‘Refugee Voices in Film – 7th Edition’ Screening Line Up

Walkley Award Winning Hazara photojournalist Barat Ali Batoor first won international acclaim in 2011 for his powerful photo essay exposing one of his country’s darkest secrets. But his work made him a target and Batoor was forced to flee along an asylum seeker route taken by thousands before him. Shot and produced entirely by Batoor, this documentary is a moving insight into the work of photographers committed to bringing audiences the truth.

Leeanne Torpey is a film and TV producer based in Sydney. She was the impact producer on the War On Waste (ABC, Dir Jodi Boylan), she got involved in the muck of money and politics with Big Deal (ABC, Madman, Dir,. Craig Ruecassel), she’s worked on the mess of Australia’s health system with Magda’s Big National Health Check (ABC, Dir. Rob Innes), she collaborated closely with Julian Assange’s family on Ithaka (ABC, Bonsai Films, Dir. Ben Lawrence) and amplified the mental health campaign around 8-part drama series Wakefield (ABC, Showtime, Dir. Jocelyn Moorhouse).

Joseph Nizeti, an AACTA award-winning director, writer, producer, and composer, blends his musical background with a passion for cinematic storytelling, leaving a mark on Australian film and music. Co-directing/co-writing the acclaimed documentary River (2021), he's set to unveil IMAX documentaries Fungi: The Web of Life (2022) and Sunchasers: The Secret Life of Butterflies (2023). He also helms the TV documentary Anatomy of a String Quartet (2022) and co-produces the science series Phenomena (2021). Nizeti established Cosmic Breakfast in late-2022, catering to a diverse range of comedy, drama, and documentary projects.

Daniela Repas, a Bosnian-born artist in Portland, Oregon, showcases storytelling across diverse mediums, including drawing, animation, installation, and film. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, from New York to New Zealand. She's a co-founder of DripDrop collective and holds an MFA from PNCA. Noteworthy accolades include the Dorothy Lemelson Scholarship, Princess Grace Award for film Dogs of Home, IEFTA emerging filmmaker selection, and the 2023 Oregon Media Arts Fellowship Award. Her debut short film Mnemonics paved her path to film and art fusion. Currently, she's crafting her first feature animated film, Pour the Water as I Leave, spotlighted at Cannes Marche du Film and Annecy International Animation Festival.

Jessica Daugherty is an award winning producer and director of documentary and experimental film, podcasts, multi-media live performance, and co-founder of the production studio, Shrine13, in Portland, OR, US. She is a Board Member of the Documentary Producers Alliance, member of WIF, and alumni of IEFTA and Rotterdam Lab. Her films have participated at Cannes, Movies that Matter, Annecy and broadcast on Showtime, Arte!, PBS and more. As a member of Al Límite Collective and The Living Theatre, she facilitates refugee support programs including the Heal Into Action initiative in border communities in Greece and Mexico.