Decision Makers 2023

Sarah Thornton (Australia) Head of Unscripted
Paramount

Paramount is a leading media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide.

Ally Gilbert (Australia) Head of Content, Prime Video Australia and New Zealand
Prime Video

As Head of Content, Ally leads local content efforts in Australia and New Zealand.

Theresa Navarro (USA) Co-Director / Chief Operations Officer
Catapult Film Fund

Theresa is currently Co-Director and COO at Catapult Film Fund, a SF-based nonprofit providing early-stage support for independent documentaries.

Lucie Kon (UNITED KINGDOM) Commissioning Editor
BBC Storyville

Storyville is the BBC’s flagship documentary strand, showcasing feature documentaries from across the world.

Natsu Kawakami (Japan) Producer
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)

Natsu Kawakami is a producer at NHK's World Documentary.

Susie Jones (Australia) Head of Documentary and Specialist
ABC

Susie Jones is the Head of Factual at the ABC.

Kelrick Martin (Australia) Head of Indigenous
ABC

ABC Indigenous is the home of cutting edge First Nations storytelling across drama, comedy, factual and digital.

Joseph Maxwell (Australia) Head of Unscripted
SBS

Joseph oversees commissioning for all unscripted content at SBS Australia.

Bethan Arwel-Lewis (Australia) Commissioning Editor
SBS Australia

Bethan Arwel-Lewis is Commissioning Editor of Factual for SBS Australia, and is responsible for commissioning original factual content for the broadcaster.

Dena Curtis (Australia) Head of Indigenous Commissioning and Production
NITV

Dena Curtis has recently joined NITV as Head of Indigenous Commissioning and Production

Cieron Cody (Australia) Senior Commissioning Editor
NITV

Cieron Cody has recently joined NITV as Senior Commissioning Editor.

Gunny (Gune) Hyoung (Republic of Korea) Commissioning Editor/Artistic Director
EBS Korea/EIDF

ONLINE GUEST

EIDF is one of the only International Documentary Film Festivals organized by a Public TV network.

Choy Lin Mok (Turkiye) Commissioning Editor
TRT World

ONLINE GUEST

TRT World's mission is to commission and co-produce world-class documentaries that entertain and engage, encourage debate and serve as a catalyst for change.

Paul Wiegard (Australia) Co-Founder & CEO
Madman Entertainment

Madman is Australia's leading independent theatrical, home entertainment distribution and rights management company.

Rufus Richardson (Australia) Documentary Executive
Madman Entertainment / DocPlay

DocPlay is the dedicated home of documentary content in Australia and New Zealand.

Deborah Spinocchia (Australia) Head of Unscripted
BBC Studios Productions Australia

Deb Spinocchia is the Head of Unscripted at BBC Studios Productions Australia

Hollie Fifer (Australia) Director of Special Projects
Doc Society

Doc Society is a global non-profit working with the boldest and most impactful filmmakers all over the world.

Kate Hodges (Australia) Executive Director
Shark Island Foundation

Shark Island Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation dedicated to funding documentary filmmaking in Australia.

Jane Mote (UK) Editorial Consultant
The Whickers

ONLINE GUEST

The Whickers develops, funds and supports first-time documentary filmmakers from across the world.

Aleksandra Derewienko (France) Head of Sales
CAT&Docs

CAT&Docs is a Paris based sales agency specialising in promoting and distributing documentaries globally.

Stephanie Fuchs (Austria) CEO
Autlook Filmsales

ONLINE GUEST

Autlook Filmsales is a leading world sales agent for documentaries, hybrids and series.

Kazz Basma (UK/Spain) Head of Sales and Acquisitions
Sideways Film

Sideways distributes internationally across all media and formats.

Pamela Martínez (Spain) CEO/Managing Director, Limonero Films
Limonero Films Limited

Limonero Films is a straight-talking, committed and reliable boutique international distributor of  factual programming and documentaries.

Diana Karklin (Germany) Sales & Acquisitions
Rise and Shine World Sales

ONLINE GUEST

Rise and Shine World Sales, is today one of the world's leading international boutique size sales agents.

