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PTAFF 2025 SCREENERS
Amritsar Junction
Director Biography - Aditya Jhambale
Aditya Suhas Jambhale is a two-time National award-winning Goan Film Director, Writer, and Actor. After completing BE in Electronics Engineering, he founded the film production company 'Shree Mahalasa Productions' and a graphic design company 'Logocrazze'. His debut short film "Aaba Aiktaay Naa?" won the National award for best Direction (Golden Lotus) at 64th National Film Awards 2016. His second short film "Kharvas" was selected as the opening film for Indian Panorama (NF) in IFFI 2018 and won his 2nd National Award for Best short film in 2019. He is actively involved in the Marathi theatre arena for the past 10 years and won several state awards for his plays like Nat-SMRT, Are Manasa Manasa, Final Verdict, etc. He is credited as the youngest writer in India for his mega drama "Vande Mataram". His recent film project on national integration, titled "Amritsar Junction" explores the conflicts which shaped the 1947 partition of India.
Aditya Suhas Jambhale is a two-time National award-winning Goan Film Director, Writer, and Actor. After completing BE in Electronics Engineering, he founded the film production company 'Shree Mahalasa Productions' and a graphic design company 'Logocrazze'. His debut short film "Aaba Aiktaay Naa?" won the National award for best Direction (Golden Lotus) at 64th National Film Awards 2016. His second short film "Kharvas" was selected as the opening film for Indian Panorama (NF) in IFFI 2018 and won his 2nd National Award for Best short film in 2019. He is actively involved in the Marathi theatre arena for the past 10 years and won several state awards for his plays like Nat-SMRT, Are Manasa Manasa, Final Verdict, etc. He is credited as the youngest writer in India for his mega drama "Vande Mataram". His recent film project on national integration, titled "Amritsar Junction" explores the conflicts which shaped the 1947 partition of India.
CODE RED
Director Biography - Minoo Taheri, Majid Azizi
Minoo Taheri, born in 1968 in Isfahan, is an accomplished educator, writer, researcher, and interdisciplinary scholar specializing in children’s literature and learning sciences. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Educational Sciences and a master’s degree in Linguistics. Her artistic journey began early at the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults and the Isfahan Youth Cinema Society, where she cultivated her creative talents during her formative years. As a teenager, Taheri demonstrated exceptional versatility across multiple artistic disciplines—photography, writing, acting, and directing—earning recognition and awards at national festivals. Despite ranking third in the national art entrance examination, family constraints prevented her from pursuing formal cinema studies. Since 1989, Taheri has devoted her career to advancing Persian language education for Iranian children, working as both an educator and instructional designer. Her professional contributions include developing innovative educational resources and creating dynamic, collaborative learning environments that engage young learners. After a three-decade hiatus from filmmaking, Taheri’s artistic aspirations were rekindled through a meaningful collaboration with her son, Pouya. Her 1988 screenplay “Code Red” was finally adapted for the screen in 2024, with support from Majid Azizi, marking her triumphant return to the world of cinema and bringing her creative vision full circle.
Minoo Taheri, born in 1968 in Isfahan, is an accomplished educator, writer, researcher, and interdisciplinary scholar specializing in children’s literature and learning sciences. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Educational Sciences and a master’s degree in Linguistics. Her artistic journey began early at the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults and the Isfahan Youth Cinema Society, where she cultivated her creative talents during her formative years. As a teenager, Taheri demonstrated exceptional versatility across multiple artistic disciplines—photography, writing, acting, and directing—earning recognition and awards at national festivals. Despite ranking third in the national art entrance examination, family constraints prevented her from pursuing formal cinema studies. Since 1989, Taheri has devoted her career to advancing Persian language education for Iranian children, working as both an educator and instructional designer. Her professional contributions include developing innovative educational resources and creating dynamic, collaborative learning environments that engage young learners. After a three-decade hiatus from filmmaking, Taheri’s artistic aspirations were rekindled through a meaningful collaboration with her son, Pouya. Her 1988 screenplay “Code Red” was finally adapted for the screen in 2024, with support from Majid Azizi, marking her triumphant return to the world of cinema and bringing her creative vision full circle.
When Does Freedom Begin
Director Biography - Linda Genereux
Linda Genereux is a first-time filmmaker and an advocate for justice impacted youth and adults in New York. She was the Co-Producer of the short advocacy film Because I’m Sixteen, created by the New York Center for Juvenile Justice to address the need to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 16-years old in New York State. As an outgrowth of her experience with formerly incarcerated students while a special advisor to College Initiative at the Prisoner Reentry Institute/John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 2016/2017 she became particularly attune to the importance of the successful reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals in the U.S. Her perspective was also shaped by her experience as a justice impacted person.
