JUDGING COMMITTEE

Meet the 19th Annual Vancouver Island Short Film Festival Judging Committee!

The Vancouver Island Short Film Festival (VISFF) is excited to introduce the talented individuals who lent their expertise to determine who took home a Goldie Award at the 19th annual VISFF.

Lisa Genaille

Meet Lisa Genaille, an Indigenous Producer based in British Columbia. Lisa has worked her way up in the Film and TV industry, starting as a Production Assistant on various U.S network productions. Her projects have been recognized through screenings at fellow prestigious events such as VIFF and ImagineNative. She had also successfully submitted four feature films as a producer, receiving development funding from APTN and the HAROLD GREENBURG FUND. In 2022, Lisa completed her first feature, REHAB, which earned two Leo award nominations and was distributed by Level Film. The film is now available on Apple TV. Most recently,  she was awarded an artist grant for screenwriting and is co-producing a series in development about artificial intelligence. Lisa is a staunch advocate for human rights and mental health, herself also being ADHD. 

MacKai Sharp

Mackai is a 19 year old Māori-Canadian Director, Photographer and Multimedia artist based in Vancouver and Montreal. His work has been screened internationally with his films playing across North/South America, Europe and Asia. Adjacent to filmmaking, his photography in both conceptual work and fashion has been seen in exhibitions and published nationally. 

Stephanie Rossel

Stephanie Rossel is a lifelong storyteller and filmmaker. As a Script Supervisor she has had the privilege of working alongside award winning producers and directors in both film and television including Robert Altman, Gus Van Sant & Jason Reitman. Her credits include: Juno, 50/50, This Means War, The Baby Dance, When We Rise and Tully.  

Stephanie has written, directed and edited several short films including, Between Floors, Missing You and Baby Steps, which recently won best narrative short at the Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival.  

Stephanie is passionate about telling heart-centred stories that evoke emotional familiarity.  She is eager to bring film projects to Vancouver Island and contribute to the growing local film community. She currently resides in the Comox Valley with her husband Robert.

Jesse Woodward

Jesse Woodward has been a fan of short films since first attending the Vancouver Island Short Film festival in the 2000s. He appreciates the variety that the festival brings, with voices and stories from Vancouver Island, Canada, and from abroad. Day to day, Jesse works as Executive Director of CHLY 101.7FM, VIU’s non-profit campus radio station that has supported and partnered with the VISFF over the years. In years past, Jesse served as a member at large on the board of the VISFF, and this year he is happy to serve as a judge.