The Team

• James Dubbeldam  bio
   –  Executive Director
• 

  In 2000, James Dubbeldam met Len Scher, an award-winning producer with the CBC, who offered him a chance to take his then hobby of filmmaking into something a little more serious. Len saw great potential in James and they worked together on a variety of projects until Len’s sudden death.

  After losing his friend, James concentrated on his writing, during which time he wrote 16 feature-length screenplays, and numerous short films.

  In 2006 he quit his stable job as a travel agent to write full-time and sought representation for his work. Frustrated by the process, he wrote and directed a short film entitled, The Last Day of December, which he shot in late 2007 in an attempt to make it on his own. It was shown at two film festivals and gave James the vital experience to move onto something bigger.

  In early 2009, James shot his first feature film, Fallen Before Falling. It is now currently in the festival circuit. Thus far it has won two awards and has been chosen as an Official Selection at four film festivals.

  James' contact email: james@tifva.com

• Jeff Applewhite  bio
   –  Director, Operations
• 

  Being a long-time film enthusiast, Jeff Applewhite had the opportunity to collaborate with James Dubbeldam on a number of projects over the last 6 years. In 2010, they came together yet again to start their biggest venture yet – creating a film festival. After finding numerous opportunities to improve upon the standard festival, Jeff and James determined that there were key elements missing that could help budding filmmakers grow and create more exposure to those with projects already under their belt. After having spent time both in front of and behind the camera over the years, Jeff now focuses his time these days on building the infrastructure for TIFVA and helping to grow it into one of the most unique and important film festivals of 2011.

• Will Wilson  bio
   –  Production Coordinator
• 

  In 2005 Will had been a lead of the production "The Rocking Boy Chair" that had gone into the Sears Drama Festival to win its Municipal and Regional awards for his Secondary School Theatre Class. Since then he had started to develop his craft within Acting and in other outlets.

  In 2009 he was signed to a Talent Agency and, had taken a few courses to develop his Monologue training and Basic / Audition training. He worked with Howie Mandel as a co-host of the 14th episode of the NBC’s production of "Howie Do It", He has worked in a few projects such as "Vaude–a-Villians" a production by Bravo, "Baby Love" from Novelty Productions. In 2010 he had the opportunity of working in Casting, interning for Crystal Castings Inc. He worked alongside Crystal for 7 months to learn the ins and outs of the audition process, selections, pitching, etc. While aboard Crystal Castings he was able to stand in as a reader for many of auditions that have become TV series we view today.

  In 2011 had landed the opening act role for the 2011 IIFA AWARDS as a dancer, currently is working on a lead role for the short film "From Heaven To Hell" which will be released in the new year.

• Jason Stroud  bio
   –  Business Manager
• 

  Jason began acting in Toronto at the age of 8, appearing in several television commercials, theatre productions, and student films before moving to Montreal to specialize in theatre studies at McGill University. His passion for acting would eventually lead him to New York City where he attended The New School University's MFA program in Method Acting, studying under the likes of Pippin Parker, Ron Leibman, and John Tuturro. He is currently acting and playwriting in Toronto, but his biggest thrill is being part of the TIFVA team and watching it grow into a powerhouse film festival.

• Frederick Robinson  bio
   –  Script Consultant/Screenplay Judge
• 

  In September of 2008, Frederick began to be recognized for his screenwriting at the September 2008 Cinema City International Film Festival. He received the Official Selection/Excellence In Screenwriting Award for the screenplay "From My Eyes," a based on true story for Ronald Eddings. Although the screenplay was never produced due to Mr. Edding's story and book being further developed for publication in 2010, he still savors the experience, and 14 months he put into the script. That was only the beginning for Frederick.

