{"id":43034,"date":"2026-01-30T14:58:03","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T13:58:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fifdh.org\/?post_type=pro&p=43034"},"modified":"2026-02-05T10:19:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T09:19:21","slug":"speakers-2026","status":"publish","type":"pro","link":"https:\/\/fifdh.org\/en\/pro\/speakers-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Speakers and tutors 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Meet our Impact Days 2026 speakers coming to Geneva in March from all corners of the world. <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Speakers<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Lindsay
Poulton<\/div>\n
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Editorial Director (Film & TV) and Head of Documentaries, The Guardian<\/div>\n

Lindsay is Editorial Director of Film and TV, shaping strategy and output across the Guardian\u2019s film and TV work. Alongside this global focus, she commissions and curates Documentaries for the Guardian\u2019s digital platforms, including the Oscar-winning Colette and BAFTA-winning The Black Cop. With this multi-platform outlook, Lindsay is committed to finding the most powerful ways to bring stories rooted in the Guardian\u2019s distinctive editorial ethos and purpose to the screen. As a filmmaker and journalist, Lindsay’s work has been recognised with numerous awards and shown at The White House as well as top-tier film festivals around the world including Sundance, Tribeca, IDFA and Sheffield DocFest. She enjoys regular opportunities to judge industry awards, speak at international conferences, teach at universities, and is a proud member of BAFTA<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Abby
Rapoport<\/div>\n
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Director, Impact Media Funders (online)<\/div>\n

Abby\u2019s work has focused on the relationship between communities, media and storytelling. In 2018, she cofounded Stranger\u2019s Guide, a publication that explores how politics, power and culture shape daily life across the globe. It has won numerous recognitions including four National Magazine Awards. She has served on the board of many non-profits and philanthropies including the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Foundation, the Texas Democracy Foundation, the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and TYPE Media. Abby began her career as a political reporter and writer, and she worked for the Texas Tribune, the Texas Observer and The American Prospect. Her writing has also appeared in Glamour, The National Journal and The New Republic among other places.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Becky
Hellwig<\/div>\n
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\"\"<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Impact Producer<\/div>\n

With a proven track record in government impact initiatives, Becky has worked extensively with vulnerable populations, developing effective programs in both the SF Bay Area – a region of over 3 million – and rural Saxony, Germany. Her expertise spans strategic community building, conflict resolution, and engaging decision-makers on constituent needs. Expanding into film and VR, she focuses on impact campaigns that address systemic issues of equity, justice, and healing histories. Passionate about using film as a tool for social change, she is eager to collaborate with like-minded professionals to create meaningful impact through immersive storytelling. Her commitment to positive change drives her work in film and VR impact initiatives.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Miriam
Ayoo<\/div>\n
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Director of Strategy, The Global Impact Producers Alliance, GIPA<\/div>\n

Miriam is an impact strategist and cultural producer based in Nairobi, Kenya. She has over a decade\u2019s experience working at the intersection of art and activism,\u00a0 designing and implementing programmes and outreach initiatives within a range of social impact areas and artistic mediums.\u00a0 She is currently serving as the Director of Strategy and Development of the Global Impact Producers Alliance Assembly (GIPA). Previously, she worked as the impact strategist\/producer for award winning films including <\/span>Softie<\/span><\/i> (Kenya, 2020), <\/span>Los Hermanos\/The Brothers <\/span><\/i>(Cuba\/USA, 2021), <\/span>No Simple Way Home<\/span><\/i> (South Sudan, 2022), and most recently <\/span>Made in Ethiopia<\/span><\/i> (2024). At the heart of her work is a commitment to centering and amplifying under-represented stories and voices. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Mitzi
Goldman<\/div>\n
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Chief Executive Officer, Documentary Australia <\/div>\n

For over 35 years Mitzi has been a documentary director and producer. She was Head of Documentary at AFTRS (National Film School) for 6 years. Mitzi co-founded and is CEO of Documentary Australia. Documentary Australia created a new paradigm for the philanthropic funding of social impact documentary films. It enables philanthropy to support documentary and drive social change. Hundreds of filmmakers have been supported to tell powerful stories in seven key areas: Environment, Health & Wellbeing, Human Rights & Social Justice, Women & Girls, Indigenous, Youth & Education and The Arts. It amplifies reach and guides communities to use documentaries to further their advocacy and impact goals. Mitzi has been a board director and served on many international juries in Europe, Asia and Australia.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Michael
Ineichen<\/div>\n
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Head of Advocacy, Amnesty International Suisse<\/div>\n