Linda has an MSc. in Urban Policy from Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy (2012) and an MA from University of Toronto in Art History. Born in Montreal and raised in Vancouver, she was an entrepreneur, independent art curator and art writer for the national and international press for many years, and is a photo expert.
Linda Genereux is a first-time filmmaker and an advocate for justice impacted youth and adults in New York. She was the Co-Producer of the short advocacy film Because I’m Sixteen, created by the New York Center for Juvenile Justice to address the need to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 16-years old in New York State. As an outgrowth of her experience with formerly incarcerated students while a special advisor to College Initiative at the Prisoner Reentry Institute/John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 2016/2017 she became particularly attune to the importance of the successful reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals in the U.S. Her perspective was also shaped by her experience as a justice impacted person.
Linda has an MSc. in Urban Policy from Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy (2012) and an MA from University of Toronto in Art History. Born in Montreal and raised in Vancouver, she was an entrepreneur, independent art curator and art writer for the national and international press for many years, and is a photo expert.
Silenced
Director Biography - Zeynab Mousavi, Houri Shafieioun
Zeynab Mousavi – Filmmaker, Educator, Voice for Women
Zeynab Mousavi is an 18-year-old Iranian filmmaker, educator, and former voice actor. Born in Iran and raised in Qom—a city where artistic freedom is heavily restricted for women—Zeynab grew up in an environment where filmmaking, acting, and music were not only discouraged, but considered illegal and shameful for girls. From a young age, she was surrounded by a culture that taught girls to lower their heads, silence their opinions, and suppress their creative spirit.
Zeynab Mousavi – Filmmaker, Educator, Voice for Women
Zeynab Mousavi is an 18-year-old Iranian filmmaker, educator, and former voice actor. Born in Iran and raised in Qom—a city where artistic freedom is heavily restricted for women—Zeynab grew up in an environment where filmmaking, acting, and music were not only discouraged, but considered illegal and shameful for girls. From a young age, she was surrounded by a culture that taught girls to lower their heads, silence their opinions, and suppress their creative spirit.
Shrinking Space
Director Biography - Norma Nebot, Cristina Mora
Cristina Mora (born in Barcelona, in 1972)
Cristina Mora has scripted and produced over fifty social and cultural documentaries and audiovisual reports. For the past 15 years, she has been filming and directing various projects at Fora de Quadre, mainly focused on human rights. The short documentary Rumba Zivindorri, which she co-wrote and co-directed, received the 2025 Local Communication Award for Best Video Content. In 2023, the television documentary Controversy in the Classroom, which she co-directed and aired on Docs de betevé, received the Serra i Moret Civic Award from the Government of Catalonia.
She was the co-writer of the feature-length documentary Cinema in Times of War (2014), directed by Bartomeu Vilà, which was featured in several festivals and will be broadcast on Catalan public television (TV3) in 2026 to mark the 90th anniversary of the start of the Spanish Civil War.
She also co-directed and co-wrote the 52-minute documentary The Neighbourhood Must Be Defended (2013), which was screened at several festivals, including the International Women’s Film Festival in Barcelona.
She worked as a researcher on Hollywood Against Franco by Oriol Porta, selected at the Valladolid International Film Festival (Seminci) and other international festivals, and winner of the 2010 Gaudí Award (Catalonia).
With Shrinking Space, she makes her directorial debut in a feature-length documentary.
Norma Nebot (born in Madrid, in 1975):
Norma Nebot's documentaries focus on social justice, gender, and human rights, and have been screened on Catalan public television as well as at national and international festivals. She holds a BA in History (University of Sussex, UK) and a Diploma in Filmmaking (London Film School).
Jo sí que et crec (TV documentary) received several national awards and was broadcast in primetime on Catalan public television (TVC). Other works include the TV documentaries Controvèrsia a l’aula (co-directed with Cristina Mora) and Amazighs: A Forced Diaspora; the short documentary Si jo tingués una vaca (pre-selected for the Goya Awards and winner at numerous film festivals); and the feature documentary Otro escenario (selected for DocuDays UA and other film festivals).
Cristina Mora (born in Barcelona, in 1972)
Cristina Mora has scripted and produced over fifty social and cultural documentaries and audiovisual reports. For the past 15 years, she has been filming and directing various projects at Fora de Quadre, mainly focused on human rights. The short documentary Rumba Zivindorri, which she co-wrote and co-directed, received the 2025 Local Communication Award for Best Video Content. In 2023, the television documentary Controversy in the Classroom, which she co-directed and aired on Docs de betevé, received the Serra i Moret Civic Award from the Government of Catalonia.
