VSFF
TEAM
Each year, Vancouver Short Film Festival is produced by a team of passionate film-loving organizers who donate countless hours to producing our annual celebration of Canadian short-form works, as well as year-round festival operations.
Board of Directors
Kristyn Stilling
She/Her
Chair of the Board
Born and raised in White Rock, BC, Kristyn Stilling has been active in the Canadian film community as a Producer for over 10 years. Her first feature film, Golden Delicious, premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival in Oct 2022 and has screened at over 15 festivals. Kristyn’s 2020 short film, FREYA, won 5 Leo Awards including Best Short Film. FREYA sold to CBC Gem and the Dust channel where it has 40K views. Kristyn has worked for such organizations as the National Film Board of Canada, eOne, Whistler Film Festival, Crazy8s Film Society, and Kickstart Entertainment. IMBD
Forman Howes
He/Him
Secretary
Forman Howes teaches video production and animation at the Byng Arts high school program in Vancouver. For twenty years he has helped young filmmakers develop their skills and launch their careers. His student’s films have won awards at festivals all over North America, including the VSFF. As part of his program he has written and directed four short films and one feature as a way to provide a mentorship experience for his students. He looks forward to continuing the tradition of excellence at the Vancouver Short Film Festival.
Paul Armstrong
He/Him
Outreach Director
Paul Armstrong is an award-winning Vancouver film, television and theatre producer with over 75 film producing credits including both short form as well as feature films including Lawrence & Holloman and Cool Daddy. Paul is also the founder, programmer and producer of The Celluloid Social Club, an in-person screening series of short films, and from 2013-2022 was an Executive Director of Crazy8s, the 8 day short filmmaking challenge. Paul has been on the Board of the Vancouver Short Film Festival since its inception.
Marena Dix
She/Her
General Director
Marena Dix is an award winning filmmaker from Vancouver, BC. After beginning her career 10 years ago in producing short film, she found her calling in Post Production and has since gone on to Supervise for Hallmark to Netflix. As a passionate member of the Vancouver film industry, Marena also serves on the board for both GEMS and VSFF. She previously directed the Vancouver Short Film Festival from 2016 - 2020 and has returned to the role for the 2024 season.
Grace Chin
She/Her
General Director
Grace Chin produces, writes, edits, and acts. Based in Vancouver, BC's cross-cultural and creative industries, she co-founded the Pan-Asian Staged Reading Society and its script development platform, Scripting Aloud; is the Executive Director of Crazy8s; and is General Manager of Ruby Slippers Theatre. She is a Playwrights Guild of Canada and UBCP/ACTRA member, and a marketing content specialist. She was Festival Director of Vancouver Asian Film Festival and has served on various boards, juries, and panels.
Javier Badillo
He/Him
General Director
Javier Badillo is a Venezuelan-Canadian film producer, writer and director, and owner of the production company Spitshine Flicks. He was the Director of Programming of the Vancouver Short Film Festival from 2012 to 2019. After directing more than a dozen short films, Javier released his feature-length debut, the crowdfunded war drama ROADS OF ITHRIYAH, in 2022. His second feature film as a producer is ENMANUEL (2023), a documentary which follows a Venezuelan refugee family in Colombia. In his free time, Javier enjoys long walks on the beach and saving kittens.
Paul Armstrong is an award-winning Vancouver film, television and theatre producer with over 75 film producing credits including both short form as well as feature films including Lawrence & Holloman and Cool Daddy. Paul is also the founder, programmer and producer of The Celluloid Social Club, an in-person screening series of short films, and from 2013-2022 was an Executive Director of Crazy8s, the 8 day short filmmaking challenge. Paul has been on the Board of the Vancouver Short Film Festival since its inception.
