Jenny Pill - Festival Director

I am an award winning filmmaker, and founding member of South West Dance Hub. I set up EDIFF to promote dance films and to help showcase the amazing work I'm so passionate about.

I am interested in recognising and nurturing authentic voices and providing a platform for artists to shine.

Donald Craigie - Technical Coordinator

The first answer I remember having for the What do you want to be when you Grow Up? question was a squirrel. Since then, answers have included train driver, space man and beekeeper. I have had moments wanting to be a professional photographer, ukulele player or writer. Right now, I make theatre. Find me at www.donaldcraigie.com

Faces

Dr James Rowlins - Mentor & Guest Curator

Dr James Rowlins is a writer, filmmaker and academic. He has lectured in Europe, the US and Asia and is an expert in film noir and the French New Wave. He currently lectures at Brighton's Screen & Film School. He is Director of Rocks Film Festivals, with editions in Brighton, Hastings, London & Los Angeles, which champion emerging independent filmmakers making bold, innovative films.

Lara Goodband - Guest Curator

Lara Goodband has over 25 years' experience as an art curator, and is Contemporary Art Curator and Programmer at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery in Exeter. She works closely with artists, including filmmakers, to curate new artwork inspired by RAMM’s collections. Lara is a Research Associate at the University of Exeter. 

John Tomkins - Guest Curator

John Tomkins a visual storyteller through film, directing and producing films for local & national heritage, and social & community organisations. John has directed short films, collaborated on high profile music videos and in 2023 directed a Dance film for the Agatha Christie Festival. Next year is the 10th Anniversary of the English Riviera Film Festival - John is Director of the Festival and looking forward to the 2025 International Awards showcasing films from across the world. John also runs many film workshops across Torbay.

Bart Weiss - Guest Curator

Bart Weiss is an award-winning filmmaker, educator and director/founder of the Dallas Video Festival and produces “Frame of Mind” on KERA TV. He was President and Chair of AIVF and was a video columnist for The Dallas Morning News, and United Features Syndicate, Student filmmakers Magazine. He is co host of the Fog of truth podcast. He is a tenured professor at the University of Texas at Arlington. Bart received an MFA in Film Directing from Columbia University.

Dom Lee - Guest Curator

Dom is a Devon based filmmaker and producer. His work includes Exeter Phoenix commissioned films ‘Rocketshed’ and ‘Croak’ and the multi-award winning musical-comedy short film ‘Between the Lines’. He’s a Film Teacher at the University of Exeter and also helps organise the monthly ’Shooters in the Pub’ networking event at Exeter Phoenix. Current projects include co-producing Rebecca Melvin Phillips's upcoming debut feature film 'The Medusa Box’.

Jeff Howard - Festival Consultant & Guest Curator

Jeff was an indie filmmaker in the 1990's and early 2000's, during which he endured the film festival circuit and a major studio DVD release. After fifteen years in movie licensing, his passion for indie film was revived when he became the head programmer of the Sherman Oaks Film Festival and its sister-fest Film Invasion Los Angeles. Jeff's love for indie films and his desire for more people to see them led him to create the Discover Indie Film podcast and its accompanying TV series on Amazon Prime Video and the streaming service TVHi. He absolutely loves dance in person and on film, perhaps because when he dances he resembles a toddler learning to take their first step.

Lauren Tenn - Guest Curator

Lauren is a Co-Director of Cine Sisters SW, a collective of womxn working in film and living in Devon & Cornwall supporting its members to create projects on a range of platforms, and offering small funded opportunities for womxn filmmakers in our region.

Kimwei McCarthy - Guest Curator

Kimwei is currently serving in his 5th year as Grand Bard of Exeter, in which he takes inspiration from the area to make stories, songs and poems. He is interested in multiple forms of expression and is Head Mentor on a cutting edge online Masters in Professional Music with the University of West London.

