Louisa Connolly-Burnham
Director/Actor
Louisa Connolly-Burnham is an award-winning director & screenwriter from Birmingham. She founded the production company THIMBLE FILMS in 2019 & she is a member of the female filmmaking collective CINESISTERS. In January 2024 Louisa wrapped principle photography on SISTER WIVES the short which she wrote, directed, produced & starred in alongside BAFTA-winner Mia McKenna-Bruce (How To Have Sex).
The film recently begun its festival run at Oscar-qualifying festivals: HollyShorts & Deadcenter & BAFTA-qualifying festivals: The Iris Prize with a “Best British Film” nom + Bolton Film Festival, BIFA-qualifying festivals: Brighton Rocks with a ‘Best Director’ win, Sunrise Film Festival with a ‘Best British Film’ nom & Unrestricted View Film Festival in London where it received a ‘Best Actress’ nom & ‘Best Costume’ win. Sister Wives was long-listed for a BAFTA, qualified for Oscars and wrapped its festival run winning Best Drama at the Utah International Film Festival.
Her directorial debut THE CALL CENTRE, which she also wrote, had a successful festival run, including the Oscar- qualifying Foyle Film Festival with a nom for ‘Best International Film’, Aesthetica Film Festival, Underwire Film Festival with a “Best Producer” nom, whilst also winning the audience awards at ÉCU Film Festival & Sunday Shorts Film Festival.
Louisa’s second film THE TRACK followed suit, with a successful run at the Oscar-qualifying Durban International Film Festival, BAFTA-qualifying festivals: British Urban Film Festival & Carmarthen Film Festival and a best director award at the 2022 World Indie Film Awards. It also screened at BIFA-qualifying Manchester Film Festival, London Independent Film Festival & Manchester/London Lift- Off Film Festival.
Her third short film THE CEILING, which discusses arousal non-concordance & consent, recently begun it’s festival run, starting at the BIFA-qualifying Exit 6 Film Festival. Her fourth short film FLEETING set in the Irish ‘Repeal The Eighth’ referendum in 2018 has just begun it’s festival run starting at the IFTA-qualifying Catalyst Film Festival.
Rodrigo Moreno-Fernandez
Director
Rodrigo Moreno-Fernandez is an independent filmmaker based in South Texas whose work encompasses writing, directing, producing and editing. His films are marked by character-driven storytelling, meticulous visual composition and deliberate pacing, reflecting a sustained interest in intimate, human-centered narratives. Working across short and feature formats, Rodrigo approaches each project with a hands-on sensibility, often guiding films from development through postproduction to ensure a coherent creative vision.Rodrigo made his feature debut with The Whole, which earned multiple festival honors including Best Screenplay at Reel East Texas (2017), Best of the Fest at South Texas Underground (2017), and Best Fiction Film at Rockport Film Festival (2017). His short Ramona received strong recognition on the festival circuit as well, winning Best Short Thriller at the Bare Bones International Film Festival (2019), Best Short Film at South Texas Underground (2019), and Best Drama at Hollywood South (2019). The short Strings further elevated his profile, collecting awards such as Best Emerging Filmmaker at the San Antonio Film Festival (SAFILM, 2023), Filmmaker of the Year at Austin Revolution (2023), a Silver Remi at WorldFest–Houston (2023), plus Best Short at Poppy Jasper (2023) and the Vanguard Award at Idyllwild Film Festival.
Across his body of work, Rodrigo’s awards underscore strengths in writing, direction and the cultivation of strong performances. He continues to develop original projects that foreground nuanced character work and precise cinematic craft while maintaining an active festival and exhibition presence.
Joyce Liu-Countryman
Director, Producer, Writer, Actress
Joyce Liu-Countryman is a BIPOC filmmaker and the ultimate mid-life career pivoter—from research psychologist to DEI consultant to professional actor and now filmmaker (because life’s too short). She cares about stories that center intersectional and marginalized identities. Raised in San Francisco, the home of free speech, Joyce learned early on that inclusion and activism are the bedrocks of meaningful social change. Her award-winning films like EAT WITH ME and THE GREATEST NIGHT IN POP have screened at major festivals including Film Independent’s own Los Angeles Film Festival, Sundance, Tribeca, and OutFest, and are streaming everywhere from Netflix to Peacock to Amazon Prime. As a producer at Disney and Pixar, her original short-form non-fiction videos have racked up over 167 million views. She holds an MFA from AFI, an MS from UW-Madison, and a BA from UCLA. She’s a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, a 2023 Project Involve Fellow and a Television Academy Producer Peer Group member. Joyce is also a part of the SAG-AFTRA LA Women’s Committee. She currently produces independently and freelances in production management while teaching at Cal State Long Beach and AFI. This is her first screenplay to leave the nest.
Dominique R. Draper
Director
Draper graduated from USC School of Cinematic Arts with a focus on directing, writing, and producing. Born in Houston and raised with Memphis roots, he is the eldest of seven siblings and a first-generation college graduate.
His storytelling approach draws inspiration from Memphis Soul legends Isaac Hayes and Al Green, 90s Hip-Hop artists Ice Cube, Scarface, and Tupac, and acclaimed directors Spike Lee, John Singleton, Gordon Parks, and Martin Scorsese.
Draper’s short film “Hell of a Child,” tells the story of Robert “Yummy” Sandifer, an 11-year-old who faced inevitable defeat on Chicago’s southside in 1994. The film has earned a Programmer’s Award at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival, Best Cinematography at the Trinity Film Festival, and was selected to screen at the Directors Guild of America.