Kate Jinx (Australia) Programmer
Melbourne International Film Festival

The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is a not-for-profit organisation that has been continuously running since 1952, making it the leading film festival in Australia and one of the world’s oldest film festivals, alongside Cannes and Berlin.

Alice Burgin (Switzerland) Head of Industry
Visions du Réel

ONLINE GUEST

Alice Burgin is the Head of VdR–Industry, Vision du Réel's international four-day co-production and financing market for creative documentary, which takes place annually in Nyon Switzerland.

Mita Suri (UK) Film Programme Manager
Sheffield DocFest

ONLINE GUEST

Mita supervises the delivery of the Film Programme for Sheffield DocFest.

Jean-Jacques Peretti (France) Programming & Training Coordinator
Sunny Side of the Doc

ONLINE GUEST

Jean-Jacques Peretti is in charge of the editorial line at Sunny Side of the Doc.

Alex Lee (New Zealand) Director
Doc Edge

Doc Edge presents an Academy Awards® qualifying international documentary film festival in-theatre and online across New Zealand.

Keisha Knight (USA) Director, IDA Funds
International Documentary Association

Keisha Knight is the Director of IDA Funds.

Ash Hoyle (USA) Programmer
Sundance Film Festival

The Sundance Film Festival is the ultimate gathering of original storytellers and audiences seeking new voices and fresh perspectives.

Christian Cools (France) Commissioning Editor
ARTE G.E.I.E.

As a Commissioning Editor at ARTE since 1998, Christian manages the slot 'ARTE Discovery', dedicated to discovery and natural history documentaries.  He works with natural history and wildlife.

Emile Guertin (Malaysia) Senior Producer
Al Jazeera English

Based in Al Jazeera’s Malaysia bureau, Emile commissions and oversees 25 min docs in the Asia-Pacific region for the ‘Witness’ documentary strand.

Diana El-Osta (USA) Sr. Director, Multiplatform Programming & Development
PBS

ONLINE GUEST

Diana El-Osta is the Sr. Director of Programming and Development at PBS, where she is responsible for developing and overseeing science, history, and wildlife programming.

Kate Bustamante (USA) Senior Manager, Original Documentaries
Hulu

ONLINE GUEST

Kate supports efforts around Hulu’s award-winning Original Documentaries and Original Documentary Series.

Julie Hanna (Australia) Commissioning Editor
ABC

Julie has worked extensively as an Executive Producer, Series Producer and Director across a wide range of genres with broadcasters and independent production companies.

Kalita Corrigan (Australia) Commissioning Editor, Factual
ABC

Kalita is a commissioning editor for ABC screen - documentary and factual - and is passionate about history, true crime, culture and the arts.

Chloe Cassidy (Australia) Executive Producer - Factual Development
ABC

Chloe has been Executive Producer - Factual Development with ABC since 2021

Jo Chichester (Australia) Commissioning Editor
ABC TV

Jo Chichester has worked on a range of internal ABC programs and co-productions, and commissioned dozens of documentaries across multiple genres including Arts & Culture, Politics, Regional, Sport, and Design.

Rachel Robinson (Australia) Executive Producer
ABC

Rachel is an Executive Producer in the ABC’s Factual development team.

Amanda Collinge (Australia) Executive Producer
ABC

Amanda is Executive Producer of Compass on ABC TV, and a senior journalist, director and producer.

Kirsty Sibtain (Australia) Content Acquisitions Manager
ABC

Kirsty is currently Content Acquisitions Manager for ABC Commercial, working closely with producers in acquiring both ABC-commissioned and independent content for global distribution.

Bernadine Lim (Australia) Senior Commissioning Editor, Factual
SBS

Bernadine has over 20 years’ experience developing, directing and producing across various documentary formats in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. 

Marissa McDowell (Australia) Head of Commissions
NITV

Marissa is currently employed by SBS as the Head of Commissions for NITV.

Josie Mason Campbell (Australia) Head of Programming
Eureka, A Fremantle Company

Josie is currently the Head of Programming at Eureka-a Fremantle Company and is tasked with growing their factual and documentary slate.

Lexi Landsman (Australia) Head of Development | Unscripted
Fremantle Australia

Lexi is an author and creative unscripted producer, who has worked in development, production and post across a range of award-winning factual and reality shows in Australia and abroad for over 15 years.

