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Decision Makers List

The Decision Makers in MeetMarket 2013 come from all areas of the industry. This list includes commissioners, buyers, funders, executives, advisors, mentors, strategists, distributors, and sales agents from across the world. In 2013, we are delighted to welcome 270 decision makers.

Nearly all Decision Makers are available for meetings with those selected in our flagship pitching opportunity, MeetMarket. These Decision Makers attend various other open-to-all events at the festival as well, including the Round Table Sessions, our commissioning panels, some of our public pitches as well as numerous other Industry Sessions.

Sheffield Doc/Fest is renowned for being a unique market for ability to connect informally with the funders and supporters you want to connect with. Your delegate pass gives you access to the HUBS Industry Centre, as well as all other festival venues (all within an approximate 5 minute walk), where you can easily connect with Decision Makers. If you'd like any advice on how to navigate the festival and market, and meet the people you need to meet, check out all marketplace activities and please email the marketplace team.

Name Job Title Company Country Biography
Abdalla, Salma Managing Director Autlook Filmsales Austria Salma Abdalla is managing director and founded Autlook Filmsales together with Peter Jäger. Along with managing all operations, she is reponsible for theatrical sales and pre-sales. Together with her team, she develops innovative distributions strategies.
Aguilar, Claire Executive Content Advisor ITVS United States CLAIRE AGUILAR is Executive Content Advisor at the Independent Television Service (ITVS), which funds, promotes and distributes independently produced programming to public media. At ITVS, she oversees programming strategy and advises on content recommendations and the international funding initiative. She commissions programming from the global community of independent producers and is curator of Independent Lens, the PBS prime-time series of independently produced programming.
Alvaresse, Catherine Deputy Director Knowledge/Documentaries and Specialist Factual ARTE France France Catherine served as Deputy Managing Director at Europe Images International (Lagardere Ententainment) from 2007-2011. Before that she was Director of International Co-productions for French production company Boréales from 2006-2007, and Director of Acquisitions and International Co-productions at Télé Images International from 2004-2006. From 1998-2003 she was Director of Sales and Co-productions for Dutch-based Off the Fence, an award-winning international distributor and co-producer of factual programming.
Amaratunga, Ravi Video Commissioning Editor Dazed Group United Kingdom Ravi heads up all moving image content across the Dazed group that includes titles such as Dazed and Confused, Dazed Digital, AnOther and Another Man. He will be launching Dazed's original video vertical in late 2013 with over 10 hours of content. Previously, Ravi worked as an editor at Channel 4 where he helped start up and run cult late night strands Random Acts and The Shooting Gallery.
Anderson, Tristan Funder + Director / Film Maker Doc Heads United Kingdom Over the past 10 years I have worked within short film distribution and acquisition, taught film & media at a variety of Universities / College in London and produced and directed a number of documentaries for various broadcasters including Channel 4, BBC, Current TV & The Community Channel. I co- founded Doc Heads in 2009, which is one of the UK leading screening, funding and networking organisations for new and emerging documentary talent. As a film maker I am looking to develop a number of documentaries with UK production companies and as online content, having just finished a series of films for BBC Two / BBC Learning.
Anderson, Julie Executive Producer, Documentaries & Development WNET/THIRTEEN United States Oversee documentary limited series, occasional single documentaries and develop new programming ideas. Anderson brings more than 20 years of experience overseeing the development, production and promotion of non-fiction programming.Prior to WNET, served as a producer for HBO Documentary Films overseeing all aspects of production including, budgets, schedules, crew hiring and management, and post production, on two documentary films slated for 2012 broadcast. Nominated for a 2012 Academy Award ™ for short documentary film, “God is the Bigger Elvis.”
Angus, Ewan Commissioning Editor BBC Scotland United Kingdom Ewan Angus, Commissioning Editor, Television at BBC Scotland has worked in broadcasting for 25 years; much of it spent producing and directing across a broad range of programmes for BBC Scotland and network services. He is responsible for all television output produced for Scottish audiences. In an average year this includes around 45 hours of new factual and documentary commissions. In recent years an increasing proportion of these projects have been co-produced with other broadcasters.
Anstiss, Samantha Commissioning Executive Producer, Features, Formats & Specialist Factual, BBC Three BBC United Kingdom Samantha is responsible for titles such as Small Teen Big World, How Drugs Work, Kids Behind Bars and Autistic Superstars. Prior to this role she was an Executive Producer for BBC current affairs working across the main BBC Channels – exec producer on series such as: The Conspiracy Files and Blair – The Inside Story and investigations like the RTS winning Detention Undercover. Samantha has worked on Panorama, Newsnight, Women’s Hour and Watchdog, she started her career in BBC Manchester as a runner.
Apley, Alice Executive Director Documentary Educational Resources United States Alice is an anthropologist and filmmaker who studied anthropological representations of the Kalahari Bushmen (including the Ju/'hoansi) as part of her graduate studies. She has worked in educational film and television as a fundraiser and in a variety of production roles and as a video production teacher for high school students. Alice holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from New York University and currently conducts social science research for RMC Research Corporation. Remembering John Marshall is her first film.
