2025 Jury
Flickerfest 2025 Jury
INTERNATIONAL JURY
DANE McCUSKER
Dane McCusker is an award-winning writer/director from Sydney, Australia with a distinct passion for feature filmmaking. In 2017, Dane’s short film Angelfish was nominated for an Australian Directors Guild Award and saw him shortlisted for the Lexus Short Film Fellowship. Other festival acceptances include the Academy-qualifying Aspen Shortsfest, Hollyshorts, Flickerfest, St Kilda and the FIAPF accredited POFF Shorts. Dane has had two films selected as Staff Picks on Vimeo with an online audience of +500,000.
Dane also worked as a producer and program coordinator on the world’s longest running music video show Rage on the ABC.
In 2023, Dane premiered his debut feature film The Big Dog at the Sydney Film Festival where it was awarded the runner-up Audience Prize. It went on to be released theatrically, eventually garnering a nomination at both the 2024 AACTAs and Director’s Guild Awards.
Dane is currently in development for his second feature film with the assistance of Screen NSW.
VANESSA GAZY
Vanessa Gazy is an award-winning Australian writer, director and series creator.
She created seven-part Netflix USA series ECHOES, starring Michelle Monaghan and Matt Bomer, which was the world’s most watched series for over two weeks when it aired in 2022. It was developed with producer Imogen Banks and showrun by Brian Yorkey and Quinton Peeples.
Vanessa also created EDEN (2021), an eight-part series for Australian streamer Stan. EDEN was sold internationally, streaming on Spectrum (USA), Canal+ and Netflix UK. The show was developed with Brian Elsley (SKINS) and Dave Evans of Balloon Entertainment UK.
Nominated for both Australian Director’s Guild and Australian Writers Guild awards, her short films have screened around the world, including at the BFI London Film Festival, Warsaw International Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, Flickerfest and Melbourne International Film Festival.
Vanessa grew up in Canberra, where she graduated from high school with Dux of the College. She completed a Bachelor of Arts (Media Communications) at the University of Sydney, majoring in English Literature and Cultural Studies, and graduating with Distinction.
After living in Paris and London, she came home to complete her Masters in Writing/Directing at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School in 2014, winning the school’s prestigious Kenneth B. Myer Award for Exceptional Talent upon graduating.
She is also a Sundance Short Film Audience Award-winning producer, for Matthew Lessner’s 2014 short film Chapel Perilous. She co-produced Lessner’s feature film Automatic at Sea which had its premiere at Slamdance 2017.
Vanessa is currently developing a slate of original international TV and film projects with major streamers, studios and production companies..
REMY HII
Remy Hii is a professional actor, avid film photographer, and budding home chef.
Remy most recently voiced the role of Platy in the animated feature film THE SLOTH LANE, and can be heard voicing the role of Mr. Kiramman in the latest season of the acclaimed animated Netflix series ARCANE.
His other screen credits include the Netflix series WELLMANIA, Animated feature film SCARYGIRL, voicing the role of Bunniguru, Netflix feature film PRINCESS SWITCH 3: ROMANCING THE STAR, ABC series’ AFTERTASTE and HARROW, Marvel Studio’s SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME, Netflix epic drama MARCO POLO and Warner Bros feature CRAZY RICH ASIANS.
In 2013, Remy Hii starred in the SBS drama BETTER MAN for which he received the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding Newcomer and an AACTA Award nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama for his role in the production.
Remy’s stage credits include GWB Entertainment’s 2:22 A GHOST STORY, Ensemble Theatre’s SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER and Sydney Theatre Company’s adaption of THE TENANT OF WILDFELL HALL and THE GOLDEN AGE.
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AUSTRALIAN JURY
TARA MORICE
Tara Morice is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Tara has worked extensively in theatre, film and television for over 30 years.
Her first film out of NIDA was Baz Luhrmann’s STRICTLY BALLROOM for which she was nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Award (BAFTA), an Australian Film Institute Award (AFI) and a Film Critics Circle award for Best Actress.
