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    Jury

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    Aminata Barry

    I work as a sexual assault counsellor and private practice therapist, supporting survivors and individuals navigating diverse mental health concerns. I’m passionate about weaving creativity into healing. I love exploring art and storytelling as tools for connection. My favorite film is Everything Everywhere All at Once.

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    Jessica Heidt

    Jessica Heidt is an award winning producer and director, currently working at Pixar Animation Studios, where she most recently managed the art department for the upcoming film, Hoppers. She is a TEDx speaker and a fierce advocate for more inclusive onscreen representation.

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    Edmund Stenson

    Edmund Stenson’s work as director spans both documentary and fiction and focuses on social issues, loners and nomads. He most recently directed BLINK, a National Geographic feature. Before that, he was an associate editor on BAFTA- and Oscar®-winner Navalny (2022), a documentary-thriller about the Russian dissident’s poisoning.

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    Christiane Alfred

    Christiane Alfred is a UK-based registered counsellor and psychotherapist with a private practice, Cee The Counsellor, offering therapy to individuals aged 16 and above. Christiane enjoys baking, reading, and have recently taken up knitting.

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    Natasha Roop

    Natasha is an Indigqueer therapist both Splatsin First Nations and European, and is committed to helping decolonize the field of counselling and to create a healing space for BIPOC individuals to heal from intergenerational trauma.

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    Searit Huluf

    Searit Kahsay Huluf, a UCLA-trained screenwriter, has worked at Pixar on Incredibles 2 and Turning Red, directed award-winning shorts including Self on Disney+, earned major festival recognition, and leads international workshops while serving on film festival juries and directing theater.

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    Saba Lurie

    Saba Harouni Lurie is a licensed marriage and family therapist, board-certified art therapist, and founder of Take Root Therapy in Los Angeles. She teaches at Loyola Marymount University and specializes in complex trauma. She's a first-generation, queer parent who loves film.

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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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    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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    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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    Kimberly Diggles

    Kimberly Diggles (she/her) is a licensed therapist in California. Dr. Diggles facilitates healing within couples, families, and communities impacted by trauma, centering resilience in folks who have been historically marginalized in society. Outside of work Kimberly enjoys running, eating, and traveling--sometimes all at the same time! Her favorite film is "Forrest Gump."

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    Paula Assadourian

    Paula is a passionate artist and director hailing from Mexico City with over 10 years of storytelling experience at studios like Pixar Animation Studios, Dreamworks and Sony Pictures Animations.

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    Karen Ausejo

    Karen Ausejo is a Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW) with more than 20 years of experience in mental health and counselling. She is currently in private practice as a therapist in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, having previously worked as a clinician and clinical coordinator in prominent public mental health organizations focusing on children, youth, and families.

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    India Barnardo

    India Barnardo has worked in the film industry for 19 years at an array of companies within the animation industry and is currently with Disney. She has always had a passion for storytelling and in her spare time she loves to write, hike and paint.

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    Louis Conibear

    Louis is an integrative counsellor and crisis support worker for a mental health charity that provides immediate support in his local area. He enjoys long-distance running, spending time outdoors and eating out. His favourite films explore identity and relationships.

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    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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    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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    Aliza Brugger

    Aliza Brugger, an award-winning screenwriter and director from rural Nebraska with an MFA from Columbia, lives in Los Angeles. Their internationally recognized work explores queerness, class, and family dysfunction, aiming to create empathy and connection through narrative, music, and commercial projects.

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    Stefan Credidio

    Stefan is a non-binary, trans masc, trauma-informed, kink-aware, GSRD and neuro-affirming therapist who runs their online holistic counselling private practice in Glasgow, supporting individuals, couples, and polycules.

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    Miryam Charles

    Miryam Charles is a Haitian-Canadian filmmaker based in Montreal. Her debut feature Cette maison premiered at the Berlinale, screened at AFI Fest, TIFF Top 10, and Sight & Sound’s Best of 2022. Her work has shown internationally in major museums and galleries.

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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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    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.

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    Brianna Morton

    Brianna Morton is a neuro-affirming therapist and ADHD coach who supports neurodivergent individuals through understanding, self-acceptance, and advocacy. She founded Understanding ADHD and co-hosts Hypercast: An ADHD Podcast. Passionate about representation in storytelling, she especially loves sci-fi and fantasy films. Beaux is a dog and a princess and is definitely helping with the jurying.

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    Hae Ji Cho

    Hae Ji Cho (she/her) is a two-time recipient of the VWI Film Grant. She dedicates her time studying a variety of art mediums, writing / directing / producing indie films (live-action and animation), and casting / story producing for global marketing campaigns.

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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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    Rachel Rose

    Rachel Rose is a filmmaker with a history of telling powerful stories and bringing together awesome queer and femme creatives.

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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.

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    Michael Makaroff

    Michael Makaroff has an extensive track record of directing music videos, collaborating with Grammy and Juno Award-winning and nominated artists such as Alex Cuba, Jill Barber, Luca Fogale, and Jon & Roy. His commercial portfolio includes projects with renowned companies such as Arc'teryx, BC & Alberta Milk, and P&G.

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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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    Priscilla Jayne

    BIO - Priscilla Jayne is an LA-based producer and creative development assistant to writer John Rice. She is currently producing a documentary on survivors of assault by a university gynecologist. She also enjoys casting indie films. The movie that keeps her inspired is Mulholland Drive.

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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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    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.

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    Julie Wadley

    Julie's career has been entirely within public services in England. She trained as a nurse in the 1980’s and then moved into social work. Working within residential care, supporting adults with learning difficulties and then fostering and adult services. Recently, Julie started a palliative care social work position. With a youthful outlook, Julie loves a good musical!

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    Perry Voulgaris

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

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    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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    Heather Thrasher

    Heather is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and Family Mediator working in Victoria and surrounding areas of Vancouver Island, BC. Heather has worked directly with families, in various capacities, for the past 18 years and loves the work she does to support change and wellness.

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    Salman Khan

    Salman Alam Khan is a filmmaker from Pakistan based in the US working in independent fiction and documentary. His work addresses cultural diversity, human rights & social issues.

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    Myranda Hulka

    I am a director and stop-motion animator from Portland, Oregon working in the genres of fantasy and psychological drama, using creatures and extreme environments to delve into a character's psyche and how they are affected by the world.

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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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    Davy Stoces

    Davy Stoces (they/them) is an award-winning animator with a passion for storytelling. Their thesis film “Our Little Worlds” won Best Animated Film at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, and was selected for three more festivals.

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    Max Wasserstrom

    Max Wasserstrom (he/him) is passionate about developing his writing talents, often working on stories with Davy Stoces. Interested in law, he one day hopes to integrate his passion for academics and the arts to ensure artists receive the recognition they deserve.

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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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    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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    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+.