Michael Ineichen is an Advocacy Manager at Amnesty International’s Swiss section, where he coordinates the organisation’s political advocacy work, parliamentary relations, and engagement with various ministries. He notably leads the section’s activities on China and the Middle East. Previously, he worked at the International Service for Human Rights, supporting human rights defenders in their engagement with international human rights protection mechanisms. He holds a Master of Arts in International Relations from the Geneva Graduate Institute.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Liliana
J\u00e1uregui<\/div>\n
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Director IUCN, NL<\/div>\n

Liliana J\u00e1uregui is a Chilean\/Dutch economist and Director at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Netherlands. Based in Amsterdam, she works on international programmes at the intersection of nature conservation, human rights, and environmental justice. Alongside her policy work, she collaborates with documentary filmmaking teams and is currently working with Tigre El\u00e9ctrico, connecting storytelling and impact. She has previously collaborated on <\/span>Arica<\/span><\/i> (Chile \/ Sweden, 2020) and <\/span>Tigre Gente <\/span><\/i>(USA \/ Bolivia, 2021).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Ben
Kempas<\/div>\n
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Founder and Campaign Strategist, Film & Campaign<\/div>\n

Ben Kempas founded Film & Campaign in 2014, believing in the power of documentary film to spark conversations, ideas, and change. He creates unique impact campaign strategies – grounded in his background in award-winning filmmaking and powered by innovative digital tools. Film & Campaign is run by a European team rooted in Scotland and has worked with clients in 25 countries.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Gerry
Leonard <\/div>\n
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Director of Filmmaker Services and Impact, Working Films<\/div>\n

Gerry Leonard is an impact strategist and cultural organizer from Jakarta, Indonesia and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. He is the Director of Filmmaker Services and Impact at Working Films, an organization that leverages the power of documentary film and storytelling as a resource for social justice movements. His career across the media arts and narrative ecosystem spans over a decade – blending a background in grassroots movement building and policy advocacy towards structural and cultural change. He currently serves on the Steering Committee and co-leads the Impact Initiative for the Asian American Documentary Network (A-DOC), a network that works to increase the visibility and support of Asian Americans in the documentary field.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Anupama
Mandloi<\/div>\n
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Impact Producer & Regional Ambassador, The Global Impact Producers Alliance, GIPA<\/div>\n

Anupama Mandloi, a seasoned television professional, has held leadership positions at major networks like Sony, SAB, and STAR in India. As the former Managing Director of Fremantle India, she solidified the company’s reputation for integrity and creative excellence. She forayed into independent content consulting for clients such as Zee5 and was a script analyst for an International Film Festival. She marked her producer debut with the award-winning documentary Aunty Sudha Aunty Radha. She spearheads workshops spotlighting the transformative power of documentaries and advocates for sustainability in film production through initiatives like India GreenSet and the India Sustainable Entertainment Alliance.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Rashid
Masharawi <\/div>\n
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Director, Producer, Artistic supervisor, From Ground Zero +<\/div>\n

Rashid Masharawi, born in 1962 in Gaza\u2019s Shati refugee camp, is a pioneering Palestinian filmmaker whose work reflects the struggles of occupation and exile. His films explore themes of identity, displacement, and daily life in Palestine, earning international acclaim and academic recognition. He was the first to have a film selected for Cannes under the Palestinian banner. A champion of Palestinian cinema, he founded the Cinema Production and Distribution Centre in Ramallah to support local filmmakers. His recent project <\/span>From Ground Zero<\/span><\/i> (2025), a collective film by 22 Gazan artists that was shortlisted for an Academy Award, highlights the impact of war. He is now developing <\/span>The Natives<\/span><\/i>, a feature about a Palestinian doctor in Europe navigating love and exile amid geopolitical challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Cara
Mertes<\/div>\n
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Founding Director, International Resource for Impact & Storytelling (IRIS)<\/div>\n

Cara Mertes is an award-winning independent media field builder, Executive Producer and non-profit professional. She believes in artists as leaders and stories as drivers of change. In 2021, Cara founded IRIS as a donor collaborative integrating creative storytelling and narrative shift strategies as levers of social change (www.storyforimpact.io). As JustFilms Director, Ford Foundation, she piloted a film and narrative grantmaking strategy which was integrated across all Ford programme areas and offices. As Director of the Sundance Institute Documentary Program, she expanded and oversaw the documentary fund and the signature documentary labs. Cara served as Executive Producer of the PBS documentary series POV 1999-2006. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Marianna
Olinger<\/div>\n
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Impact Strategist and Producer<\/div>\n