She has also appeared in PETER RABBIT 2: THE RUNAWAY, DANCE ACADEMY: THE MOVIE, ORANGES AND SUNSHINE, RAZZLE DAZZLE: A JOURNEY INTO DANCE, CANDY, HILDEGARDE, MOULIN ROUGE, HOTEL SORRENTO, METALSKIN, CARMEN and the Oscar nominated short MIRACLE FISH. Tara’s most recent credits are THE MOOGAI and Rebel Wilson’s musical comedy THE DEB.
Her television credits include the award-winning teen series DANCE ACADEMY as well as ANSWERED BY FIRE, MCLEOD’S DAUGHTERS, SALEM’S LOT, AFTER THE DELUGE, DOGWOMAN and PLAYSCHOOL. Tara can most recently be seen in Stan’s NUGGET IS DEAD. On stage, Tara has performed in many productions for the Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir, Bell Shakespeare, Griffin, the Ensemble, the Queensland Theatre
Company, Malthouse Theatre and the State Theatre of South Australia. She has been nominated for her work in musical theatre with a Victorian Green Room Award for THE VENETIAN TWINS and a Helpmann Award for FAT SWAN.
Tara wrote and directed the documentary MY BIGGEST FAN, which premiered at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival and screened on SBS.
As a singer, Tara recorded TIME AFTER TIME with Mark Williams for the STRICTLY BALLROOM soundtrack and a new solo version for Baz Luhrmann’s album SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.
BOBBY ROMIA
Bobby Romia is the Head of Development at Screen Australia. He is a former producer, writer and broadcaster with over 16 years of industry experience.
Prior to joining Screen Australia, Bobby was Acting Senior Investment Manager at Screen NSW where he managed projects including Bali 2002, Underbelly: Vanishing Act, After The Verdict, Bump, Upright, Here Out West, The Secret She Keeps, Frayed, June Again, The Drover’s Wife, True Colours and Hardball, and talent escalation initiatives such as Talent Camp NSW and the Emerging Writers’ Incubator.
Bobby previously worked as a Commissioning Supervisor (Scripted Drama, Comedy & Entertainment) and Producer at SBS Australia and NITV.
He has also worked with Screentime Australia, Hopscotch Films, eOne Entertainment, and Screentime New Zealand in Auckland. Bobby holds a Master of Arts in Screenwriting at the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS).
MAHVEEN SHAHRAKI
Migrating from Iran, MahVeen found her film family in Australia and co-founded Thousand Mile Productions, a company dedicated to bringing captivating and socially conscious projects to the screen.
MahVeen’s journey has been marked by producing award-winning films such as the fan-favorite Ellie and Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt), The Rooster (starring Hugo Weaving and Phoenix Raei), and collaborating with the French company Georges Films on the award-winning The Translator, starring Miranda Tapsell and David Field.
In 2020, MahVeen was selected as one of Screen Producers Australia’s “Ones to Watch” producers and recently, she was named the Rising Talent of 2024 in producing by Inside Film Magazine.
MahVeen is dedicated to identifying compelling stories and bringing together talented individuals to create diverse and impactful projects for the screen.
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DOCUMENTARY JURY
AALIYAH-JADE BRADBURY
Aaliyah-Jade Bradbury is a proud Indigenous woman from the Larrakia Nation of Garamilla (Darwin), Erubam Le peoples of Meriam Mir, and an Emmy-winning storyteller.
Aaliyah is most notably known for producing the film Harley & Katya (2022).
Her work has been recognized by Screen Australia and Screen NSW as one to watch for the way she highlights intricate storytelling through the humanity of First Nations peoples.
She has also held various roles across NGOs and government at organisations such as Creative Australia, the ABC, and SBS.