She was the co-writer of the feature-length documentary Cinema in Times of War (2014), directed by Bartomeu Vilà, which was featured in several festivals and will be broadcast on Catalan public television (TV3) in 2026 to mark the 90th anniversary of the start of the Spanish Civil War.
She also co-directed and co-wrote the 52-minute documentary The Neighbourhood Must Be Defended (2013), which was screened at several festivals, including the International Women’s Film Festival in Barcelona.
She worked as a researcher on Hollywood Against Franco by Oriol Porta, selected at the Valladolid International Film Festival (Seminci) and other international festivals, and winner of the 2010 Gaudí Award (Catalonia).
With Shrinking Space, she makes her directorial debut in a feature-length documentary.
Norma Nebot (born in Madrid, in 1975):
Norma Nebot's documentaries focus on social justice, gender, and human rights, and have been screened on Catalan public television as well as at national and international festivals. She holds a BA in History (University of Sussex, UK) and a Diploma in Filmmaking (London Film School).
Jo sí que et crec (TV documentary) received several national awards and was broadcast in primetime on Catalan public television (TVC). Other works include the TV documentaries Controvèrsia a l’aula (co-directed with Cristina Mora) and Amazighs: A Forced Diaspora; the short documentary Si jo tingués una vaca (pre-selected for the Goya Awards and winner at numerous film festivals); and the feature documentary Otro escenario (selected for DocuDays UA and other film festivals).
Haiti Is A Nation Of Artists
Director Biography - Jacquil Constant
Jacquil Constant is a Haitian American independent filmmaker with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film Production and a Masters of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Pan African Studies and Cinema Television and Arts from California State University Northridge (CSUN). In 2006, Jacquil established his own production company, Constant Production, which has various music videos, short films, and commercial productions to its credit. He is also the founder of the first ever Haiti International Film Festival in Southern California in 2015.
Jacquil’s career spans over twenty years in the independent filmmaking industry and includes networks such as MTV, BET, and VHI where he worked in various capacities including production, post-production and casting of reality television shows. He has directed and produced three independent short documentaries. CSUN 6 is as short documentary about student protests against tuition hikes for the California university system. Dream Realized tells the history of the CSUN Africana Studies Department. Haiti Is A Nation Of Artists is a feature documentary film depicting Haitian artists creating transformational art to uplift the nation of Haiti after the devastating earthquake in January 2010.
Jacquil Constant is a Cinema Professor at Pasadena City College where he teaches Cinema Production. His passion is promoting the beauty of Haitian culture and has curated multiple Haitian art shows including Haiti Is A Nation Of Artists (2015) and Haitian Magical Realism (2016), exhibited at California State University, Northridge. In addition, he is curating a Haitian Realism (2019) art show that is being exhibited at Pasadena City College. He has also made appearances as a keynote speaker for the Haitian Art Museum in Chicago and Shades of Africa in Long Beach, California. Also, he is Film Curator for the Black Association of Documentary Filmmakers displaying documentaries for the St Claire Bourne Film Series. Jacquil is an active member of the Black Association of Documentary Filmmakers, the International Documentary Association, and the African Arts Association.
Jacquil Constant is a Haitian American independent filmmaker with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film Production and a Masters of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Pan African Studies and Cinema Television and Arts from California State University Northridge (CSUN). In 2006, Jacquil established his own production company, Constant Production, which has various music videos, short films, and commercial productions to its credit. He is also the founder of the first ever Haiti International Film Festival in Southern California in 2015.
Jacquil’s career spans over twenty years in the independent filmmaking industry and includes networks such as MTV, BET, and VHI where he worked in various capacities including production, post-production and casting of reality television shows. He has directed and produced three independent short documentaries. CSUN 6 is as short documentary about student protests against tuition hikes for the California university system. Dream Realized tells the history of the CSUN Africana Studies Department. Haiti Is A Nation Of Artists is a feature documentary film depicting Haitian artists creating transformational art to uplift the nation of Haiti after the devastating earthquake in January 2010.