Paul Armstrong
He/Him
Outreach Director
Melanie Jones
They/Them
General Director
Based in Vancouver, Melanie is an award-winning filmmaker of over a dozen short films, including the Crazy 8’s Comedy, Shuttlecock. Melanie’s first feature FSM earned them a Leo nomination for Best Directing and they are an alumnus of numerous talent labs including the TIFF Writer’s Studio, Women in the Director’s Chair, and Reykjavik Talent Lab.
Festival Co-Directors
Duncan Carr
He/They
Festival Co-Director
Duncan Carr is a Scottish-Canadian film producer and screenwriter. He is an LCFA alumni who dabbles in finance and production logistics. He works as a Producer, Production Manager and 1st AD for independent films and as a Production Assistant and Health & Safety Manager on network television. He brings years of experience in event coordination and non-profit management. He is committed to combating the erasure of Canadian-created content. He loves bringing people together to play board games and tabletop roleplaying games.
Marena Dix
She/Her
Festival Co-Director
Marena Dix is an award winning filmmaker from Vancouver, BC. After beginning her career 10 years ago in producing short film, she found her calling in Post Production and has since gone on to Supervise for Hallmark to Netflix. As a passionate member of the Vancouver film industry, Marena also serves on the board for both GEMS and VSFF. She previously directed the Vancouver Short Film Festival from 2016 - 2020 and has returned to the role for the 2024 season.
Staff
EVENT TEAM
Andrea Feltin
She/Her
Event Manager
Andrea is a filmmaker and comedian based in so-called Vancouver, BC who’s written, directed, and produced short films, documentaries, web series, comedy and commercials. Her films have screened across the web, with several receiving festival accolades and audience choice awards, including Girl Band (2017), A Sprinkle in Time (2017), and Retreat (2016). With a knack for performing and an addiction to making people laugh, Andrea is involved with improv troupes, theatre companies, and stand-up comedy. She enjoys creating thought-provoking content with humour and heart.
Krista McMillan
She/Her
Event Manager
Krista has spent the past 10 years in creative production work, from unscripted television to coordinating a documentary with the National Film Board. Krista found her home in corporate production where she's spent the last five years producing e-commerce photo and video for Article.
Charissa Wong
She/Her
Volunteer Coordinator
Charissa started her journey with VSFF as a volunteer back in 2018 and has stuck around ever since. She has also worked as the Volunteer Manager for Crazy8s. In her day to day life, Charissa is a middle school teacher who basks in the chaos and fun that comes with educating and connecting with mini humans. Currently, she enjoys occasional success with gardening and is re-entering her K-pop phase.
Daniel Oong
He/Him
Technical Manager
Daniel has two decades of experience in project management, media and event production, and creative technologies. His work spans a range of industries, from community non-profits in Vancouver to international broadcast operations at the Olympic Games. Daniel earned his Master's degree in Television Producing and Management from Boston University in 2021. While he continues to work in technical management roles, he is setting his sights on a new journey to produce his own independent media projects.
Abigail Markowitz
She/Her
Technical Coordinator
Originally from Southern California, Abigail Markowitz moved to Vancouver to study film at SFU, pursuing documentary film and sound design. She works at The Cinematheque as a projectionist and on various independent films in post-production. Alongside her partner, she creates experimental documentaries that explore and seek to illicit sincere emotional connection between one another and the subjects. Currently, she is learning how to balance gardening while her cats try to use the beds as their litter box.
Victoria McNeil
She/Her
Box Office Manager
This is Victoria's first year with the Vancouver Short Film Festival and she is thrilled to be running the box office. Victoria is a recent UBC Theatre grad with a passion for sound design and live events. She has previously worked in the box office with the UBC Film Society, Ticketmaster, and The Cultch. Her hobbies include running, scooping ice cream, and seeing live theatre.
DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Aaron Chandra
He/Him
Grant Coordinator
This is Aaron's first year with the Vancouver Short Film Festival.
