Jacqueline Dupuis, Executive Director

A farm girl from Saskatchewan growing up with only "peasant TV" (CBC & CTV), one of the greatest highlights of Jacqueline's childhood was trips to Papa's house to pick up a grocery bag full of VHS tapes chock full of movies lovingly and illegally, recorded by her Grandfather from his Satellite dish’s American movie channels. Jacqueline would devour each tape, three movies per, sometimes even sneaking peeks at the tapes that were meant only for her parents - which may have set in motion her affinity for slapstick humour such as Porky's -shhhh...don't tell anyone! Jacqueline comes to CIFF after three years on the CIFF Board of Directors and 10 years in the high tech industry and looks forward to leading CIFF through its next growth phase.

Christian Argyll, Festival Operations Manager

Christian remembers the first time he tried the *yawn* and put-your-arm-around-her-shoulder trick. It ended in disaster when he gave his date a black eye! A life long cinephile, Christian believes that the film is always better than the book, and laments the demise of "$2.50 Tuesdays". He has been with the festival since 2003 when he returned home to Calgary, having and worked for six years in the non-profit sector in the UK, and earned an NVQ in Risk Management.

Wendy Fallon, Community Outreach Manager

After 20 years of film-going, Wendy still marvels at how a great movie can make you feel. These days, with three young children, she rarely gets beyond the Family Section in the local video store. Wendy has held a number of positions at the Festival since 2001, this year adding the Youth by Youth Cinema Competition (YYC). She looks forward to seeing what Alberta’s creative young minds are up to.

Jill Nunns, Marketing & Communications Manager

When Jill went to see The Land Before Time six weekends in a row, her dad knew that she enjoyed movies, but when she set up a theatre in the basement and charged him a dollar per show (plus extra for popcorn!) he realized he’d actually spawned a film industry fanatic. Always one to fuse passion and practicality, she has a Degree in Communications with minors in Business and Film, and hopes to one day own a real movie theatre. Jill is excited to be working with the Festival, where she can continue to pursue her childhood ambition of having people come out to see her favourite films!

Tracy Stewart, Publications Coordinator

A self-proclaimed media junkie, Tracy is constantly wondering what’s more important — style or substance. Managing the publications end of the festival is the ideal role for her, as it gives her the opportunity to marry the two and produce slick and smart print material for the event. Tracy owns Pulp Inc., a communications company specializing in writing, editing, and content management.

Brenda Lieberman, Programmer — Late Shows

Brenda admits that not only does she love programming weird and scary films, she loves watching audience reactions to her choices. With a background in Arts & Cultural Management, Brenda has been working in and around film for the past eight years. As the Co-Founder and programmer for the Calgary Underground Film Festival, as well as a crew member on film sets around town, she is kept busy with film-related projects year-round.

Jenn Cecconi, Programmer — Shorts

Being the Programmer of this year’s Short Film selections suits Jennifer perfectly - she has a short attention span and loves all weird and wonderful films! Growing up in a house of film-lovers, where Stripes was watched almost monthly, cultivated Jenn’s addiction to cinema. A Calgary newcomer, she is a member of the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers and is involved in the local industry. Using her Masters of Education, Jenn also freelances as a curriculum developer for Sprockets (TIFF) and Pink Gazelle Productions.