Jacquil Constant is a Cinema Professor at Pasadena City College where he teaches Cinema Production. His passion is promoting the beauty of Haitian culture and has curated multiple Haitian art shows including Haiti Is A Nation Of Artists (2015) and Haitian Magical Realism (2016), exhibited at California State University, Northridge. In addition, he is curating a Haitian Realism (2019) art show that is being exhibited at Pasadena City College. He has also made appearances as a keynote speaker for the Haitian Art Museum in Chicago and Shades of Africa in Long Beach, California. Also, he is Film Curator for the Black Association of Documentary Filmmakers displaying documentaries for the St Claire Bourne Film Series. Jacquil is an active member of the Black Association of Documentary Filmmakers, the International Documentary Association, and the African Arts Association.
Sensitive Zone
Director Biography - Mohammad Shahrestanki
Mohammad Shahrestanki (born February 2, 1988) is a Tehran-born director, screenwriter, and editor. He has directed three short films to date: "Tag" (2019), "Mokhoreh" (2021), and "Sensitive Area" (2023). His first two films have been selected and screened at various international film festivals.
He holds a bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences from Allameh Tabataba'i University. From 2014 to 2019, he was engaged in documentary filmmaking, editing, and program production. He has edited over 50 short films and documentaries throughout his career.
Mohammad Shahrestanki (born February 2, 1988) is a Tehran-born director, screenwriter, and editor. He has directed three short films to date: "Tag" (2019), "Mokhoreh" (2021), and "Sensitive Area" (2023). His first two films have been selected and screened at various international film festivals.
He holds a bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences from Allameh Tabataba'i University. From 2014 to 2019, he was engaged in documentary filmmaking, editing, and program production. He has edited over 50 short films and documentaries throughout his career.
Benchless
Director Biography - Galiam Bruno HENRY
The Orphan
Director Biography - Jordan Karr-Morse
Jordan Karr-Morse is a director and editor based in Portland, Oregon. He holds a B.A. (Hons.) degree in visual communication from the Edinburgh College of Art and has worked as a freelance cinematographer and editor on commercials and films that have been screened around the world. In 2022, he founded Eyes & Ears, a production company committed to forwarding progressive political and social movements. Jordan is currently directing his first feature-length documentary about Israeli dissident Miko Peled.
Jordan Karr-Morse is a director and editor based in Portland, Oregon. He holds a B.A. (Hons.) degree in visual communication from the Edinburgh College of Art and has worked as a freelance cinematographer and editor on commercials and films that have been screened around the world. In 2022, he founded Eyes & Ears, a production company committed to forwarding progressive political and social movements. Jordan is currently directing his first feature-length documentary about Israeli dissident Miko Peled.
Resist for peace
Harij Weds Sajili
Director Biography - Prataya Saha
Prataya Saha is an independent filmmaker, TEDx performer, theatre director, and photographer based in India and Dubai. His films have been selected in over 98 film festivals worldwide, winning 28 awards across 14 countries, including at Oscar, Canadian Screen Award, and BAFTA-qualifying festivals. He is known for his distinctive voice in storytelling and a panache for working on socially relevant films, often addressing uncomfortable yet important subjects.
His latest short film, "The Golden Cage", qualified for the Academy Awards 2024, and is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Prataya has also forayed recently in the world of non-fiction as a producer. His debut documentary, "What's the Film About?”, premiered at Visions du Réel in Switzerland, BFI LFF in the UK before winning at the prestigious IDFA in Amsterdam in 2024.
His work has been featured in leading media outlets such as the BBC UK, The Week, India Today, Times of India, The Hindu and The New Indian Express.
When not making films, Prataya travels with his camera, capturing everyday life as a street photographer—drawing inspiration for the characters in his stories.
Prataya Saha is an independent filmmaker, TEDx performer, theatre director, and photographer based in India and Dubai. His films have been selected in over 98 film festivals worldwide, winning 28 awards across 14 countries, including at Oscar, Canadian Screen Award, and BAFTA-qualifying festivals. He is known for his distinctive voice in storytelling and a panache for working on socially relevant films, often addressing uncomfortable yet important subjects.
His latest short film, "The Golden Cage", qualified for the Academy Awards 2024, and is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Prataya has also forayed recently in the world of non-fiction as a producer. His debut documentary, "What's the Film About?”, premiered at Visions du Réel in Switzerland, BFI LFF in the UK before winning at the prestigious IDFA in Amsterdam in 2024.
His work has been featured in leading media outlets such as the BBC UK, The Week, India Today, Times of India, The Hindu and The New Indian Express.
When not making films, Prataya travels with his camera, capturing everyday life as a street photographer—drawing inspiration for the characters in his stories.