Emma Barrow
Director
Emma Barrow is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. She is an award-winning writer and filmmaker with a BFA in Acting from California Institute of the Arts. Her writing often centers complex intergenerational family dynamics and strong Cherokee women.
Emma is a Vision Maker Media Creative Shorts Fellow 2024, a de Groot Foundation Courage to Write Grantee 2024, an ISA Top 25 Screenwriter to Watch 2023, a ISA FastTrack Fellow 2022, a Native American Media Alliance Feature Lab Fellow 2021, the NWSG Stowe Story Labs Fellow 2021 and a Native American Media Alliance TV Lab Fellow 2020.
Tejal Desai
Writer, Director
Tejal Desai is an award-winning screenwriter. He is an Academy Gold member for the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences (AMPAS) and also a Nicholl Fellow for the AMPAS. Tejal won the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting for his comedy Linda and Henry. Tejal also won the Final Draft Screenwriting award for his feature screenplay Cowboys and Hindus. Tejal has written for Disney, Focus Features and Lifetime. Tejal holds a BS in Pharmacy from University of Connecticut and a BA in Film from SUNY Purchase.
Sharon Sibyl Gatt
Director, Actress
Originally from Malta and now based in London, Sharon is a multilingual creative with a background in storytelling, acting, and design. Her passion for performance led her to train at RADA, the Actor’s Centre, and Shakespeare’s Globe. She began her career as a Graphic Designer, which opened the door to collaborations with award-winning filmmakers and earned her a place as a BAFTA Connect member in 2023.
Expanding into filmmaking, Sharon completed the Raindance Director’s Foundation Certificate and screenwriting courses. Her projects include a feature script selected for the Malta Film Festival and a stage writing debut at The Pleasance Theatre. Her directorial debut short film, Hopeful, was screened at the Coastal Currents Arts Festival. Her latest film Decode Me, supported by Arts Council Malta is in the festival circuit.
Devin Montgomery
Director, Actor
Devin Montgomery has started to make a name for himself for his films he writes, directs, and stars in. His directorial debut was the feature film “Monsters Within” (2025). It screened all over the world winning over audiences with its emotionally charged and raw tone. It got picked up for distribution and is due to be released October 2025 on Amazon Prime and Vudu Fandango At Home. Screambox acquired it, and it will have its Streaming Premiere in November 2025 as well. He is working on his next short films and turning those into feature films and a series.
Regina Simons
Director, Writer
Regina Dezbah Simons is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and editor devoted to [re]presenting Native American narratives. She holds an MFA in Film and Media Arts from the University of Utah. Her work centers on identity, cultural memory, and Indigenous resistance.
Her acclaimed short film ‘Pretendian’ explores appropriation, identity fraud, and the culture surrounding public accountability. Through visually poetic and deeply personal storytelling, Regina challenges dominant narratives and expands the conversation around Native representation.
Grounded in lived experience, her creative practice is shaped by reclamation, resilience, and truth.
Inaki Velasquez
Director
Inaki Velasquez is a film director from Chile. His work has been qualified for the Academy Awards, being selected at festivals like Palm Springs Shortfest, Manchester IFF, Curta Cinema IFF, Newport Beach IFF, among others. His work focuses on real life stories, the relationship of humans to technology and new formats like webseries, digital fiction, among others.
Nuk Suwanchote
Director
Nuk Suwanchote is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker. His recent projects have taken him and his team to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
A graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in Film Studies, Nuk has built a professional career in both commercials and narrative films. His dedication to his craft earned him a regional Emmy Award for cinematography, showcasing his talent and commitment to storytelling.
Tillie Howard
Actor, Writer, Producer
Tillie Howard is a bilingual actor, writer, producer, and assistant director whose work blends sharp wit, emotional precision, and a deep respect for craft.
Her dramatic western short A Disturbance in the High Desert, which she wrote, starred in, and executive produced, premiered at the Oscar-qualifying LA Shorts International Film Festival and went on to win Best Editing for a Short Film at the Carmel International Film Festival, with additional nominations including Best Short Film. As a producer and assistant director, she also helped bring the comedic short My Little Hobby to audiences on the festival circuit.
Elise Beers
Director
Elise Beers Aachix̂ Qağaduug is an award-winning director and an enrolled member of the Aleut/Unangan Native American Tribe. With a BFA in Dance Performance, Choreography, and Filmmaking from BYU and an MFA from the American Film Institute Conservatory, Elise’s directorial vision is driven by her deep connection to nature, cultural heritage, and authentic performances. Her work, which spans documentaries, short narratives, music videos, and Screendance, such as SETTLE, focuses on creating contemporary Indigenous art. Elise’s background as a Dancer and Choreographer with EarthWorksDance Company informs her cinematic approach, blending movement, visual storytelling, and a rich narrative style. Outside of her film career, she has performed professional Improv for Comedy Sportz for over ten years. is also a certified PT who enjoys climbing mountains.
Ali Cook
Actor, Writer, Producer, Director
Ali Cook’s directorial debut THE PEARL COMB is the only short film to be both Oscar short listed and BAFTA long listed for 2026. The film has won over seventy five awards including the Coveted Melies D’Argent. It has also screened at nine Oscar qualifying frstivals. It follows Ali’s BAFTA long listed short, THE CUNNING MAN. It screened at 88 international film festivals and won thirty three awards.
Ali Cook’s acting credits include the BAFTA nominated & BIFA winning film KAJAKI (Dir. Paul Katis), MUSCLE (Dir. Gerard Johnson), HOW TO FAKE A WAR alongside Katherine Parkinson (Dir. Rudolph Herzog) and as series regular DCI Simmons in RAGDOLL for AMC/BBC1