Patrick Hurley (USA) Head of Distribution & Business Affairs
Sandbox Films

ONLINE GUEST

Sandbox Films is an Academy Award-nominated and Emmy and Peabody Award-winning production company that specializes in creative and boundary-breaking documentaries rooted in scientific ideas that inform society and culture.

Charlotte Cheung (Austria) Development Executive
Red Bull Studios

ONLINE GUEST

Red Bull Studios is a global media entity focused on creating premium quality, entertainment-first content.

Amanda Arya (USA) Director, Documentary
Participant

ONLINE GUEST

Participant was founded in 2004 with a commitment to creating content that stands at the intersection of art and activism. 

Kate Lemberg (USA) Associate Manager, Industry Relations/Artists Programs
Points North Institute

ONLINE GUEST

The Points North Institute is a launching pad for the next generation of nonfiction storytellers.

Oli Harbottle (UK) Chief Content Officer
Dogwoof

ONLINE GUEST

Oli is responsible for acquisitions, sourcing projects for Dogwoof's production fund and overseeing all film releases.

Dylan Casella (UK) Head of Acquisitions & Co-Productions
Off The Fence

ONLINE GUEST

Dylan is the Head of Acquisitions & Co-Productions at Off the Fence.

Rebecca Nicholls (UK) Head of Sales & Acquisitions
Espresso Media International

ONLINE GUEST

Rebecca was appointed Espresso’s Head of Sales and Acquisitions in September 2023, spearheading their expansion across all rights and territories.

Emma Simpson (UK) Head of Acquisitions and Development
Journeyman Pictures

ONLINE GUEST

Journeyman Pictures is a global sales agent and distributor of both long and short form documentaries, and news.

Holly Stanton (USA) Agent
CAA

ONLINE GUEST

Holly is an Agent with CAA's Media Finance group

Christine Kecher (USA) Senior Commissioning Editor, Op-Docs
The New York Times

ONLINE GUEST

Op-Docs is The New York Times' award-winning series of short documentaries by independent filmmakers.

Jess Gormley (UK) Executive Producer, Guardian Documentaries
The Guardian

ONLINE GUEST

Jess Gormley has worked in documentaries for over 15 years and at the Guardian since 2014.

Charlie Phillips (UK) Head of Stories
Lyfta

ONLINE GUEST

Lyfta is an immersive learning platform that commissions and distributes short documentary films and 360° immersive content to young audiences in educational spaces.

Jennifer Goggin (Australia) Head of Factual and Drama Content
LiSTNR Original Podcasts

ONLINE GUEST

Jen is Head of Factual and Drama for LiSTNR Original Podcasts, and a multi-award winning podcast and audio documentary producer.

Roland Löbner (Germany) Coordinator DOK Film Market
DOK Leipzig

ONLINE GUEST

DOK Leipzig is the oldest festival for documentary and animation film in the world and unique in offering this combination.

Gugi Gumilang (Indonesia) Programme Director
In-Docs | Docs by the Sea

ONLINE GUEST

Docs by the Sea (DBTS) is an annual international documentary Labs and Forum based in Bali, Indonesia, dedicated to cultivating creative documentary projects from Asia.

Tareq Ahmed (Bangladesh) Director
Dhaka DocLab

ONLINE GUEST

Tareq is the Director of Dhaka DocLab, the Asian Forum of Documentary filmmakers in Bangladesh.

Mitzi Goldman (Australia) CEO
Documentary Australia

Mitzi is a Co-Founder and CEO of Documentary Australia, a not-for-profit organisation enabling social impact documentaries to be funded and screened to inspire social change.

Bronwyn Ketels (Australia) General Manager & Head of Post Production
The Post Lounge

The Post Lounge is an Australian independently-owned, full service post production company, headquartered in Queensland for almost 42 years.

Dan Lake (Australia) General Manager - Sydney & Melbourne
The Post Lounge

Dan Lake is the GM (SYD/MEL) of The Post Lounge as well as co-founder of Orange Entertainment Co.

Arran Birchenough (New Zealand) Director of Sales, APAC
Getty Images

Arran is Director of Sales (Production and Broadcast) for Getty Images APAC.