Mourning
Director Biography - Jamshid Bicheranloo, Farshid Bicheranloo
Jamshid & Farshid Bicheranloo ( Bicheranloo Bros ) are born in Tehran, Iran and this is their first short film
Jamshid & Farshid Bicheranloo ( Bicheranloo Bros ) are born in Tehran, Iran and this is their first short film
K'uchu: A childhood place
Director Biography - Alessio Del Pozo Temoche
I am passionate about animation. Since completing my graduate studies in audiovisuals, I have been focusing on developing new content as an illustrator, animator, and director in this amazing art form. Currently, I work as a director at Apus Estudio, where I have led various projects, including writing and directing the miniseries "Protegiendo el futuro de Sol", as well as music videos for notable artists such as Dj Illenium ("Starfall"), Kenia Os ("Toy Toy"), and Dj Frank Walker ("Madness"). Additionally, I directed a special video for Marvel Entertainment’s "Hawkeye", along with promotional content for Garena Freefire and Veefriends Master of the universe’s Skilled Skeleton. My work has been recognized as a finalist in Ideatoon for the series "Chek & Chan" and recently winner of Ibermedia next with my series project The Van.
As an independent director, I am glad to have had the opportunity to win awards at both national and international festivals. Including my self-distributed student short-films "ELLA" (2018), which won Best National Animation at the Ajayu International Animation Festival and was an official selection at several prestigious festivals. My subsequent works, "DIMENSIONES" (2020) and "EL SONIDO DEL SOL" (2021), have also garnered recognition, receiving multiple awards and official selections across various film festivals. I have also been awarded with the financial prize for animation short film production from the Peruvian Ministry of Culture. As a creator, I have also produced (as author and illustrator) an interactive children’s book "Rumi: Aventuras en el parque" and am currently planning the distribution of my professional opera prima short film, "K'uchu: a childhood place."
I am passionate about animation. Since completing my graduate studies in audiovisuals, I have been focusing on developing new content as an illustrator, animator, and director in this amazing art form. Currently, I work as a director at Apus Estudio, where I have led various projects, including writing and directing the miniseries "Protegiendo el futuro de Sol", as well as music videos for notable artists such as Dj Illenium ("Starfall"), Kenia Os ("Toy Toy"), and Dj Frank Walker ("Madness"). Additionally, I directed a special video for Marvel Entertainment’s "Hawkeye", along with promotional content for Garena Freefire and Veefriends Master of the universe’s Skilled Skeleton. My work has been recognized as a finalist in Ideatoon for the series "Chek & Chan" and recently winner of Ibermedia next with my series project The Van.
As an independent director, I am glad to have had the opportunity to win awards at both national and international festivals. Including my self-distributed student short-films "ELLA" (2018), which won Best National Animation at the Ajayu International Animation Festival and was an official selection at several prestigious festivals. My subsequent works, "DIMENSIONES" (2020) and "EL SONIDO DEL SOL" (2021), have also garnered recognition, receiving multiple awards and official selections across various film festivals. I have also been awarded with the financial prize for animation short film production from the Peruvian Ministry of Culture. As a creator, I have also produced (as author and illustrator) an interactive children’s book "Rumi: Aventuras en el parque" and am currently planning the distribution of my professional opera prima short film, "K'uchu: a childhood place."
Music Vets
Director Biography - Jon Kaufman, El Sawyer
El Sawyer and Jon Kaufman started MING Media in 2014; their collaboration focuses on using film as a community storytelling tool, and their respectful process is rooted in honoring the narrative voice of the film’s subjects and remembering that there is no single story.
El Sawyer is a filmmaker and social justice advocate based in Philadelphia. Drawing on his own experience with incarceration, Sawyer spent 8 years in a maximum security prison, El speaks internationally on the challenges of reentry, recidivism, and neglected communities. He has won numerous awards for his film and community work, met with President Obama about criminal justice reform, and was named a 2016 Rauschenberg Foundation Artist-as-Activist fellow.
Jon Kaufman is a filmmaker and media educator born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. Before co-founding and serving as lead creative director for MING, he ran media programs for at-risk and adjudicated youth, and led productions in Haiti, Nigeria, Brazil, Mexico, and Jamaica.
Over the past 10+ years the partnership has worked with a diverse network of communities, foundations, and governments. Recognizing that the plurality of lived experience has strengthened their overall approach to storytelling. For example, Sawyer and Kaufman produced the feature-documentary Pull of Gravity for the USDOJ, screening it 500+ times around the U.S. The film is used nationally and internationally as a training tool for governments and prison systems. Inspired by Sawyer’s story of learning film while incarcerated, they created SHOOTERS, a program which trains and hires formerly incarcerated men and women for careers in media.
