October 25, 2022

Azza Hourani

Jordanian producer Azza Hourani obtained her degree in Producing in 2011, in the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts. She has 15 years of experience working with regional and international institutions and is currently producing two feature documentaries. Her latest collaboration with director Sareen Hairabedian, Swinging Fields, is in post production, and has been endorsed […]

October 25, 2022

Alexandra Roca

Alexandra Roca is a hands-on, award-winning documentary director and producer who has found her stride covering human-centric stories. She has worked in more than 14 countries and is bilingual in English and Spanish and fluent in French. As an on-host you can also see her work on National Geographic, Amazon Prime and the United Nations.

October 25, 2022

Molly Murphy

  Leveraging the power of non-fiction film for social and environmental justice. Molly Murphy (she/her) joined Working Films in 2001 and now serves as Director of Partnerships and Innovation. She has planned and directed impact campaigns, facilitated partnerships and coordinated coalitions centered on he use of documentaries to catalyze progress on the biggest issues of […]

October 25, 2022

Kate Bustamante

  Championing innovative, empathetic storytelling from new and needed voices in documentary. As Senior Manager of Original Documentaries at Hulu, Kate has been integral to building Hulu’s award-winning documentary slate. She was key to the acquisition of Changing the Game, which recently won a GLAAD Award for Best Documentary Film. Kate manages the team’s DEI initiatives, including partnerships […]

October 25, 2022

Jennifer Crystal Chien

  Creating sustainable industry change towards greater equity by centering the voices and perspectives of underrepresented communities in advocacy, education and community empowerment strategies. Jennifer Crystal Chien is a documentary filmmaker and the co-founder of Re-Present Media, a nonprofit advocating for personal storytelling from underrepresented communities in documentary film and nonfiction media. Her films feature […]

October 25, 2022

Jannet Nuñez

  Empowering storytellers and their creative process to build critical pathways into the documentary industry. Jannet Nuñez is the Senior Manager, Content & Development at ITVS. She oversees the Diversity Development Fund established to provide seed funding to directors of color and support filmmakers transitioning into production.

October 25, 2022

Emily Abi-Kheirs

  Creating a more inclusive and equitable documentary field through intentional community building, offering filmmaker support and creative collaboration. Emily Abi-Kheirs is a documentary professional with a background in programming and distribution. Currently the Manager of Filmmaker Services for Women Make Movies, she supports and connects nonfiction femme-identifying filmmakers to industry leaders, opportunities, and resources. […]

October 25, 2022

Dessane Lopez Cassell

Amplifying nuanced approaches to race, gender, and decoloniality in non-iction, experimental film and beyond.   Dessane Lopez Cassell is a New York-based editor, writer, and curator. Her work centers nuanced approaches to race, gender, and decoloniality in non-fiction, experimental film, and artist’s moving image. As Editor-in-Chief of BlackStar’s journal, Seen, Cassell platforms film, art, and visual […]

October 25, 2022

Dara Messinger

  Cultivating greater access to a myriad of makers, stories and styles in documentary exhibition. Dara Messinger is the longtime Director of Programming at DCTV where she oversees the honored organization’s screenings and events. Her curatorial work continues and deepens as she programs the long-awaited Firehouse: DCTV’s Cinema for Documentary Film, a dedicated home to […]

October 25, 2022

Brian Walker

  Bridging content producers and decision makers with community stakeholders and tastemakers to drive everyday social change around real issues and for real people. Brian Walker, CEO of Picture Motion, is a versatile change agent with over a decade of experience working at the intersection of culture, digital media, social enterprise, and social justice. Formerly, […]