  In September of 2009, he would return to the Cinema City International Film Festival again, this time with 3 feature length screenplays in the finals www.cciff.com ("TUCKED IN THE CUT"- FAMILY/ANIMATION, "THE BASEMENT" - FAMILY/INSPIRED BY TRUE STORY/HISTORICAL, and "BV3:THE FINAL VOW"-SUSPENSE/THRILLER/TRILOGY). This experience was truly a blessing for Frederick in that it confirmed and rewarded his hard work, proving that he has what it takes to make it, yet it didn't stop there. Also in 2009, he finshed as a finalist in the 2009 Roy. W. Dean LA Film grant competition with the treatment and business plan for his psychological spiritual thriller "THE TAG ALONG," a feature length film about a man struggling with principalities as mentioned in Ephesians 6:12, yet those closest to him believe he's entered a dangerous phase of psychosis. Again, in 2009, he was in the finals at the AMERICAN GEM LITERARY & SHORT SCRIPT CONTEST (Treatments Category) with his treatment for "THE ABATTOIR," based on his ABATTOIR poem from his book CAPRICIOUS TONES. Frederick adapted his Abattoir poem and treatment into a feature length screenplay, a bigscreen franchise waiting to happen.

  While the momentum shifted in his favor in 2009, 2010 started him off with great hope, in the BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY COMPETITION.

  In the 2010 BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY CONTEST, Frederick finished in the top 15 in 2 categores, again, with 3 screenplays....3 different scripts from those entered in the CCIFF. In the FEATURES category, "WHEN LOVE CAN'T SEE" - FAMILY DRAMA, finished in the top 15. In the SHORTS category, TV PILOT SCRIPT "PLATTERS"- DRAMEDY, and 30 minute short film "A TASTE OF COMPASSION"-FAMILY DRAMA, both finsished in the top 15.

  Aside from the above, he is also listed with Award Winning Screenwriters As of February 2012, Freddy has 2 of his feature length screenplays optioned and nearing development for production. Aside from his screenplays, he also has two published books out in 2012, with two more contracted for publication.

The Judges

• Karen Ludwig bio
  
     (Actor, Director, Writer and Teacher)
• 

  Ms. Ludwig has appeared on Broadway in Craig Lucas', PRELUDE TO A KISS with Steve Guttenberg and John Randolph, Neil Simon's BROADWAY BOUND with Joan Rivers, THE DEVILS with Anne Bancroft, THE BACCHAE with Irene Pappas.

  Her many Off-Broadway performances at The Public Theater include MUSEUM by Tina Howe and, as a member of Andre Gregory’s Manhattan Project for two years, she performed in THE SEAGULL and Wallace Shawn’s OUR LATE NIGHT traveling with the Company throughout the United States and Europe. She was in the world premiere of MOONCHILDREN at The Royal Court in London as well as playing Lady McDuff in MACBETH at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada; both directed by Peter Gill.

  Her first film was Woody Allen's MANHATTAN, (Meryl Streep's lover), SPIDERMAN 2, THIRTEEN DAYS opposite Kevin Costner and most recently, THE FIELDS, opposite Cloris Leachman. Ms. Ludwig is very proud of her work as Ethel Rosenberg in HBO's CITIZEN COHN opposite James Woods after which she helped raise money for the Rosenberg Foundation for Children.

  TV includes NYPD BLUE, ER, PARTY OF FIVE, JUDGING AMY and many LAW AND ORDER episodes, most recently with Jeremy Irons.

  Ms. Ludwig has directed plays for the Theater for the New City, NYU School of the Arts,Ensemble Studio, Circle Rep and The HB Playwright’s Theater. She wrote and directed her own one-acts for the Third Stage in Stratford, Canada, and the HB Playwright's Theater and directs women in the creation of their own work called WORD OF MOUTH in New York.

  She taught acting and directing for 7 years at USC School for Cinema/TV,U.C.L.A., NYU Film School and Tisch School for the Theater; and as a filmmaker, she has written and directed two shorts, "The Good Stuff" with Lindsay Crouse and "Silver Avenue", with Mari Gorman. Ms. Ludwig, produced and directed UTA HAGEN’S ACTING CLASS,with Pennie DuPont --- a compelling DVD of her incomparable teacher, mentor and friend,conducting Master Acting Classes in Toronto, L.A., Chicago and New York: UTAHAGENVIDEO.COM

• Mathieu Chantelois bio
  
     (TV & Radio host, Editor-in-Chief)
• 

  Mathieu Chantelois is a Torontonian/Montrealer who can just as readily quote Reese Witherspoon as Oscar Wilde. He has a Masters Degree in Journalism from Carleton University in Ottawa. Mathieu also completed two years of his PhD, probing the roots of circuit parties and tackling the evolution of gay body culture.

