Involved in the industry for over a decade – Vera Bianchini specialized in film festivals and arts community building. She’s worked for regional film organizations like MSP Film, Flip The Script Fest, and the Upper Midwest Film Office. Vera’s also worked for Oscar-qualifying festivals such as Chicago International Film Festival, Sundance, Cleveland International Film Festival, and Palm Springs International Film Festival. Her experience includes being invited to speak on panels about the importance of exhibition and filmmaking for FilmNorth and Art House Convergence. Currently, Vera is the MN Film Programs Director and leads the Minnesota Film Festival and the MN Media Arts School at Zeitgeist in Duluth, MN. Vera’s mission is to elevate artists and provide underrepresented voices a platform to share and celebrate their work while also proving the value of film in the economic development of a community.

Khayman Goodsky (Bois Forte band member) is a local two-spirit Ojibwe filmmaker who has lived in Duluth, MN most of her life. She decided to pursue DIY filmmaking in the freshman year of college. After Jonathan Thunder mentored her in animation and creative economy, Khayman proceeded to make several short films collaborating with other Indigenous actors, film-makers, and musicians to bring her own stories to life. Her work usually contains key values and teachings from her Ojibwe culture mixed in with experimental art. Several of her works have been played in the DSFF and other local film festivals. Khayman has also been involved with youth work since 2016 and had dedicated to helping queer youth feel more safe and welcome in the world. She values the time she spends with her family and can usually be found dressing up at comic cons with family and friends.

Matthew’s professional career began as an MCAD student working on local independent film productions before being hired by the Minnesota Film & TV Board as the Production Services Manager. Using his knowledge of locations, he was able to secure the production for the wildly successful film Dear White People (2013), which was later adapted into a hit Netflix series. In 2015, he began working for the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul and the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival, first as the Operations Manager and then as the Festival Manager. Matthew is currently the Co-Director and Programmer for Flip The Script, a Queer film organization celebrating Queer representation through its annual film festival, monthly film series, and other community building experiences. He holds a BFA in Filmmaking and a MA in Graphic and Web Design, both from MCAD.

Kelly Florence is the co-author of five books in “The Science of Horror” book series. She teaches communication at Lake Superior College in Duluth, MN and is the creator of the Horror Rewind and Be a Better Communicator podcasts. She received her BA in theatre from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and her MA in communicating arts from the University of Wisconsin-Superior. She has written, directed, produced, choreographed and stage managed for dozens of productions in Minnesota including Carrie The Musical through Rubber Chicken Theatre and Treasure Island for Wise Fool Theater. She is passionate about female representation in all media and particularly the horror genre.