El Sawyer and Jon Kaufman started MING Media in 2014; their collaboration focuses on using film as a community storytelling tool, and their respectful process is rooted in honoring the narrative voice of the film’s subjects and remembering that there is no single story.
El Sawyer is a filmmaker and social justice advocate based in Philadelphia. Drawing on his own experience with incarceration, Sawyer spent 8 years in a maximum security prison, El speaks internationally on the challenges of reentry, recidivism, and neglected communities. He has won numerous awards for his film and community work, met with President Obama about criminal justice reform, and was named a 2016 Rauschenberg Foundation Artist-as-Activist fellow.
Jon Kaufman is a filmmaker and media educator born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. Before co-founding and serving as lead creative director for MING, he ran media programs for at-risk and adjudicated youth, and led productions in Haiti, Nigeria, Brazil, Mexico, and Jamaica.
Over the past 10+ years the partnership has worked with a diverse network of communities, foundations, and governments. Recognizing that the plurality of lived experience has strengthened their overall approach to storytelling. For example, Sawyer and Kaufman produced the feature-documentary Pull of Gravity for the USDOJ, screening it 500+ times around the U.S. The film is used nationally and internationally as a training tool for governments and prison systems. Inspired by Sawyer’s story of learning film while incarcerated, they created SHOOTERS, a program which trains and hires formerly incarcerated men and women for careers in media.
Sugar Dumplin
Director Biography - Tristan Barrocks
Tristan Barrocks is a powerhouse in the film industry, and he’s just getting started. A Jamaican-Canadian director, writer, and producer, he’s based in Toronto but reaches audiences worldwide with his human-centred, Black-centered stories that break the mould. You might know him from "Dear Black Dad"—a digital release that’s hit home for so many, or from projects like the 2023 web series Wallflower, the documentary series Connecting the Dots (2019), and Mother to Mother (2022). Each of these projects highlights a unique blend of storytelling and realness that’s unmistakably Tristan’s.
His work has been featured on platforms like Playblack, Glossy Inc., Loop News, and Medium, where people can see firsthand how his acting chops and storytelling talent translate into a directorial style that feels authentic and fresh. Tristan’s focus is clear: putting powerful Black narratives front and center. And he’s been recognized for it, landing a spot in the Sundance Writers Collab program and earning premieres at places like the American Black Film Festival and Essence Festival.
Tristan’s dedication goes beyond the screen. He’s been part of the Diversity of Voices Initiative not once but twice, showing his commitment to amplifying BIPOC stories and building a community where BIPOC creatives can truly shine. He’s also a judge for the CMF Radicalized Production Portfolio and a professor at Seneca College, teaching the next wave of filmmakers how to tell stories that matter.
His work has travelled far, from the American Black Film Festival to the Swedish International Film Festival. And right now, he’s making waves with his latest, A Letter From The Fathers Chapter II, and he’s in post-production on Sugar Dumplin, a self-funded film with deep Jamaican and Caribbean roots. Tristan is all about creating, regardless of recognition from traditional funding sources, believing that if a story lives within you, it deserves to be told—funded or not.
As one of Canada’s leading emerging Black directors, Tristan Barrocks is shaping the future of cinema. His mission? To bring authentic, meaningful Black stories to life in a way that resonates, represents, and inspires. Whether as a director, writer, or educator, he’s setting a new standard in film—one story at a time.
Tristan Barrocks is a powerhouse in the film industry, and he’s just getting started. A Jamaican-Canadian director, writer, and producer, he’s based in Toronto but reaches audiences worldwide with his human-centred, Black-centered stories that break the mould. You might know him from "Dear Black Dad"—a digital release that’s hit home for so many, or from projects like the 2023 web series Wallflower, the documentary series Connecting the Dots (2019), and Mother to Mother (2022). Each of these projects highlights a unique blend of storytelling and realness that’s unmistakably Tristan’s.
His work has been featured on platforms like Playblack, Glossy Inc., Loop News, and Medium, where people can see firsthand how his acting chops and storytelling talent translate into a directorial style that feels authentic and fresh. Tristan’s focus is clear: putting powerful Black narratives front and center. And he’s been recognized for it, landing a spot in the Sundance Writers Collab program and earning premieres at places like the American Black Film Festival and Essence Festival.
Tristan’s dedication goes beyond the screen. He’s been part of the Diversity of Voices Initiative not once but twice, showing his commitment to amplifying BIPOC stories and building a community where BIPOC creatives can truly shine. He’s also a judge for the CMF Radicalized Production Portfolio and a professor at Seneca College, teaching the next wave of filmmakers how to tell stories that matter.