Sarah Berridge - Guest Curator

Sarah is a Bristol-based Lecturer and maker of Dance and Theatre Performance. Whilst completing her MA at Laban, she focused on making films for gallery spaces. Sarah has made many performance films that were shown at various venues and Dance/Theatre/Film Festivals; she is now a Senior Lecturer in Performance at the University of the West of England.

Ruth Janssen - Guest Curator

Ruth has danced, choreographed and taught for major dance companies in the UK and internationally. Credits include Scottish Dance Theatre, MadDogs Dance Theatre, Gravity & Levity, Hofesh Schecter, Liv Lorent, Didi Veldman, Adam Benjamin, Victor Quijada, as well as touring her own work. Film credits: Coire Ruadh from Goat media. Ruth co directs The Hall Exeter.

Lois Taylor - Guest Curator

I founded and directed national touring company Attik Dance, have performed with companies and amazing choreographers, lectured at Plymouth & Falmouth Universities and am currently co-director of Dance Centred CIC as well as an independent artist. Improvisation is key to my performance, choreography and facilitation: it brings excitement and surprise, revealing the process which for me is often the most "alive" moment in making work.

Kyra Norman - Guest Curator

I am a dance-trained artist and researcher working with movement, connection and place, on screen and in live contexts. Alongside this work, I edit the International Journal of Screendance, where I work with the Editorial Board to hold a space for discourse at the intersection of dance and screen media practices. I live in Cornwall, UK.https://www.kyranorman.co.uk https://screendancejournal.org

Sue Smith - Guest Curator

Sue is Course Leader for Dance & Choreography at Falmouth University. She freelanced as an independent dance artist for many years working in participatory practice, performance and screen. Sue is a Clore Fellow, was awarded a Rayne Fellowship for Choreographers and was Director of Dance in Devon. Sue completed a PhD in Choreography at Falmouth University, is a Board member of Gecko Theatre and is Chair of People Dancing.

Will Farmer - Event Photographer

I am an amateur photographer originally from Essex, now studying Economics and Politics at the University of Exeter - I have shot school theatre productions and sports including F1 and Surfing and hope one day to enter into a film festival with a film of my own. You can find more of my work at instagram.com/wjf_photos

Juan Manuel Ramos - Guest Curator

Juan is director of dance company Bajo Luz in Mexico. He has decades of experience and knowledge in the dance sector, mainly focused on creating works and teaching. He has danced, taught and choreographed all over the world.

Ebon Bouri - Event Presenter

Ebon has a lot of experience presenting his own events. He is a huge contemporary dance and indie film fan. Ebon is looking forward to welcoming you to The Hall, and sharing the amazing film selection with you.

Sonia Tabakovic - Social Media Assistant

Hello, my name is Sonia and I will be the face behind the funky social media posts and campaigns! As for what I am or experience I have well that would be a variety of things! From dancer and social media manager at South West Dance Hub in Exeter to movement practitioner and company founder at Move Until Dusk. Find what I do on the @moveuntildusk Instagram page.

Rosaline Hodgetts - Social Media & Marketing

Rosaline is a freelance marketeer, who is proud to work with a range of artists. She studied Drama and Theatre Practice, with dance and physical theatre heavily influencing her work. Her research includes the use of dance in healthcare (Parkinsons/Dementia); analysis of socio-political context of same gender duets in contemporary ballet from 1980s - present day; and the work of Pina Bausch.

To follow Rosaline's work head to @rosalineh.digitalmarketing2023 on Instagram, or @rosalineh.digitalmarketing on LinkedIn

Kane John Mills - Event Presenter

Kane is a Dance, Theatre, and Spoken Word Artist (Facilitator, Choreographer, Theatre Maker, Performer, Director, Writer, Dramaturg) and Access Consultant.

For over a decade Kane has locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally performed and delivered provision across a wide variety of art forms, subjects, and Access. He devises bold, relatable, innovative works as an independent artist, in collaboration with others, as commissions for companies/organisations, and as a creative lead for community/socially-engaged projects.