Tony Holden (New Zealand) Commissioning Consultant
Whakaata Māori

Whakaata Maori is New Zealand's Government funded television channel and online platform responsible for supporting and disseminating Maori language and culture.

Winnie Wang (Canada) Industry Coordinator
Hot Docs

Winnie Wang is the Industry Coordinator at Hot Docs Industry, where they provide support with administering funds, labs and conference sessions.

Emma Lancaster (Australia) Executive Producer
LiSTNR Original Podcasts

Emma is an Executive Producer with LiSTNR Original Podcasts, part of the Southern Cross Austero Group.

Amie Mills (New Zealand) Head of Funding
NZ On Air

Amie is the Head of Funding at NZ On Air, an independent government funding agency delivering public media to local audiences.

Catherine Sullivan (USA) Senior Coordinator of Development
National Geographic

Catherine Sullivan is Senior Coordinator on National Geographic Content’s development team with a focus on natural history.

Keoni Kailimai (UK) Assistant Commissioning Editor
BBC

Keoni is the Assistant Commissioning Editor and for BBC Storyville and Factual Acquisitions

Colette Webber (UK) Documentary Distribution Executive
TVF International

Colette Webber is responsible for working with broadcasters and producers to licence, acquire and facilitate co-productions for the market’s most innovative, creative and commercial documentaries.

Heidi Tao Yang (Canada) Director, Funds & Labs
Hot Docs

Heidi Tao Yang is the Director, Funds & Labs at Hot Docs, overseeing a multi-million dollar portfolio which provides grants for international and Canadian documentary films.

Georgia Woodward (Australia) Chief Operating Officer
The Post Lounge

In Jan 2025, it was announced that Georgia has been appointed the Chief Operating Officer of The Post Lounge and Orange Entertainment Co.

Chris Bowyer (USA) Development Executive, Documentaries
A24 Films

Chris Bowyer is a Development Executive in the Documentary Division at A24.

Brendan Kennedy (USA) VP of Development, VICE News
VICE Media

Alexandre Marionneau (France) Commissioning Editor - Head of International Co-production
ARTE France

ARTE France Society and Culture department considers all types of documentary forms and areas including history, investigation, society, culture, geopolitics, environment, economy, politics and creative documentaries.

Sabine Bubeck-Paaz (Germany) Commissioning Editor
ZDF

ONLINE GUEST

Sabine Bubeck-Paaz is a Senior Commissioning Editor at German public TV broadcaster ZDF.

Irena Taskovski (UK) CEO
Taskovski Films

CEO & founder of Taskovski Films network London based world sales & production company with offices across Europe.

Belinda Lopez (Australia) Executive Producer
LiSTNR Original Podcasts

Belinda Lopez is an Executive Producer in LiSTNR's Factual Podcast team.

Kath Akuhata-Brown (New Zealand) Commissioner
Whakaata Māori

Kath is a Commissioner with New Zealand's national indigenous media organisation.

Simon Cheuk Pong Lee (UK) Commissioning Editor
Channel 4

Simon Cheuk Pong Lee is a Commissioning Exec at Channel 4, working across both Documentaries and Specialist Factual.

Arianna Castoldi (France) Head of Documentary Sales
Mediawan

Mediawan is a Paris-based independent distribution company. Their catalogue offers hundreds of hours of high quality and diversified documentaries, with a strong focus on History, Arts & Culture and Current Affairs programs.

Morgan Magid (USA) Director of Digital Distribution & Acquisitions
Cargo Film & Releasing

Cargo Film & Releasing is a New York and Los Angeles based documentary film & non-fiction series agent, distributor, and financier.

Erika Dilday (USA) Executive Producer
American Documentary/POV

American Documentary strives to make essential documentaries accessible as a catalyst for public discourse.

Jana Wolff (Germany) Head of Marketing & Advertising
European Film Market

The European Film Market is one of the top three meeting places of the international film and media industries.

Heejung Oh (South Korea) Founder & Producer
Seesaw Pictures

Seesaw Pictures is a boutique production and sales company based in Seoul, Korea with a slate of award-winning films.

Iva Dimitrova (USA) Program Coordinator
Chicken & Egg Pictures

Chicken & Egg Pictures provides creative and financial support to women and non-binary documentary filmmakers.