Marianna works at the intersection of culture and community as an impact strategist and producer, as well as producer, researcher, artist and organizer. She has 20+ years of experience in project design, campaigning, research and organizing around social justice issues, partnering with several civil society organizations, social movements, governments, and international agencies. She was the lead impact producer for the Sundance, Peabody and Emmy winner documentary The Territory (2022), and the narrative feature How To Blow Up A Pipeline (2023). She\u2019s been part of Doc Society’s Climate Story Unit as an impact strategist since 2023, and currently serves as Senior Impact Strategist for Earth Alliance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Michelle
Plascencia<\/div>\n
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Director of Programs and Partnerships, The Global Impact Producers Alliance, GIPA<\/div>\n

Michelle is a cultural organizer and an impact strategist based in Mexico City. She directed the Good Pitch program in Mexico 2020 & 2022, as the Outreach and Partnerships Coordinator at DocsMX, a documentary film platform in Mexico City. She co-founded Impacta Cine, the first film and social impact collective in Mexico focused on promoting human rights through documentary film impact campaigns and has worked with films such as Now That We Are Together, Toshkua and The Silence of my Hands. She is currently the Partnerships and Programs Director of GIPA, a community-led network to connect, support and uplift impact practitioners around the globe. In March 2022, she culminated the Creative Leadership Program led by Goldsmith University and presented by British Council Mexico and is a Rockwood Documentary Leaders Fellow 2024. Michelle seeks to unite film and activism through strategic and creative partnerships with and for the communities involved. She is an avid runner, cyclist, hiker and curious traveler.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Laure
de Peretti de la Rocca<\/div>\n
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Director, The StoryBoard Collective <\/div>\n

Laure de Peretti de la Rocca is a community connector, storytelling advocate and impact believer, acting as Executive Director of the StoryBoard Collective. She started her career as a journalist in Paris for Histoire TV, where she learnt how important the stories being told shape our minds and our societies. Convinced that culture and arts are not only the most beautiful expression of our beliefs, emotions and tales but also a strong vector for those to be shared and arouse empathy; Laure started to work with David Rimer, developing the initiatives at the StoryBoard Collective since its creation in 2020, at the crossroads of media, philanthropy and impact.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Amber
Morning Star Byars<\/div>\n
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Impact Producer, Cultural Advisor and Indigenous Rights Advocate<\/div>\n

A member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Amber Morning Star Byars is a multidisciplinary artist, lawyer, producer, impact producer, and Indigenous rights advocate. In 2023, Amber founded Good Trade Productions, a production company dedicated to the art of Indigenous storytelling. Amber has contributed to the impact campaigns of acclaimed films including the two-time Emmy winning documentary Lakota Nation vs United States and the Academy Award nominated, Sugarcane. Amber currently serves as a cultural advisor for AMC Networks and was named one of DOC NYC\u2019s New Leaders for 2024\/2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Patrizia
Rezzoli <\/div>\n
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Managing Director, Seedling Foundation<\/div>\n

Patrizia Rezzoli has been Managing Director of the Seedling Foundation since May 2022. <\/span>She has more than 20 years of experience in the financial sector, mainly in private banking, family offices and philanthropy consulting (strategy development and implementation). From 2014 to 2022, in her role as CEO of the Beisheim Foundation, she was responsible for its management and development. She graduated with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Manchester (UK). She is constantly continuing her education, most recently at the University of Bern (RoBE, CAS Board of Directors) and at the Institute for Systemic Development Zurich (IEF, Mediator). She is a board member of SwissFoundations and the Clara Fehr Foundation.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Mohamed
Sa\u00efd Ouma<\/div>\n
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Executive Director, DocA \u2013 Documentary Africa<\/div>\n

Mohamed Sa\u00efd Ouma is a renowned filmmaker, cultural operator and executive director of DocA-Documentary Africa. Mohamed is also engaged in \u2018The African Heritage Project\u2019, a program which aims to restore fifty African films of historical, cultural and artistic significance. He has cut his professional teeth as a festival manager for the International Film Festival of Africa and the Islands (FIFAI) from 2004 to 2015 where he managed to coordinate support for the festival from the Municipality of Le Port- Reunion Islands and the national film governing body (CNC). His latest film, Red Card premiered at IDFA 2020. He is also managing an emerging filmmarket FIFOI dedicated to the film industry of countries bordering the Indian Ocean.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Emilien
Schenker<\/div>\n
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Impact Fund Manager, The StoryBoard Collective<\/div>\n