His work has travelled far, from the American Black Film Festival to the Swedish International Film Festival. And right now, he’s making waves with his latest, A Letter From The Fathers Chapter II, and he’s in post-production on Sugar Dumplin, a self-funded film with deep Jamaican and Caribbean roots. Tristan is all about creating, regardless of recognition from traditional funding sources, believing that if a story lives within you, it deserves to be told—funded or not.
As one of Canada’s leading emerging Black directors, Tristan Barrocks is shaping the future of cinema. His mission? To bring authentic, meaningful Black stories to life in a way that resonates, represents, and inspires. Whether as a director, writer, or educator, he’s setting a new standard in film—one story at a time.
Since I Been Down
Director Biography - GILDA SHEPPARD
Gilda is an award-winning filmmaker who has screened her documentaries throughout the
United States, and internationally in Ghana, West Africa, at the Festival Afrique Cannes Film Festival, and in Germany at the International Black Film Festival in Berlin. Sheppard is a 2017 Hedgebrook Fellow for documentary film and a 2019 recipient of an Artist Trust Fellowship.
Her documentaries include stories of resilience of Liberian women and children refugees in Ghana; three generations of Black families in an urban neighborhood; and a film ethnography of stories from folklore started by Zora Neale Hurston in Alabama's AfricaTown. She is currently in post-production of her documentary Since I Been Down on education, organizing and healing developed and led by incarcerated women and men in Washington State’s prisons. For over a decade Sheppard has taught sociology classes in Washington State prisons and is a co-founder and faculty for FEPPS- Freedom Education for Puget Sound an organization offering college credited courses at Washington Correctional Center for Women.
Gilda is a member of the faculty at The Evergreen State College Tacoma Campus.
Gilda is an award-winning filmmaker who has screened her documentaries throughout the
United States, and internationally in Ghana, West Africa, at the Festival Afrique Cannes Film Festival, and in Germany at the International Black Film Festival in Berlin. Sheppard is a 2017 Hedgebrook Fellow for documentary film and a 2019 recipient of an Artist Trust Fellowship.
Her documentaries include stories of resilience of Liberian women and children refugees in Ghana; three generations of Black families in an urban neighborhood; and a film ethnography of stories from folklore started by Zora Neale Hurston in Alabama's AfricaTown. She is currently in post-production of her documentary Since I Been Down on education, organizing and healing developed and led by incarcerated women and men in Washington State’s prisons. For over a decade Sheppard has taught sociology classes in Washington State prisons and is a co-founder and faculty for FEPPS- Freedom Education for Puget Sound an organization offering college credited courses at Washington Correctional Center for Women.
Gilda is a member of the faculty at The Evergreen State College Tacoma Campus.
Vanishing: A Love Story
Director Biography - Sandra Luckow
Sandra Luckow (Producer - Director - Editor) is a Mexican-American filmmaker who founded Ojeda Films, Inc. in 2000 to bring a bi-cultural voice to independent film. She is known for Sharp Edges, Belly Talkers (1996 Sundance US competition) and the multiple award-winning, That Way Madness Lies… Sandra has worked at Warner Bros., and Universal in casting, network and cable news programs and daytime dramas. She taught documentary film production at Yale University, School of Art for 22 years as well as producing, screenwriting, camera, editing and acting for the camera at Columbia University, Barnard College, Wesleyan University, and Sarah Lawrence College. Her pedagogy includes democratizing accessibility to modes of filmmaking by using smart phone technologies and teaching all aspects of production. She has traveled and worked internationally giving workshops, most notably with the US State Department’s cultural exchange: Lines and Spaces. She is a member of the Director’s Guild of America and holds an MFA from NYU’s TIsch School of the Arts.
Sandra Luckow (Producer - Director - Editor) is a Mexican-American filmmaker who founded Ojeda Films, Inc. in 2000 to bring a bi-cultural voice to independent film. She is known for Sharp Edges, Belly Talkers (1996 Sundance US competition) and the multiple award-winning, That Way Madness Lies… Sandra has worked at Warner Bros., and Universal in casting, network and cable news programs and daytime dramas. She taught documentary film production at Yale University, School of Art for 22 years as well as producing, screenwriting, camera, editing and acting for the camera at Columbia University, Barnard College, Wesleyan University, and Sarah Lawrence College. Her pedagogy includes democratizing accessibility to modes of filmmaking by using smart phone technologies and teaching all aspects of production. She has traveled and worked internationally giving workshops, most notably with the US State Department’s cultural exchange: Lines and Spaces. She is a member of the Director’s Guild of America and holds an MFA from NYU’s TIsch School of the Arts.
