🏆 Season Awards #15: The Official Jury

Season Awards are the icing on the cake that is the Lift-Off Global Network. Each project that receives a Nomination for a Season Award is carefully reviewed by the Official Jury Team who in turn choose the winners in their respective categories.

Roozbeh Misaghi
Roozbeh Misaghi is a British-Iranian filmmaker and creative director dedicated to visually compelling, emotionally resonant storytelling...
…He founded Diwan Studio as a space for his personal filmmaking, crafting cinematic short films that explore memory, identity, and moral dilemmas with a minimal, immersive approach.

As co-founder of Shorts4Change (S4C), he focuses on impactful short-form storytelling, creating films and documentaries that challenge perspectives and spark conversation.

Currently, Roozbeh is developing A Filmmaker’s Notebook, documenting his creative journey, and working on a new short film based on childhood memories in Tehran. His work is driven by a passion for cinematic excellence and meaningful storytelling.

Richard Elson
Richard’s directing career spans features TV drama, documentaries and commercials. Features include ‘A Christmas Star’ (with Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan)...
A Christmas Star …and the ‘Horror Scopes’ series of anthologies. He is known for the award-winning BBC show ‘M.I.High’ and the Netflix documentary ‘Shadow Trade’, an undercover investigation into Thailand’s illegal dog meat trade that resulted in a change to the country’s laws. He took over from Shane Meadows to direct the Co-op campaign ‘Good Causes’, and his documentary short ’78 Breaths’, won at Sheffield Doc/Fest. He has worked worldwide for numerous NGOs such as Oxfam and Save the Children on TVCs and documentaries. His online sketch series for Movember, ‘Paul Mal Barbara’, transferred the West End fringe and he garnered critical acclaim and awards for his series of plays about abuse in the UK prison system, ‘Held’, ‘Walking’ and ‘Dog City’.
Jane Gull
Jane’s second feature as writer/director LOVE WITHOUT WALLS won Best UK Film at Manchester Film Festival and is now available on streaming platforms...
LOVE WITHOUT WALLS …Her debut feature MY FERAL HEART was the UK’s most successful cinema-on-demand film of all time in partnership with Ourscreen. It was nominated for three BIFA’S and won best director, film and actor at the 2016 Lift-Off Awards. Mark Kermode: “beautifully directed” and “one of the most influential Brit-Pics of the decade”. The UK Film Council supported Jane’s first short film TOGETHER ALONE and she has made several critically acclaimed shorts including multi award winning SUNNY BOY, acquired by CH4, ARTE TV & APPLE TV. Jane is an alumna of the Berlinale Talent Campus, the Edinburgh International Talent Lab and is a cultural ambassador for Essex. She grew up in Southend-On-Sea watching musicals and competing on the Ballroom dance circuit. Jane also directs theatre and is a choreographer. Jane is developing other original film and tv projects as both director and writer.
Tim Kent
Tim Kent founded the Actors Studio based at Pinewood Studios in 2005. Tim is now working as an independent Director and Producer based at Pinewood...
Actors Studio …His recent credits include Sparrow’s Call and The Awakening.
Sarah Dawes
Sarah Dawes is a writer, producer and actor based in Bristol. Her second season of the interactive horror series - Shadow Peak - is set to release online in April 2025...
SHADOW PEAK LINK …She is a previous participant in the BFI Emerging Producer Lab and currently has a couple projects in development. Her credits include Associate Producer on Flunk: The Exchange, which received over 10 millions views on YouTube and Producer/Co-Creator for Big Sisters which won her the Women in Film & TV Award at the 48Hours film festival in NZ.

She has a strong passion for changing the culture on sets and aims to create a collaborative, creative and positive workplace environment. She would love to build her production company Trail 3 Films into one that champions female voices and creates opportunities for emerging talent.

Natalie Daniels
Natalie Daniels is the co-founder of Silver Screen, an organisation dedicated to celebrating the magic of celluloid through curated film screenings,...
Silver Screen Link …an Analog Short Film Fund, and a unique jewellery line crafted from silver reclaimed during film processing. With over a decade of experience in the indie film industry, including eight years as General Manager of Lift-Off Global Network, Natalie is passionate about championing creative storytelling and preserving analog film.
Emily Carlton
Emily Carlton is a screenwriter based in london. Since winning Best Screenplay at the Lift-Off Season Awards in 2019 she's gone on to develop TV projects with companies like Pulse Films...
…Two Brothers and Good Chaos, and had her first feature film produced, ‘The Eye’ – set for release in 2025. Outside of her writing she’s a founder of Breaking Through The Lens, a nonprofit helping connect female and non-binary writers to finance at large film markets.
Lucas Hanwell
Born in the south of England, Lucas started his career as a visual effects artist before moving into VFX production as a production coordinator...
..and producer on blockbuster and indie films. Lucas is an aspiring director and emerging filmmaker within the screen industries. Professionally, His previous work includes Jonathan Glazier’s internationally acclaimed ‘The Zone of Interest’ and the Hollywood blockbuster ‘The Crow’ by Rupert Sanders.
Lorena Briscoe
Lorena Briscoe is a writer, producer and actress originally from Argentina. She founded the production company ZonaSur...
ZonaSur …and has written, produced, performed and directed a variety of works, including plays, a feature film, an interactive platform game and seven short films. She currently resides in Oxford, but also works in Colombia with Arawana Films.

The first feature film produced by Briscoe, ‘Entre Brumas’ (WIP), is scheduled for distribution in May 2025, and she is currently engaged in the pre-production phase of her next film project, ‘Love, Coffee?‘.