Michael Agar (Australia) Managing Director
Mind the Gap Film Finance

Mind the Gap Film Finance is a key cashflow lender to the lower budget sector of the Australian screen industry.

Brandon Harrison (USA) Development Executive
Words + Pictures

Words + Pictures is a nonfiction content studio with a mission to produce premium, culturally relevant unscripted storytelling.

Anaïs Clanet (France) Partner
Reservoir Docs

Reservoir Docs is an independent international sales company specialised in cultural, engaged and cinematic documentaries.

Elizabeth Radshaw (Canada) Director of Industry
Hot Docs

Elizabeth is Director of Industry at Hot Docs, based in Toronto.

Jia Zhao (Netherlands) Director Coproduction & Sales Asia
Off the Fence

Established in 1994 Off the Fence produces, acquires, localises, and distributes non-fiction programming.

Tara Nadolny (USA) Associate Director of Development
ESPN

At ESPN, Tara works across creative development for 30 for 30 films and podcasts, as well as the ESPN+ streaming service.

Amanda Duthie (Australia) Head of Stan Originals
Stan

Amanda Duthie is the Head of Stan Originals, covering scripted, entertainment and factual projects including the Revealed investigative Documentary slate.

Rachel Okine (Australia) Senior Commissioning Editor
Stan

Stan is Australia’s leading local streaming service and unrivalled home of original productions.

Stephen Oliver (Australia) Commissioning Editor
ABC

Stephen is a commissioning editor with a passion for people and impactful stories.

Teri Calder (Australia) Executive Producer, Impact and Partnerships
ABC

Teri’s career has spanned over 20 years across both the film and television industry and the not-for-profit sector.

Alex West (Australia) Head of Documentary
Screen Australia

Alex West has written, produced and directed over 40 factual and documentary series and specials for TV networks, including BBC, C4, Five, ABC, SBS, National Geographic, Discovery and Seven.

Dan Shanan (New Zealand) Executive Director
Doc Edge

Doc Edge showcases the best films from New Zealand and around the world that show excellence in storytelling, celebrate diversity and inspire social change.

Rupeshi Shah (USA) Junior Executive
Cinetic Media

Cinetic is a talent management, content sales, and strategic advisory company for the media and entertainment industries.

Bojana Marić (Switzerland) Co-Founder, Sales and Acquisitions Executive
Lightdox

Lightdox is a Swiss-based international sales and distribution agency representing powerful documentary storytelling.

Robin Smith (Canada) CEO / Head of Factual Content
Blue Ice Docs / levelFILM

Robin Smith is both the CEO of Blue Ice Docs and also Head of Factual at levelFILM.

Ester Harding (Australia) CEO
Mind the Gap Film Finance

Ester Harding is a screen industry development and financing executive, with 15 years of experience.

Lindsay Poulton (United Kingdom) Head of Documentaries
The Guardian

Lindsay is Head of Documentaries at The Guardian.

Leo Faber (Australia) Commissioning Executive Producer
ABC

Leo Faber is an Executive Producer in the Factual & Culture department of the ABC where he has worked since 2017.

Leah Harris (Australia) Executive Producer, Original Content
Spotify Australia and New Zealand

Leah is focused on developing Original podcast content for the audio streaming platform Spotify.

Brad Holcman (USA) Senior Director, Non-Fiction & Alternative Programming
A&E

A&E leads the cultural conversation through high-quality, original programming that captivates viewers and brings them to the heart of the stories that matter.

Madeleine Hawcroft (Australia) Executive Producer - Factual & Culture
ABC

ABC Factual & Culture consistently produces high quality, award winning, Factual and Arts programs that feature Australian voices, places and stories.

Mark Woods (Australia) Industry Programs Director / Premiere Fund Executive Producer
MIFF Premiere Fund

Mark Woods is the MIFF Industry Director and Executive Producer of its Premiere Fund.

Kate Montague (Australia) CEO & Founder
Audiocraft

Kate Montague is the CEO and co-founder of Audiocraft – Australia’s leading podcast production company specialising in adventurous and sound rich audio storytelling.

Malinda Wink (Australia) Executive Director
Minderoo Pictures

Malinda Wink is the Executive Director of Minderoo Pictures.