A Hangman Was Crying
Director Biography - Javad Joshanlou
Javad joshanlou is an Iranian theater director and writer, and a filmmaker.
He also producer and director in more than 30 documentary films
he is educated in theater and also has cooperated as documentary
filmmaker in iran national television for many years.
In recent years he has stopped his cooperated by iran national TV,
and try to make independent films.
on the other side, he is busy by theater projects development in iran
in theater : jenga –the wild goose –The little peace trumpet– criminal
comedy– identity –
in documentary : Getto – help story- first adobe – one of us –
requiem for a city – historical scar
in short film : 00:00 - Death knocks once - the forgotten house
Javad joshanlou is an Iranian theater director and writer, and a filmmaker.
He also producer and director in more than 30 documentary films
he is educated in theater and also has cooperated as documentary
filmmaker in iran national television for many years.
In recent years he has stopped his cooperated by iran national TV,
and try to make independent films.
on the other side, he is busy by theater projects development in iran
in theater : jenga –the wild goose –The little peace trumpet– criminal
comedy– identity –
in documentary : Getto – help story- first adobe – one of us –
requiem for a city – historical scar
in short film : 00:00 - Death knocks once - the forgotten house
Freedom Morning
Director Biography - Khashayar Pirelmi
Director Biography:
Hossein (Khashayar) Pirelmi was born in 1988 in Tehran and graduated in humanities.
He is a writer, director and theater critic. And from 2017 to 2020, he was the director of the Center of Writers and Critics of the Performing Arts Association of Tehran Province.
Members of the judging panel of the best work section from the eyes of critics in the 24th and 29th editions of the Tehran Province Theater Festival, membership in the best work section at the "Haiku Kitab" festival and the performance of three plays "Identity", "Dirty War" and "Astringent Hour" as a writer and director, and assisting and planning more than 15 plays are part of his activities in the theater.
Pirelmi shot his fourth short film entitled "Freedom Morning" in 2022, after making three short films " Continuous Circle", "Novel Bread" and "Don't Go Out of the House, Mom".
The play "Dirty War" will be published this year by Nasl-e Roshan Publishing House.
Director Biography:
Hossein (Khashayar) Pirelmi was born in 1988 in Tehran and graduated in humanities.
He is a writer, director and theater critic. And from 2017 to 2020, he was the director of the Center of Writers and Critics of the Performing Arts Association of Tehran Province.
Members of the judging panel of the best work section from the eyes of critics in the 24th and 29th editions of the Tehran Province Theater Festival, membership in the best work section at the "Haiku Kitab" festival and the performance of three plays "Identity", "Dirty War" and "Astringent Hour" as a writer and director, and assisting and planning more than 15 plays are part of his activities in the theater.
Pirelmi shot his fourth short film entitled "Freedom Morning" in 2022, after making three short films " Continuous Circle", "Novel Bread" and "Don't Go Out of the House, Mom".
The play "Dirty War" will be published this year by Nasl-e Roshan Publishing House.
Gal'te
Director Biography - Hasan Jamshidi
Hasan Jamshidi, born on 1991 in Kermanshah, Iran
Director & Actor
Hasan Jamshidi, born on 1991 in Kermanshah, Iran
Director & Actor
International Adoptions: A Global Scandal
Director Biography - Christine Tournadre, Sonia Gonzalez
Christine Tournadre (DOB : 27 may 1967) is a trained sociologist. She has lived in Saint Petersburg, Bogota, the United States and Indonesia.
In 2018, her film Serge, condamné à mort [Serge, sentenced to death] (France Télévisions), treating the struggles of the wife of Serge Atlaoui, prisoner in Indonesia, won the Figra Grand Prize, the Farel Prize and the SCAM Prix des Étoiles. She has just completed a film for France Télévision on the high school where the murdered history teacher Samuel Paty taught (Galaxy Presse).
Christine Tournadre (DOB : 27 may 1967) is a trained sociologist. She has lived in Saint Petersburg, Bogota, the United States and Indonesia.
In 2018, her film Serge, condamné à mort [Serge, sentenced to death] (France Télévisions), treating the struggles of the wife of Serge Atlaoui, prisoner in Indonesia, won the Figra Grand Prize, the Farel Prize and the SCAM Prix des Étoiles. She has just completed a film for France Télévision on the high school where the murdered history teacher Samuel Paty taught (Galaxy Presse).
PTAFF 2024 Trailers
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