JAMES BRADLEY
James Bradley has worked in film and TV for over 45 years, variously as a writer, producer, director and editor of numerous documentary films and series. He has a reputation for telling powerful stories and a passion for cross-cultural collaboration.
His many editing credits include a slate of award-winning Australian Indigenous projects including the dramatic feature Radiance and documentaries Dhakiyarr vs The King, 5 Seasons, In My Father’s Country, art + soul, Occupation: Native and Mr Patterns – for which he won the 2005 AFI Non-Feature Editing Award.
He co-directed 50 Years of Silence which won the 1994 AFI Best Documentary Award and in 2011 produced and directed the multi award-winning Ochre and Ink, the story of Chinese- Australian artist Zhou Xiaoping and his 23-year collaboration with Aboriginal artists.
James also produced the documentaries Destiny In Alice, Blown Away, and Under a Pagan
Sky for ABC TV, and has taught film production and editing at Metro Screen, the University of
Western Sydney, AFTRS, and Macquarie University.
In 2019 James received the prestigious Stanley Hawes Award for Outstanding Contribution
to the Australia Documentary industry.
After 12 years in production, in 2024 James completed his first feature documentary as
director, Welcome to Babel, which had its world premiere at the 2024 Sydney Film Festival
where it won the Documentary Australia Award.
JULIA OVERTON
Julia Overton has worked in the screen industry for many years and across all genres. Her credits include the theatrical documentaries THE LAST IMPRESARIO (London, Hamptons, Doc NYC, SFF) RED OBSESSION (Berlin, Tribeca, Pusan, Best Doc, AACTA) FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE for See-Saw Films (Hot Docs 2014), TRENT PARKE THE BLACK ROSE (Adelaide Film Festival and ABC ), GLENN MURCUTT – SPIRIT OF PLACE (ABC) and THE NAMATJIRA PROJECT. She is at the moment in post on THE PIANO TUNER (director Natalia Laska) and development on MOTHER MIRIAM also with Natalia Laska.
For ten years Julia worked with Australia’s national screen agencies assisting filmmakers in the development, financing, production and marketing of their projects. In the last six years of this tenure she specialised in documentary and factual production for broadcast and theatrical release and assisted in the formulation of policy in that area. During this time she developed and has maintained relationships across all areas of the industry both domestically and internationally.
Julia has been on the board of the AIDC, is an international advisor for Hot Docs Canada, FIFO Tahiti and Doc Edge New Zealand.
Julia has worked with all key investment bodies in Australia and New Zealand and has strong international ties with financiers, production entities and sales agents around the world. She is known for her support and nurturing of the best in directing, producing and writing talents. She has a BA Hons (1st) Majoring in English Literature & Classics.
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RAINBOW SHORTS JURY
IAN ROBERTS
Ian Roberts is an Australian icon from a celebrated career as a professional rugby league player before shifting his sights toward his acting career.
Ian appeared in the Australian television mini-series Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities as a bodyguard for George Freeman (played by Peter O’Brien).
In 2012 Ian landed his first starring role in the film Saltwater, starring opposite Ronnie Kerr, which is also Ian’s first role playing a gay man.
Ian appeared in Craig Boreham’s feature films Teenage Kicks and Lonesome.
He has appeared in Superman Returns as the henchman of Lex Luther and Star Wars Attack of the Clones.
ZINDZI OKENYO
Soon after graduating from NIDA in 2006 Zindzi Okenyo was cast in The Vertical Hour and The Crucible for Sydney Theatre Company and Scorched for Company B Belvoir. From 2009 to 2011 she was a member of the Residents Company at STC. In 2012 Zindzi toured Europe and the US with A History of Everything and began as a presenter on ABC’s Playschool. As well as Playschool Zindzi’s television roles include Wakefield, The Code, Hiding, Janet King, Harrow and Get Krack!N (ABC) and Wonderland and Sisters (Network 10). In feature films she has appeared in Abe Forsythe’s Little Monsters and Dean Murphy’s The Very Excellent Mr Dundee.