Emilien leads the impact fund at StoryBoard Collective, a Geneva-based initiative supporting independent filmmakers whose documentaries drive human rights, social justice, and environmental change, particularly in the Global South. He works at the intersection of philanthropy, storytelling, and social impact, helping projects reach audiences that can make a difference. With experience supporting startups, government agencies, and leading academic institutions, Emilien brings guidance, resources, and connections to filmmakers so their projects can thrive\u2014building bridges between creative ideas, funding, and communities.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Rasmus
Steen<\/div>\n
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Head of Documentary, International Media Support<\/div>\n

With over 20 years of experience in media development, documentary filmmaking, and creative outreach, Rasmus combines strategic vision with practical leadership. He has worked across documentary film and radio with organisations such as IMS, DR, and the Cannes Film Festival. His background includes managing complex projects, developing strong outreach and impact strategies, and ensuring creative work connects meaningfully with audiences. He values collaboration, clear communication, and adaptability, and is driven by creativity, persistence, and ambition. He brings professionalism, enthusiasm, and a positive, humorous energy that supports productive and inspiring teams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Elise
Tillet-Dagousset<\/div>\n
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Campaigns & Media Lead (Representative), Europe, Luminate<\/div>\n

In her role as Lead for Luminate\u2019s Campaigns & Media team in Europe, Elise works to mobilise the public and grow a large and inclusive movement demanding a change in Big Tech\u2019s business model to protect human rights and democracies. Elise is a human rights expert, researcher, advocate, and campaigner with over 15 years of experience working in Europe and Asia on issues such as crimes against humanity, war crimes, corporate abuses, freedom of expression, and the protection of at-risk human rights defenders. Prior to joining Luminate, she was the Director of Research and Advocacy with the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights and worked at Amnesty International covering abuses in Myanmar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Leni
Velasco<\/div>\n
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Activist, Feminist, Impact Strategist and Narrative Weaver<\/div>\n

Leni Velasco is the Co-Founder and Secretary General of DAKILA, an artist-activist collective in the Philippines, and served as Festival Director of its Active Vista Human Rights Festival, organising social-impact film screenings, workshops, productions, and campaigns. She is a member of the Global Impact Producers Alliance and is part of the Governance Circle of the global network Innovation for Change, representing East Asia.<\/span><\/p>\n

She works across the intersection of art, activism, narrative changemaking and social movement building. Her work focuses on weaving narrative strategies and approaches, utilising the arts, media, and popular culture in advocacy campaigns, strengthening the field of social impact filmmaking, nurturing a young generation of activists and feminists, and enabling innovations in movement praxis to expand civic spaces and foster a culture of collective care.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Naomi
Walker<\/div>\n
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Co-Coordinator, The Global Impact Producers Alliance, GIPA<\/div>\n

Naomi co-coordinates the Global Impact Producers Alliance (GIPA), a network of over 700 impact practitioners in over 70 countries. Independently, she advises documentary filmmakers on their impact campaign strategy. Previously, Naomi served as Outreach Director for several Good Pitch events in Chicago and New York, and spent 9 years as Engagement Consultant for ITVS, hosting over 80 documentary film screenings in Chicago, followed by discussions, workshops, expos and performances.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Sandra
Whipham<\/div>\n
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Co-Director, Doc Society<\/div>\n

Sandra Whipham is one of the five co-directors of Doc Society. She heads up the Democracy Story Unit, which will bring storytellers into an ecosystem with academics, activists, journalists and social scientists to think together about what narratives about democracy are most needed and most effective. Previously, Sandra managed the BFI Doc Society Fund, distributing National Lottery funding to UK filmmakers. She has also been a producer and commissioning editor at Channel 4.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n

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Impact Lab Tutors and Contributors<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Vivian
Schr\u00f6der<\/div>\n
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Impact Producer & Field Builder<\/div>\n