Arno, Axel Commissioning Editor SVT - Sveriges Television AB Sweden Axel Arnö became a Commissioning Editor at SVT in 1998. Previously a newspaper reporter. Since his move to national television, Axel has been reporter, editor and editorial executive. He became the Editor of SVT’s flagship current affairs magazine Striptease and later created the investigative documentary strand Dokument inifrån. Since 2004, he works at SVT’s documentary department, dealing mainly with international co-productions (current affairs, creative, social documentaries). He was an original partner in the Why Democracy? series. Axel is chairman of the Eurovision Documentary Group.
Ashmore , Mark Director/Producer future artists United Kingdom FUTURE ARTISTS is a virtual studio creating film-related content and offering sales, exhibition and distribution of films and short form content across the range of new media platforms from online and mobile to VoD and iPTV whilst maintaining traditional industry pathways in Broadcast and Cinema to maximise returns. Future Artists also run an independent cinema in Salford. “Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible – Frank Zappa”.
Ball, Rachel Manager, Content Partnerships YouTube United Kingdom Rachel Ball is a Manager of Content Partnerships at YouTube in London, working with the independent production sector. A relative newcomer to the UK, she arrived at YouTube after finishing her MBA degree at Cambridge Judge Business School. Rachel began her career as an improvisational comedian in New Orleans, Louisiana. After Hurricane Katrina, she moved to New York City where she worked in television development at Movie Pictures and in fashion photography production.
Barker, Adam Commissioning Executive Producer, Arts & Music BBC United Kingdom Commissioning Executive Producer for Arts & Music within BBC Knowledge, overseeing independent productions in these genres. He has been responsible for series like Renaissance Revolution with Matthew Collings and Gareth Malone Goes to Glyndebourne, and for one-offs like Elgar – the Man Behind the Mask and The Art of Cornwall with James Fox. Previously, Adam has worked as an award-winning independent producer and commissioning editor at Channel 4.
Barnsdall-Thompson, Phil Acquisitions Manager Flame Distribution Australia
Bassauer, Ben Head of Acquisitions MONODUO FILMS Germany Ben joined Monoduo FIlms in 2011 as Head of Acquisitions. Monoduo is a distribution and production company based in Berlin with a strong focus on music and art related documentaries. Prior to Monoduo Ben worked for the European Film Market and Magnolia Pictures.
Battsek, John MD - Producer Passion Pictures United Kingdom John Battsek runs Passion Pictures Films, one of the most prolific independent feature documentary production companies in the UK. Credits include: Academy Award winner 'Searching for Sugar Man'; BAFTA winner 'The Imposter'; Academy Award winner 'One Day In September' as well as three Academy Award shortlisted films: 'Sergio'; 'Project Nim' and 'The Tillman Story'. New projects include Greg Barker’s film 'REVOLUTION' for HBO; Nadav Schirman’s THE GREEN PRINCE based on the NY Times Bestselling memoir 'The Son of Hamas'; Margaret Brown's new feature documentary 'THE GREAT INVISIBLE' for Participant Media, and a new narrative feature adaptation of Meg Rosoff’s award-winning dystopian novel ‘HOW I LIVE NOW’ to be released theatrically October 2013 for FilmFour & the BFI directed by Academy Award winning Kevin MacDonald.
Bell, Mark Commissioning Editor, Arts BBC United Kingdom Mark Bell is Commissioning Editor, Arts for Vision and is also Arts coordinator of the BBC. A member of the BBC Knowledge Commissioning team, Mark commissions Arts programmes for television and multiplatform content, with a role to co-ordinate and maximise the BBC’s arts output across television, radio and online.
Best, Emily Founder and CEO Seed and Spark United States Emily founded Seed&Spark to make a contribution to the truly independent community in which she would like to make moving pictures. In 2011, she produced the feature film Like the Water. The spirit, community and challenges of that project inspired Seed&Spark. Before all this, Emily produced theater, worked as a vision and values strategy consultant for Best Partners, ran restaurants, studied jazz singing at the Taller de Musics, tour guided and cooked in Barcelona, and long ago was a student of Cultural Anthropology and American Studies at Haverford College.
Bickley, Sam Commissioning Executive BBC United Kingdom
Biemann, Barbara Deputy head of documentaries/ Commissioning editor ARD/NDR Germany Deputy head of documenatraies and commissioning Editor documentaries at NDR/ARD. Special focus on current affairs, social, contemporary history and international coproductions. Independent producer and filmmaker based in New York until 2006.
Billing, Ninder Executive Producer BBC Childrens United Kingdom Executive Producer in formatted factual; fact ent series for BBC Children's in house.
