Imani Davis is film programmer at the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles, and a producer and writer. Davis earned her Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies at The Ohio State University and a Master’s of Leadership in Creative Enterprises at Northwestern University. She has produced short films, web series and indie feature films, as well as programmed independent repertory screening series around the city of Chicago, and curated a digital platform for local filmmakers. At the American Cinematheque, a 501c3 nonprofit boasting over 1,500 film screenings a year, Imani curates, plans, and executes unique and engaging film events. She has worked to put on events with A-list filmmakers and talent such as Sofia Coppola, Sean Baker, Jordan Peele, Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Damien Chazelle, Christopher Nolan, and many more. Upon arrival to Los Angeles and starting her role with the AC, Imani is now the founder and lead programmer of the American Cinematheque's newest short film festival called PROOF, which is one of the first ever festivals completely dedicated to proof-of-concept shorts.

Hannah Peterson is a writer and director. Filmmaker Magazine named her one of the “25 New Faces of Independent Film.” Her award-winning short films, including CHAMP and EAST OF THE RIVER, have played at Sundance Film Festival, MoMA, REDCAT, Tribeca Film Festival, Slamdance Film Festival and more. She is a Sundance Lab fellow with her feature film THE GRADUATES. Prior to her work as a director, Hannah mentored under filmmakers Sean Baker and Chloe Zhao on the sets of THE FLORIDA PROJECT and NOMADLAND.

Julia is an Iranian-American writer/director whose work spans across the narrative and documentary landscape. Through film, she aims to shed light on underrepresented stories which capture life’s candid beauty. At age 19, her short film “Yasamin”, based on her mother’s story of immigration, was a Grand Jury Prize Nominee at the 2018 AFI Film Festival.  Her latest short, “In the Garden of Tulips”, had its world premiere at the Aspen Shortsfest, where it won the “Youth Jury Award.” The film also took home the Oscar®-qualifying award for “Best Live Action Short Film” at the St. Louis International Film Festival and has made its online debut as a Vimeo Staff Pick.

Natalie Jasmine Harris is an award-winning Black queer filmmaker from Maryland and 3x NFFTY alum. Her work is centered around a mission to tell stories that capture coming-of-age experiences and reimagine liberation for marginalized communities. Natalie's most recent short film, GRACE, had its world premiere at The 2024 Sundance Film Festival. She has participated in artist programs with Film at Lincoln Center, GLAAD, SFFILM, and Outfest. Natalie is currently a 2024/2025 Sundance Ignite Fellow. PURE, her NYU thesis short film, received The Directors Guild of America's Student Film Award and was acquired by HBOMax. Natalie is in development on a feature-length version of PURE, which she hopes to become her debut feature. The project has garnered support from SFFILM's Rainin Screenwriting Grant, The Gotham Week Project Market, Outfest's Screenwriting Lab, The Toronto LGBTQ+ Financing Forum, Film Independent Fast Track, and The Women In Film x Sundance Financing Intensive. Natalie’s work has been featured in Teen Vogue, THEM Magazine, Huffington Post, The Cut, NBC, and more.

Carlos A.F. Lopez is a multi-faceted filmmaker with over a decade of experience in all stages of production: directing, producing, editing, shooting and writing. His short film Dream Creep premiered at Sundance 2024 where it received a Vimeo Award for Best Director. Indiewire deemed it The Scariest Short on the Festival Circuit and Filmmaker Magazine included Lopez in their annual 25 New Faces of Independent Film for 2024. Previously, he directed Ghosting the Party which won a Special Jury Prize at Nashville Film Festival 2017, and produced The Procedure, winner of the Special Jury Prize for Best Short Fiction: U.S. at Sundance Film Festival 2016, and Harbor Island, winner of the Special Jury Prize in the Independent Pilot Competition at SXSW 2023. He has insidiously established himself as a dynamic filmmaker through a robust collection of evocative, award-winning shorts films and music videos. Transitioning from musician to filmmaker in the Seattle underground/DIY scene, he got his primer creating visually arresting videos for fellow artists; establishing a subversive, comedic and undeniably cinematic style. A first-generation Washingtonian born to a Filipino mother and Mexican father, their cultural influence is imbued throughout his work in nuanced ways that subvert what it means to be an artist of color in the independent film community. https://www.carloslopezproductions.com/

Maddy Szmidt is a community centered film professional, horror aficionado, artist, and cat mom currently working as a Public Engagement Producer at MOPOP. She has programmed for various film festivals in Seattle including the Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival, Seattle Queer Film Festival, TRANSlations: Seattle Trans Film Festival, and the Social Justice Film Festival. Outside of her professional life she enjoys creating visual art, watching goofy 80s horror movies, and trying new Seattle eats.