Vivian Schr\u00f6der is an Impact Producer and field builder who co-founded The Good Media Network. She has worked on impact campaigns for films such as Total Trust (directed by Jialing Zhang) and Not Just Celsius, which amplified the voices and stance of World Youth for Climate Justice and Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change. Vivian has organised and co-hosted several key events, including a Climate Story Lab in Berlin (2020) and a Climate Justice Story Lab in The Hague (May 2024). She currently leads The Good Media Lab & Pitch, Germany\u2019s first film and impact programme, which runs alongside Doxumentale, the International Documentary and Media Festival Berlin. Additionally, Vivian is a member of GIPA.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Sarah
Mosses<\/div>\n
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Founder & CEO, Together Films<\/div>\n

Sarah is the Founder & CEO of Together Films, a marketing and sales company serving the international film community from offices in London & NYC. She has acted as the Head of Marketing for leading Film Festivals including Sheffield DocFest (UK), DOC NYC (US), Human Rights Watch Film Festival (London & NYC) and the Athena Film Festival (NYC). She is passionate about serving filmmakers to increase their social impact, reach, and revenue for multi-award-winning titles like <\/span>For Sama<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Unrest<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>The Tale <\/span><\/i>and<\/span> Roll Red Roll<\/span><\/i>. Sarah is a graduate of the prestigious Inside Pictures film leadership course and was selected for the Mayor of London’s International Growth Programme, including trade visits to NYC & LA. In 2023, Together Films expanded into international sales representation backed by the BFI’s Global Screen Fund. The debut slate includes <\/span>Life After<\/span><\/i> by Reid Davenport, premiering at Sundance 2025, and <\/span>Your Fat Friend<\/span><\/i> by Jeanie Finlay.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Dailo
Alli Alonso<\/div>\n
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Senior Adviser, Partnerships and Events, UNICEF<\/div>\n

Dailo Alli Alonso is a communications, marketing, and brand leader who bridges creativity and institutions. For 20+ years across UNICEF and UNHCR, he has turned complex humanitarian realities into powerful narratives and campaigns seen in 130+ countries. At UNHCR, he led the global repositioning and the award-winning \u2018Hope Away from Home\u2019 campaign (Cannes Lions, Clio) with agencies like upperfast. Across Madrid, Mexico City, New York and Geneva, he partnered with creatives to connect culture, media, sports, and business at global moments (UNGA, COP, Davos, G7\/G20). Former TV host and journalist, Academy of Television member, Reforma board member, and guest speaker at Columbia and Cannes.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Marianne
Bertrand<\/div>\n
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Campaign and Mobilisation Manager, International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)<\/div>\n

Marianne joined ISHR in 2019 and works on expanding the reach and influence of its advocacy work with participatory campaigns, and by building and mobilising communities of support. Previously, Marianne worked at Peace Brigades International and Amnesty International in the Americas and with the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders. She holds a Master degree in International Affairs from Sciences Po and an LLM in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law from the University of Essex. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Khadidja
Benouataf <\/div>\n
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Founder and President, Impact Social Club, and Advisory Committee, GIPA<\/div>\n

Khadidja is president of Impact Social Club, the think tank for impact in France, and an advisory committee member of GIPA, The Global Impact Producers Alliance. She trains film industry professionals and students internationally, acts as a panellist and runs impact workshops (Berlinale, IDFA, FIFDH, DOK Leipzig, Movies That Matter, Sunny Side\u2026). She has designed award-winning documentary impact campaigns and advised over 50 film teams on their impact strategies.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Patricia
Finneran <\/div>\n
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Independent Media Consultant, Story Matters Media<\/div>\n

Patricia is founder of Story Matters which provides strategy and produces programmes for artists, organisations and funders around nonfiction storytelling and impact.\u00a0 Her prior roles include: Impact Fund Director at The StoryBoard Collective, Creative Producer,\u00a0 Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program, Festival Director of Silverdocs: AFI\/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival. She worked at Doc Society, overseeing several editions of the Good Pitch. Clients and partners include: CPH:Dox, Documentary Campus, Double Exposure, FIFDH\/Geneva, Movies that Matter and Sunnyside of the Docs.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Erika
Gonzalez<\/div>\n
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Film Director and Impact Producer<\/div>\n

Erika Gonzalez Ramirez is the co-director and impact producer of the documentary <\/span>The Illusion of Abundance<\/span><\/i>. She has been on an impact tour with the film for more than two years, including 130 film festival selections in 40+ countries and 35 awards at some of the world\u2019s largest human rights and nature rights festivals. <\/span>The Illusion of Abundance<\/span><\/i> highlights the fundamental role of women in defending nature and territories. Erika is a collagist, journalist, filmmaker, and feminist, deeply committed to women\u2019s rights.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Gugi
Gumilang<\/div>\n
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\"\"<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Programme Director, In-Docs<\/div>\n