Binding, Justin Commissioning Executive BBC Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Justin runs the commissioning and development slates for BBCNI, working closely with the Head of Local Television. Northern Ireland is a place apart but we are interested in strong local stories that have resonant, universal themes - in autumn 2013 we launch our new local documentary strand 'True North'. In the past year Justin has Executive Produced films on C17th cartography (Mapping Ulster), WW2 Submarines (Dive WW2: Our Secret History) and a portrait of life on a Peace Wall (The Wall).
Binns, Clare Programming & Acquisitions Director Picturehouse Cinemas & Picturehouse Entertainment England In March 2003 Clare joined City Screen Ltd. Clare has worked in the industry for 30 years now, and brings with her experience and expertise that such a career can offer. Clare is now City Screen’s Programming & Acquisitions Director. As well as acquiring titles for Picturehouse Entertainment - City Screen’s distribution arm formed in 2010, Clare is responsible for the overall programming policies and of maximising revenue through cinema admissions across the City Screen circuit. Clare has booked and run some of the most successful cinemas in the country.
Bleyaert, Tom Buyer Documentaries VRT Belgium Tom Bleyaert has a degree in Political and Social Sciences and in Communication Sciences. He started his career at the social security service. Since 2000, he has been working for VRT television, and since 2001 has been responsible for the acquisition of foreign documentaries at Canvas, a channel at VRT. He buys factual for VRT now, which is for both channels – Eén (main channel, family) and Canvas.
Bonnici, Kathryn Head of Acquisitions & Sales Manager Java Films France Kathryn has spent the past ten years working in distribution. At Java, her responsibilities include developing and sourcing documentaries from independent directors, handing pre-sales and co-productions and overseeing sales to America, Iberia, Germany, Australasia and the Middle East. Documentaries she has worked on include the Emmy winning film Songs of War, the Goya nominated 30 Years of Darkness and I Will Be Murdered. In 2012, she was on the selection committee of the Medimed pitching forum and on the jury at the BANFF Film Festival while in 2011, she was a jury member of the Silver Eye Award at the Jihlava Festival. Previously, she worked in London for six years, heading the sales department of a news and current affairs distribution agency. She has also worked as a producer.
Bonse, Milena Commissioning Editor, Das Kleine Fernsehspiel ZDF Germany Since 2008 Milena Bonse is working as a commissioner for the ZDF`s "Das kleine Fernsehspiel", and ZDF Online (Zentralredaktion Neue Medien). She was part of the development team for Germany's biggest ARG "Rescue Dina Foxx!", a multiplatform interactive project. Milena Bonse was born 1981 in Bielefeld/Germany. After longer stays abroad in Philadelphia/USA and Madrid/Spain, she enrolled at the Munich Universtity for Television and Film in 2001 to study in the Film and Television Documentary department. Beside her first documentaries she also shoots journalistic tv-features at home and abroad. From 2005 to 2006 she spent 2 semesters at the Universidad del Cine in Buenos Aires/Argentina. In 2006 she worked in script developing and production at Goldkind Film / TV 60, Munich. 2009 she graduates from Munich University for Television and Film with her feature-length documentary "Avenida Argentina".
Boyle, Caitlin Founder Film Sprout United States A leading champion of grassroots and community distribution for independent films, Caitlin is the architect of national screening and audience outreach initiatives for dozens of feature documentaries, including King Corn, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, The End of the Line, A Small Act, Bag It and The Invisible War. Her boutique distribution and outreach firm, Film Sprout, helps filmmakers broaden the audience and impact of their documentaries through public screening events; strategic communication with audiences and stakeholders; and engagement initiatives that translate the viewer experience into on-the-ground social action. Combining the goals of independent film distribution with the aims of advocacy, Film Sprout helps documentary filmmakers secure revenue, swell viewership, and spark change through film.
Bratzlavsky, Carine Deputy Director of Antennas ARTE Belgium / RTBF Belgium Began at RTBF as a translator and became responsible for the acquisition of documentaries for the 2nd channel and tele21 in the period 1986-1993. Was head of the second channel, la deux between 2002-2007 Passionate about role of culture and television and the opportunities it delivers for individuals; am very involved in international coproduction and cooperation; and am very aware of the importance of television in democratic debate, including for issues of identity, creation, innovation and development.
Briley, Stella Head of Acquisitions Electric Sky United Kingdom Joining Electric Sky in 2008, Stella’s focus is to acquire factual programming from new producers. Previously, after an initial period at Thames Television in Current Affairs, Stella spent several years in the Record Industry before joining BSkyB. Here she was a Producer working on entertainment programmes for Sky One and subsequently moved on to Sky News. For the past ten years, Stella acquired programmes across all genres for RTL in the Netherlands and the Nine Network, Australia.
Brinster, Robin Sales agent Illumina Films Netherlands Illumina Films is a boutique sales company specializing in human-interest documentaries of quality. It represents a collection of documentary films that have been shown widely at international film festivals and by international broadcasters. Illumina Films focuses on documentaries with meaningful social themes as well as historical, literary, and art. Illumina Films keeps its catalogue relatively small, choosing those uniquely special documentaries to which it devotes its deepest attention and passion.