Film Jurors

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 Starting out as a crew member on feature films more than 20 years ago, she has held job titles as Executive Producer, Producer, and Director of Development working on film productions that included directors Alan Rudolph and Paul Haggis. She was a juror for the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and Canada Council for the Arts and has been featured on CBC Radio and Newstalk 580 as well as a panel participant in the Diversity in Canadian Television Roundtable for the CRTC. As a Creative Producer and Media Artist, she is currently creating The Reluctant Canadian Immigrant project and completing the film One Man’s Journey. Her work reflects her vision and experiences on what it is to be a minority Canadian of African and Irish descent. Modiste recognizes that opportunities for stories identifying and told by BIPOC filmmakers are few and looks forward to the BIPOC Film Festival to ensure BIPOC inclusion and the celebration of diverse filmmakers. 

Art Nefsky began his own performance career in 1973, at the Ryerson Theatre Program in Toronto, studying theatre, acting, voice, and mime.  Within three years, he hit television and nightclub stages as “Igor” on City TV’s monster movie of the week “Monsters We Know And Love”, and toured as the opening act for legendary Elvis tribute artists, Douglas Roy and Bobby Fisher. He was one of the first comedians to appear on a Yuk Yuks stage and has appeared on numerous television and variety talk shows, including CTV’s “The Shirley Show”, CFTO’s “Eye On Toronto” and City Tv’s “Lunch Television”.

 As a professional actor and member of ACTRA for 18 yrs, he played a guest role as an alien janitor in the tv series, “War Of The Worlds” and has appeared in a number of TV commercials, including “Shake N Bake”, “Coffee Crisp”, and “Skippy Peanut Butter. He also performed throughout the 1980s and 1990s as an actor, comedian, singer and mime with some of Toronto’s top improv artists in dinner theatre murder mysteries, cabaret and corporate events across Canada and the United States.  

 Identifying a great need among novice and experienced performers alike, Nefsky launched Showoffs Studio for Performers in 1987 to help others improve their voice and performance skills as well as reduce or overcome performance anxiety, shyness and self-consciousness. 

As Director of Showoffs, Nefsky provides private or group performance classes as well as vocal technique instruction to kids 8+, as well as adults. From beginner to experienced singers, to public and corporate speakers, to theatrical professionals, and even non-performers preparing for a speech or business presentation, Nefsky addresses each student’s unique difficulties, helping them improve their vocal technique while breaking through insecurity, nervousness, stage fright, perfectionism, and a myriad of other obstacles.

A seasoned actress for the majority of her life, Robynne has trained under some of Toronto’s top acting schools, professors, and coaches and has been featured in international commercials, web series, and feature films as a supporting and leading lady. To date, she has earned herself the best actress award for her performance as Laurel Harris on the feature film, The Percy Harris Story. After spending almost a decade in marketing Robynne has transitioned her savvy business experience in the film world as the creator of an independent film production company, Emblazon Pictures. Emblazon Pictures' mandate is to tell powerful stories that speak to social issues and underrepresented communities. Her intentions are to trail-blaze and create a pathway for independent filmmakers and leave a footprint in Canadian film. Robynne's current projects include Painted Sharks, 2 of 200 with Christian Martyn & Karen LeBlanc, and Cut The Painter with Jay Baruchel & John Cleese. Robynne has also served as a juror at the Ontario International Film Festival for the last two years.

An Acadian-Senegalese, queer woman. I work in communications, volunteer with the New Brunswick Education Department, do freelance journalism for Black in the Maritimes, and ByBlacks, model, and create content on social media. I am very passionate about equality and equity for all races, feminism, the LGBTQ+ community and the lower income community as well as speaking out on sexual assault, domestic violence and ending the stigma around addictions.

 International speaker, Co-Author – ‘Living Without Limitations’. A practitioner of Rekhi, Black Stripe Tae-Kwon Do, and an initiate of Swami Veda Bharati - lineage of the Himalayan tradition of Yoga and Meditation. A Volunteer Coordinator at the International Peace Festival, a judge at the Film for Peace. Member of the Planning Committee, Waterfront Magazine. Honours include speaker at WEF (Women Economic Forum), distinguished award “Iconic Women Leader, making the World a better place”, speaker at OneWoman.ca, and a ‘Daughter of the Casa Dom Inacio”, Brazil. Advocate of kindness! 

With over 30 years experience in the film and television industry and over 600 productions under his belt, Paris has worked in the industry internationally. He has owned and operated 2 film festivals in the last 20 years, one that has been going for 14 years called the Toronto African Film & Music Festival. Paris has also promoted over 500 films internationally including at the Toronto International Film Festival, Cannes, London, Tokyo and many more film festivals. He also has been a scout for films in Canada, and several countries in Africa including Egypt, Sierra Leone, Ghana, also in Japan, and France. Today Paris is the founder and CEO of Afraflix.com, a new streaming service launching in early 2022 in North America, and then launching in Europe, Africa, South America and into 190 countries world wide. Afraflix will be the largest online streaming service of African content globally.

Linda Carter CEO and Producer introduced to film while on set with Frederico Fellini at Cinecitta Studios. Back in Canada, Linda produced and hosted 112 half hour episodes of Canada's Black World for Rogers Television airing primetime on Sundays. She was a host, interviewer, and spokesperson for numerous TV productions such as City Line, The Shopping Channel, and The Life Channel. Linda wrote, produced, and directed The Making of a Judge, the film is about her father the first Canadian born black judge George E. Carter. The documentary has been shown at numerous film festivals. - Toronto Black FF, Roxbury FF (Boston), Peachtre FF, Atlanta, Emerging Lens FF, Halifax as well as multiple airings on OMNITV. Linda also presents The Making of a Judge and its accompanying teacher’s guide at colleges, universities, special interest groups, industry panels and in schools with an emphasis on education on Black achievement. As a board member of the Ontario Black History Society, Linda performs speaking engagements on the topic of Blacks in Canada.

Chelsea Jackman has an established track record in businesses developments and networking. With an insatiable thirst for learning and knowledge, she strives to continue to grow and ensure her efforts are increasingly successful and of optimal benefit to all parties involved. She has worked in business development with myriad organizations, spanning the continent. Chelsea has worked in the corporate, legal, and non-profit sectors. When not working, she focuses on self-improvement, community service, and, most importantly, her daughters 

 Elizabeth Muzak is a Toronto-based Actress (ACTRA member), Singer, Songwriter, and Professional Dancer. She has performed  Internationally to name a few at such venues as The CNE, The  Elgin Theatre, Leah Posluns Theatre, The Adonis Theatre in Mexico City Theatre, and The Kameralny Theatre in Poland.
She also completed Filmmaking Studies at The Hollywood institute and George Brown College.
She is also a Journalist who writes regularly for the Sinews Magazine as well as a former hostess for a Maclean- Hunter Television Show and a Chin Radio Show. She recently received the People's Choice Award for Arts and Culture at  The Waterfront Magazine's "Womens Achievement Awards.