Aurora Fearnley
Aurora became a BROADCAST Hot Shot in 2023 after directing two episodes of THE BREAK for BBC Studios Drama with BBC Three....
… Her episode Rude was also nominated for a Broadcast Digital award.
This year, she was nominated for the Edinburgh TV Festival New Voice Awards as Debut Director in Scripted. In March Big Finished released her Doctor Who audio drama Matryoshka featuring Tom Baker.
She won the Euroscript writing competition for her folk horror feature Speak its Name, which is in development with Neil Chordia at IE Entertainment. Aurora’s ambitious sci-fi short Pulsar, starring David Gyasi and Jessie Buckley, was made after winning The Pitch and has 2 million views on DUST.
Aurora, a passionate disability advocate, also works as an Access Coordinator. She has participated in Berlinale Talents, BAFTA Connect, BIFA Springboard, Reykjavik Talent Lab and Filmonomics.

Tristan McShepherd
Tristan is an award-winning filmmaker and Lift Off alum. His films have screened at prestigious film festivals across the world...
…receiving many awards including: an audience pick at Palm Springs International Shortfest, Best British Short Nominations at Raindance and Leeds Film Festival and a Best Narrative Short Award at Lift-Off Festival’s End of Season Ceremony. Tristan is in the process of making his first feature film.
Alex Igbanoi
Alex started his career as an Acting Coach, teaching in some of the world's leading drama schools. After noticing a shift...
, he took up the opportunity and championed people of colour by developing several emerging actors into the industry. Since then he co-founded a production company with producer Tapi Nyoni called 3Stage. Focused in producing under valued stories.
Siff Andersson
Siff Andersson is a Danish actor and filmmaker. She is known from the Robert-nominated (The Danish Film Academy) horror feature film VICTIM OF LOVE...
VICTIM OF LOVE …where she played the badass goth, Felicija. This secured her the award as “Best Supporting Actress” at both the Nevermore Film Festival in the USA and Filmhaus Berlin in 2021 – plus many more nominations.

Siff has made a name for herself in Denmark in countless short films. Abroad she has been awarded “Best Actor” at the Lift-Off Season Awards in London, for her leading role in the short film ANNA!. Several short films have also been nominated at the Danish Ekko Shortlist Awards show.

Siff began her acting in the theaters, when appearing at Folketeatret (The People’s Theater) i.a. in A CHRISTMAS CAROL as The Ghost of Christmas Past – one of the leading roles. She has also performed and sung at The Royal Danish Theater in the performance GRASSSHOPPERS. Siff found her joy for acting, singing and dancing as a child in Eventyrteatret’s (danish professional youth theater) family performances in Tivoli for five seasons and has occasionally helped the theater with auditions in her adult life.

Siff is a trained actor from The National Film Actors Academy of Denmark and has completed foundation – and musical courses at the Danish Actors’ Academy. Right now, Siff is producing her first short film, writing a play and in the running for a lead in a feature.

Sheila Marshall
Sheila Marshall is a London-based documentary filmmaker. Her work includes Right Between Your Ears...
Right Between Your Ears …which won a Best Documentary Lift-Off Season Award, and After the Flood, which was nominated for the Sandford St Martin Award, recognizing excellence in broadcasting that engages with religion, ethics, or spirituality.

Benjamin Knoebl
Benjamin Knoebl is an Austrian filmmaker based in Los Angeles. Melancholy, strong female characters and story twists are elements that weave through all of Benjamin’s films....
…Their passions take his characters to difficult and often dark places where they will find their truth. His latest work is the short film “Red Lilies“, a psychological thriller completed in 2024. Besides making short films, Benjamin works as a producer for Austrian TV network Puls 4 in the US, and he is currently also writing a horror feature based on a medieval Austrian folk tale.

www.bknoebl.com

Claire Richardson
Claire is a content producer for the commercial London based creative agency....
Coolr. After 6 years working at Lift-Off, Claire also co-founded From The Silver Screen with Natalie Daniels.
Stephanie De Palma
Stephanie De Palma is a filmmaker from New York. Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Mason Gross School of the Arts, US, and a Master’s Degree in digital documentary...
…from Sussex University Brighton, UK.

She has been writing/directing and producing films since 2008 with focus in both documentary and fiction. Her most recent films include, Free Again 2023, Rise of Fizzy Pop 2022, The Lipstick Diaries 2020, Katherine 2019 and What Makes An Artist 2019. After residing in Brighton, UK for two decades, Stephanie has now relocated to New York, where she works in development for off-Broadway theater and continues to produce film and theater that inspires and educates.

www.stephaniedepalma.com

Priscilla Chiemerie Anachu
Priscilla Chiemerie Anachu is a dynamic Nollywood costume designer from Nigeria with a unique blend of creative artistry and analytical acumen...
…Holding a Bsc in Accountancy and currently pursuing a Master’s in Production Management for Tv, Film, and Digital Media at the University of Salford, she combines her financial expertise with a passion for storytelling.

Beginning her creative journey in 2019 as a costume designer, wardrobe manager and stylist, she quickly made her mark in the industry.
With versatile skills already showcased in various Nollywood film projects, she has earned recognition on prominent platforms such as Prime Video, Netflix, and YouTube.

In October 2024, she joined the Lift Off Global Network as a film reviewer and a jury member further cementing her influence and dedication to the industry.

Priscilla is excited to announce her role as the costume designer for an upcoming film “The Masked King“, an African cultural epic story set to be released in Nigerian cinemas on March 28th 2025. This project further underscores her creative impact on contemporary Nigerian Cinema.

Today, she continues to push the boundaries of creative expression, contributing to the vibrant tapestry of the film industry, and is honored to present an award at this esteemed event.

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