Bernardo Villarreal
He/Him
Sponsorship Coordinator
Bernardo Villarreal is a filmmaker based in Vancouver. With a passion for exploring complex characters and themes, his work transports audiences into a world of self-reflection and introspection. Throughout his career he has directed a wide range of short-form content, as well as producing films, commercials, and music videos. His focus on character development and attention to detail has made his work stand out, as he strives to bring his creative visions to life. As a hands-on filmmaker, Bernardo is known for his ability to take projects from concept to reality.
Gerard Chandra
He/Him
Client Coordinator
This is Gerard's first year with the Vancouver Short Film Festival.
Jasmin Wanzheng Lyu
She/Her
Community Partnerships Coordinator
This is Jasmin's first year with the Vancouver Short Film Festival.
Ty Javos
He/Him
Outreach Coordinator
Ty Javos is a Canadian actor, director, & writer based in Vancouver, BC. With a background spanning creative arts, mental health, and project management, Ty has excelled in various roles, including clinician at the Canadian Mental Health Association and coordinator for the international art fair Art Vancouver. As a filmmaker, his work has garnered recognition at prestigious festivals, with upcoming projects including A Cast of Shade and Violent Skin. Currently serving as Outreach Coordinator at VSFF, Ty leverages his skills to foster positive connections within the filmmaking community.
MARKETING TEAM
Jacob McNeil
They/Them
Director of Marketing
Jacob is a Vancouver-based writer and producer with over ten years of experience in the film industry. They have an MFA in Screenwriting from York University and a BFA in Film Production from the University of British Columbia. Jacob's films have screened at festivals like the Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF Kids, and the National Screen Institute Online Film Festival. They are passionate about creating opportunities for new voices in the film community, using their work with festivals to platform young filmmakers and connect them with audiences.
Kashish Hukku Jani
She/Her
Marketing Coordinator
Kashish Hukku Jani is an award-winning graphic designer with a Bachelor of Design (2023) from Emily Carr University of Art + Design. Her practice is influenced by critical race and gender studies; and diasporic visual cultures. Her design practice focuses on Print Design, Data Visualization, and Web Design, and has worked in the spaces of UX/UI design, Infographic Design, Participatory Design, Branding, and Marketing. For her advocacy work, she was awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Inclusion, Democracy, and Reconciliation (2023). For more, see: kashishhj.com
Jordan Bolt
He/Him
Graphic Designer
Jordan adores projects that are personal visions, labours of love and totally unique. He works with other designers, artists, musicians, filmmakers and geniuses to communicate shared visions and form lasting professional relationships. Since graduating from Emily Carr University, Jordan has been involved in design projects for companies large and small.
Lucia Trevino Lara
She/Her
Social Media Coordinator
Lucia Trevino Lara is a Mexican-Canadian independent filmmaker and art department member based in Vancouver, BC having worked in short films, music videos, commercials and feature films. Since her youth, Lucia has been passionate about supporting people within all artistic mediums. In her work, Lucia seeks to uplift her community, help wherever possible, extend inclusion and diversity, all while staying a patron of the arts. She looks forward to applauding the hard work and talent of the next batch of filmmakers in VSFF 2024!
PROGRAMMING TEAM
Matthew Broughton
He/Him
Programming Manager
Matthew Broughton is a film director, writer, and programmer based in Vancouver, BC. His passion and dedication to film turned into working with VIFF, Vancouver Short Film Festival, MENA Film Festival, and Movies Move Us, which has given him the opportunity to discover and promote new cinematic voices. He’s a certified film fanatic who is driven to share and create stories that impact audiences around the world.
Selection Committee
Neil Battle
Lovely Calixte
Stéphanie De Roy
Shawnali Ogle
King Louie Palomo
Pre-Screeners
Fawaz Al-Batati
Paul Armstrong
James Brooks
Kylee Burt
Tom Costie
Marlene Ferhatoğlu
Jake Gillespie
Pre-Screeners
Taras Groves
Zoey Heath
Forman Howes
Meng Li
Abigail Markowitz
Goldbloom Micomonaco
Solara Thanh-Bình Đặng