In 2013 Zindzi won a Best Female Performer Award for her role in State Theatre Company of South Australia’s Random. She has performed in Orange Thrower, Masquerade and The Girl In Tan Boots (Griffin Theatre); Grand Horizons, The Golden Age, Boys Will Be Boys, A History Of Everything, Money Shots, Before/After, Blood Wedding, The Comedy Of Errors, The Oresteia, Vs Macbeth, The Crucible, The Mysteries: Genesis, The Vertical Hour (STC); An Ideal Husband and Disgraced (Melbourne Theatre Company), Prize Fighter, La Traviata and Scorched (Belvoir); Much Ado About Nothing and Antony and Cleopatra (Bell Shakespeare), The Rasputin Affair and Good People (Ensemble), Random (State Theatre Company of South Australia), Gaybies (Darlinghurst); Angels In America (Theatre Ink). Most recently Zindzi was Director of Oranger Thrower at Griffin Theatre, Co-Director on Darlinghurst Theatre/Sydney Festival’s highly acclaimed Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner and Assistant Director on Death Of A Salesman for Sydney Theatre Company. Zindzi also performs her own music under the name OKENYO.
PATRICK (PAT) ABBOUD
Patrick (Pat) Abboud is a Walkley winning filmmaker, writer, director, presenter. Pat was awarded 2024 LGBTQIA+ Media Disruptor of the Year and 2023 freelance Journalist of the Year by the Walkley Foundation. World Pride 2023 honoured Pat as one of 45 Rainbow champions for his ongoing commitment to the queer community. Screen Australia recently funded his first original docuseries going into production in 2025.
His 2024 film, ‘Gayrabia’ for ABC TV won a 2024 ADG award for Best Direction in documentary, was featured on Gogglebox and continues to garner critical acclaim.
Pat’s 2023 film for SBS TV ‘Kids Raising Kids’ was nominated for Best Documentary at AIDC 2023 and Best Direction at the 2023 ADG Awards. Pat is co-creator/host of queer true crime podcast, ‘The Greatest Menace: Inside The Gay Prison Experiment’ for Audible. The series has won 19 international awards, including Podcast of the Year in London. Pat is a 3-time winner at the New York Festivals TV & Radio Awards, 4-time winner at the Australian Podcast Awards, a recipient of the SXSW Innovation Award, a Webby Award, Rose D’Or & International Documentary Association award finalist.
Formerly at SBS TV, Pat founded national current affairs & culture program ‘The Feed’, was a foreign correspondent for Dateline, hosted and directed content for the annual Mardi Gras live TV broadcast.
Pat’s intimate hit TV interview series #PatChat has also clocked over 50 million views online. Some of Pat’s favourite episodes include Sam Smith, Rami Malek & Daniel Johns. Leading Australian content studio Dreamchaser, backed by global content powerhouse Fifth Season, recently signed an exclusive deal with Pat and his production company, Only Human. Together they are developing and co-producing his new slate of TV/ streaming projects for global audiences, including his foray into episodic drama.
ANDREA ULBRICK
Andrea Ulbrick is an Investment Manager in Screen Australia’s Narrative Content Department and has been in the role for 2-and-a-half years.
She is currently managing a range of Feature Film and Television projects including Bay Of Fires Season 2 for the ABC and The Newsreader Series 3 also for the ABC, two upcoming feature films Spit and One More Shot and the upcoming five-part Amazon series Narrow Road to the Deep North starring Jacob Elordi and Odessa Young. Recently, Andrea managed the Stan telemovie WINDCATCHER with the ACTF.
Andrea joined Screen Australia in May 2022 following a six-year role as Screen Investment Manager at Screen NSW where she oversaw a huge range of scripted and factual projects including The Stranger, Carmen, Mystery Road, Girls Can’t Surf and Playing with Sharks. Previously, Andrea was a commissioning editor at ABC Factual. She is an award-winning documentary director/filmmaker and has produced and directed a range of domestic and international observational, science and history co-productions for ABC TV, SBS, CBC, Arte France, BBC, Channel 4, WNET, National Geographic and Discovery.