  Ten years ago, Mathieu was a cast member on the longest reality TV show in history, U8TV: The Lofters, which was broadcasted online and coast to coast on Canada's Life Network. He also created, hosted and co-produced SoGayTV, the first original series aired on PrideVision TV. SoGayTV was nominated for a Gemini Award as best talk show of the year.

  He is the Editor-in-chief of Le magazine Cineplex, the most popular French language movie magazine in Canada. Mathieu is also the Toronto on-air collaborator for many French CBC TV and radio shows and reviews movies on TFO.

• Keith Bunin bio
  
     (Screenwriter, Author)
• 

  Keith Bunin’s current screenwriting projects include EZEKIEL MOSS, produced by Likely Story and Mandalay Pictures; FREAK SHOW, produced by Eleventy One; HORNS, produced by Mandalay Pictures; WHICH BRINGS ME TO YOU, produced by Anonymous Content; and THE ADVENTURES OF DR. SEUSS, produced by Illumination Entertainment and Infinitum Nihil. He has also written screenplays for Disney Pictures, Sony Pictures, Radical Media, and Film Nation, among others.

  He is the author of the plays THE BUSY WORLD IS HUSHED (Lucille Lortel Award nomination), THE WORLD OVER and THE CREDEAUX CANVAS, which were all originally produced off-Broadway by Playwrights Horizons. His other plays include SAM BENDRIX AT THE BON SOIR, produced by City Theatre, VERA LAUGHED, produced by New York Stage and Film, THE PRINCIPALITY OF SORROWS, produced by Pure Orange Productions, THE KING OF CLOCKS, produced by Lincoln Center Lab at HERE, and A JOKE, produced by Malaparte.

  He wrote the book for the musical 10 MILLION MILES, which was produced off-Broadway by the Atlantic Theatre Company. He has also written for the HBO TV-series IN TREATMENT. His essays have been published in American Film Magazine and on the web at McSweeney's.

  He received his B.A. from Goddard College and his M.A. from Columbia University. He lives in Brooklyn.

• Lisa Gold bio
  
     (Director, Writer)
• 

  Lisa Gold has written and/or directed and produced six award-winning short films; she has written several award-winning feature screenplays.

  Lisa’s feature screenplay THE POKER WARS was a Finalist in the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Competition, reaching the top 10 out of over 5,000 submissions. THE POKER WARS, a drama, also won the CineStory Screenwriting Awards. Lisa has written five feature length screenplays, and is completing the novel version of her family action/adventure script THE SECRET OF SHANGRI-LA, a Quarterfinalist in the Nicholl Fellowships and a Semifinalist in the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards.

  Lisa made her short film THE DEATH OF TOYS as a Fellow in the American Film Institute Directing Workshop for Women, a highly competitive program which each year gives selected women funds, training, support and resources to make a short film. THE DEATH OF TOYS, currently on the festival circuit, has been the official selection of 30 festivals to date, and has won the following awards: Best Director, Toronto International Film and Video Awards; Best Narrative Short, Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival; Best Actress (Kim Rhodes), Winter Film Awards; Groundbreaking Filmmaker, HATCH Asheville.

  Lisa’s passion for improv comedy can be seen in her other five short films, which were made for various 48 Hour film competitions. She directed the short AN INCONVENIENT AFFAIR; wrote, directed and produced REALITIES OF LOVE and THE BOARDWALK SPY; and wrote and produced THE POWER and I HATE ALINA. Although written, shot and edited in only two days, these films have played in various mainstream film festivals in the US and internationally. As an improvisational actress, Lisa has performed in various venues around Los Angeles; she is a graduate of the Second City Conservatory.