid also created the award-winning digital series Hug it Out and received a writing fellowship from the Ucross Foundation. Favourite film: The Royal Tenenbaums

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    Carly Stock

    Carly is a LPCC in Oakland, California. She approaches therapy from an existential lens and supports adults trying to navigate dread, worry, fear and depression. She's passionate about sustainability, cycling and films! She loves anything by David Lynch and Wong Kar-wai.

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    Julie Colman

    Head of Production at Rural Media and Rural Studios and I absolutely love films that make an impact!​​ Favourite film: Cabaret

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    Margaret Kroen

    Margaret Kroen is a clinical social worker from Baltimore. In her long diverse career, she’s learned that all people have both beauty and pain inside. Art nourishes beauty and sends love to the pain.

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    Sierra McCullough

    Prospective Masters of Clinical Psychology student with a keen interest in film! ​ Favourite film: Charlie's Angels

    A man with a serious expression sits on a bench in front of a rocky, cave-like background.

    Nich Perez

    Nich Perez is a Filipino-American filmmaker and educator, blending human connection with storytelling. Through his nonprofit, the Nonprofit Film Collective, he crafts powerful narratives that inspire change. His latest film, letters to eleanore, explores disability, hope, and community.

    A young woman with glasses sits at a table, holding two colorful toy caterpillars in front of a vibrant blue background.

    Fu Yang

    Fu is a stop-motion filmmaker and partner at the boutique animation studio, Cafe LaBobo. She specializes in mixed media storytelling and crafts each project from concept to final. In one of her past productions, she directed a segment for "Yo Gabba GabbaLand!", streaming on Apple TV+.

    A smiling woman with curly dark hair wearing a gray shirt and resting her chin on her hand against a plain gray background.

    Shenuka Corea

    Shenuka Corea is a visual storyteller from Sri Lanka and is the creator of the animated shorts ‘Sweet Oranges’ and ‘The Plastic Horror’. She is currently working on a graphic novel. In her free time, Shenuka enjoys fiber arts and Dungeons and Dragons.

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    Emilie Cheung

    Emilie is a shorts director based in the UK. After training with the BFI Film Academy in 2016, she made her directorial debut at 17, with a commission from Channel 4’s ‘Random Acts’, for her short film ‘Pas De Deux’. She’s since gone on to direct a variety of projects; from social media commercials for ‘Adolescent Content’, to narrative shorts, including Underwire nominated ‘Walk of Shame’. sid

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    Aiden Keltner

    San Diego & LA based filmmaker, 2 time Emmy Award recipient, VWI Alum and William Male Foundation Grant awardee. Favourite film: Capernaum

    A black and white portrait of a woman with dark, wavy hair and a pensive expression, set against a textured background.

    Leanne Dimant

    Leanne, a Northern Canada-raised film director now in the UK, has created films for the Red Cross, Glastonbury Festival, and the V&A Museum. She is currently producing a documentary funded by the BFI Doc Society. Favourite Film: Lady Macbeth.

    A smiling woman with wavy blonde hair wearing an orange dress stands in front of a gray background.

    Natalie Sandy

    Natalie Sandy is a television and film producer for AppleTV+ based out of Los Angeles, CA. ​​​​ Favourite film: Silence of the Lambs