Andrea is an AFTRS alumna and has a Master of Arts degree majoring in Film and Television from AFTRS from the year 2000. She is passionate about film, television, cinema, theatre, hiking, reading, wine and her three young grandsons. She also enjoys mentoring emerging content creators to be the best they can be.
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FLiCKERUP JURY
RUBY CHALLENGER
Ruby Challenger’s short film, MumLife, screened in official competition in the 2022 La Cinef section at Cannes Film Festival. Five weeks earlier she had given birth to her second baby, so she packed up her family of four and took them to the festival! MumLife is a 15 minute musical about post-natal anxiety which enjoyed a good festival run.
Ruby directed, co-produced and was one of the story creators on the episodic show ‘Next’ – a dramedy filmed specifically for release on social media. Check it out @nexttheseries on Tiktok or Instagram. Ruby is developing an Action/Musical with a mother protagonist and a Horror about mother rage.
Ruby completed her Masters of Screen Arts in Directing at the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) in 2021. She wrote her thesis on motherhood and the cinema, looking at mothers in front and behind the screen. She continued the discussion about mothers in film through her podcast Mums In Film. Listen on any podcast platform and find it @mumsinfilm. In her first year at AFTRS, she directed a horror short film, Hyde.
Ruby has been on film sets since she was born – legend has it her first trip after the hospital was a film set to visit her dad (she was born during his film shoot – sorry dad). Following her unofficial education in filmmaking, her career in the film industry began in the Art and Costume departments, which took her all around Australia.
Her first short film as Director/Producer/Writer, Daily Bread, had it’s World Premiere in 2018 at Flickerfest & played at festivals around Australia and the world, winning awards including the St Kilda Film Festival People’s Choice.
ED OXENBOULD
Ed Oxenbould is an Australian actor best known for his work in Puberty Blues, Paper Planes, Wildlife and The Visit.
He has just returned from Rotterdam where HEAD SOUTH, a film he leads, opened the festival. He can also be seen in the Stan original film, NUGGET IS DEAD. Among 2 AACTA award nominations, Ed was also nominated for a Critic’s Choice Award for Best Young Actor/Actress for his leading role in Paul Dano’s directorial debut WILDLIFE, starring opposite Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal. The drama premiered at Sundance and tells the story of a small town divorce through the eyes of Ed’s character and was critically acclaimed. It was a hit at TIFF as well.
Ed was previously seen in theaters as the lead in M. Night Shyamalan’s THE VISIT, which was a huge success for Universal, making nearly 100M worldwide. He is also known for playing ‘Alexander’ and starring alongside Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner in ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE HORRIBLE NO GOOD VERY BAD DAY.
After booking ALEXANDER, Ed went on to star in the indie feature PAPER PLANES playing Sam Worthington’s son in his home country of Australia. Most recently, Ed has stepped behind the camera directing/writing two short films, DON’T DRINK THE PUNCHLINE and DOORMAN.
SHERRY-LEE WATSON
Sherry-Lee Watson is a proud Arrernte woman from Alice Springs, Northern Territory. She is best known for her breakthrough screen role as Missy in the internationally successful Netflix series, Heartbreak High.
Sherry-Lee can currently be seen in the leading role of Robyn in Stan Australia’s television series, Thou Shalt Not Steal for director Dylan River, opposite Miranda Otto and Noah Taylor.
Sherry-Lee’s other screen credits include the animation series, Space Nova for the ABC and the documentary series, Facing the Numbers for director Tyson Perkins.
Sherry-Lee is also a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) at University of Melbourne. During her time at the VCA, Sherry-Lee was the recipient of the Nancy Hayes Scholarship, the Garuda Nicolson
Award and the University of Melbourne Truganini Scholarship.