Gugi Gumilang is a multi-hat professional and strategist working at the intersection of storytelling and social impact. As Programme Director of In-Docs, he leads initiatives including Docs by the Sea, Vitamin Docs, and the Just Futures Impact Lab, supporting Asian filmmakers with creative guidance, strategic development, and impact-driven storytelling tools. He also produces and executive produces films which have premiered at Hot Docs, Busan, BFI London and Hong Kong. Drawing on experience at Transparency International and UNICEF, he brings advocacy and global communication expertise into nonfiction work. Gugi mentors filmmakers on story development, rough cuts, and impact campaigns. He serves on juries and selection committees and sits on the Executive Board of the DAE and the International Programming team at Hot Docs.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Merle
Ilin\u00e1<\/div>\n
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Co-Founder & Impact Producer, Impacta Cine<\/div>\n

In 2023 Merle co-founded the Mexican collective Impacta Cine, which promotes and defends human rights through documentary film. She has produced impact campaigns for nonfiction films focused on justice, memory, and feminism, including <\/span>To See You Again <\/span><\/i>(2020), <\/span>Now That We Are Together <\/span><\/i>(2023), <\/span>Toshkua<\/span><\/i> (2023), <\/span>NI\u00d1XS<\/span><\/i> (2025). In 2020 and 2022, Merle worked as outreach coordinator for Good Pitch Mexico, hosted by DocsMX. She previously worked at the International Committee of the Red Cross, a global humanitarian organization, as well as with other civil society organisations in Mexico. As an activist, she accompanies families of disappeared persons and victims of military abuse. Merle reads tarot through a feminist lens and holds a Master\u2019s degree in Political and Social Studies from UNAM.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Ishtar
Lakhani<\/div>\n
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\"\"<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Advocacy & Campaigning Strategist, Creative Activism Trainer, Rogue Union<\/div>\n

Ishtar Lakhani is co-founder of Rogue Union, a global learning and community platform helping changemakers design braver, more imaginative strategies for social and environmental justice. She is also founder of Mischief Managed, a consulting practice for strategic trouble-making and creative human rights advocacy. Her career has ranged from coordinating a feminist campaign for survivors of sexual violence, to revolutionary sandwich-making at activist bookstore and cafe Love and Revolution, to advocating for the rights of sex workers in South Africa. In 2020 she was named in the BBC\u2019s \u201cTop 100 Women\u201d for her campaigning work. She delights in melding fantasy and reality, art and activism, to rehearse more just worlds into being.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Matthieu
Lietaert<\/div>\n
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\"\"<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Impact Producer & Filmmaker, Not So Crazy! Productions<\/div>\n

Matthieu is an impact producer with 15 years experience. First, he turned his PhD thesis about corporate lobbying into <\/span>The Brussels Business<\/span><\/i> and impact campaign for ARTE, RTBF and ORF. He is also the author of <\/span>Nos chers Paradis<\/span><\/i> for ARTE, an audiovisual letter made by 800 citizens that premiered at COP21 in Paris. He is now on a two-year impact tour with <\/span>The Illusion of Abundance<\/span><\/i>, which has received awards at 21 film festivals.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

\n
Hasse
Van Nunen<\/div>\n
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\"\"<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Documentary and Impact Producer<\/div>\n

Hasse van Nunen started as a documentary producer with her company Een van de jongens. Because she felt a strong need for her documentaries to make more impact, she founded the Impact Academy: a sector-wide collaboration between film funds, broadcasters, producers and makers to introduce impact production in The Netherlands. The result: the first funding opportunities and Dutch-trained impact producers. Hasse also became an impact producer. Her latest projects are the impact around docu series <\/span>Class<\/span><\/i> (Sarah Sylbing\/Ester Gould) and <\/span>Writing Hawa <\/span><\/i>(Najiba Noori). Now she\u2019s founding her new company The Equality Collective; a collective of storytellers who work together towards more institutional equality. Hasse also teaches impact production throughout Europe. She also runs her own training course for impact production: Impact Lab.<\/span><\/p>\n

Photo credit: Jean Counet<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

\n
Kara
Magsanoc-Alikpala<\/div>\n
\n
\"Kara<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Documentary Producer, Impact Producer, Journalist<\/div>\n

Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala is an Emmy-nominated documentary producer, impact producer and broadcast journalist. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and member of the jury for the Emmy Awards, News and Documentary category. She co-founded Storytellers International Inc. She produced <\/span>Delikado<\/span><\/i> (2022), <\/span>11,103 <\/span><\/i>(2022), <\/span>Call Her Ganda<\/span><\/i> (2018) and <\/span>Batas Militar <\/span><\/i>(1997). She is a member of the Advisory Committee of GIPA, President of the Filipino Documentary Society. She was an impact producer for Doc Society\u2019s Good Pitch Southeast Asia. Kara has produced documentaries for ARD German TV, Cable News Network, History Channel, the Australian Broadcasting Company. She has reported for the Public Broadcasting Service and Voice of America.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

\n
Prince
Odera Onyore Nyambok II<\/div>\n
\n
\"\"<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Communications & Outreach Manager, DocA \u2013 Documentary Africa<\/div>\n

Prince is a communications strategist and creative with a background spanning Media, Arts, Entertainment, and Education. From 2013 to 2018, he hosted <\/span>The Great Debaters Contest<\/span><\/i> on Citizen TV and KBC Channel 1 and created its spin-off, <\/span>Connect Edition<\/span><\/i>. He is currently the Communications & Outreach Manager at DocA \u2013 Documentary Africa, where he co-designed the Real Reel Impact (RRI) Program and produces impact campaigns for films such as <\/span>Our Land, Our Freedom<\/span><\/i><\/a> and <\/span>Battle for Laikipia<\/span><\/i><\/a>. Beyond film, he founded MAD Royal Entertainment and the music IP rights platform <\/span>MAIQCHECK<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

\n
Michelle
Plascencia<\/div>\n
\n
\"\"<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Director of Programs and Partnerships, The Global Impact Producers Alliance, GIPA<\/div>\n

Michelle is a cultural organizer and an impact strategist based in Mexico City. She directed the Good Pitch program in Mexico 2020 & 2022, as the Outreach and Partnerships Coordinator at DocsMX, a documentary film platform in Mexico City. She co-founded Impacta Cine, the first film and social impact collective in Mexico focused on promoting human rights through documentary film impact campaigns and has worked with films such as <\/span>Now That We Are Together<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Toshkua<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>The Silence of my Hands<\/span><\/i>. She is currently the Partnerships and Programs Director of GIPA, a community-led network to connect, support and uplift impact practitioners around the globe. In March 2022, she culminated the Creative Leadership Program led by Goldsmith University and presented by British Council Mexico and is a Rockwood Documentary Leaders Fellow 2024. Michelle seeks to unite film and activism through strategic and creative partnerships with and for the communities involved. She is an avid runner, cyclist, hiker and curious traveler.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

\n
Leslie
Thomas<\/div>\n
\n
\"\"<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Producer<\/div>\n

Leslie Thomas is a feature narrative and documentary film producer\/director, human rights campaigner, Emmy-award winning art director, and architect. Recent films and campaigns include <\/span>The Sharp Edge of Peace<\/span><\/i> (producer), about Afghan women peace negotiators, <\/span>The Prosecutors<\/span><\/i> (director\/producer), featuring the work of human rights lawyers prosecuting former military combatants for sexual assault as a war crime, as well as the narrative micro-budget feature <\/span>Thursday\u2019s Child<\/span><\/i> (director\/producer). She is co-founder of MIRA Studio and the founder of ART WORKS Projects, which works with photographers and artists to bring attention to human rights abuses.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

\n
Emily
Wanja<\/div>\n
\n
\"\"<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Impact Producer | Director of African Programmes \u2013 Doc Society<\/div>\n

Emily Wanja uses storytelling to drive social change. She collaborates with organisations, people, and communities to envision a more climate-just world. As an award-winning impact producer, she engages with stakeholders in policy, civil society, foundations, and colleagues in the media ecosystem and communities. She consults with organisations to develop impact strategies using storytelling. She previously served on the Climate Justice Resilience Fund Advisory Council and GIPA. She is on the steering committee of ECCA (Entertainment & Culture for Climate Change) for the UNFCCC, the board of STEPS and Open Planet advisory board among others, and is the Director of African Programmes at Doc Society.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-43034","pro","type-pro","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fifdh.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pro\/43034","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fifdh.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pro"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fifdh.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/pro"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fifdh.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}