THE FESTIVAL TEAM
THE FILM JURY
(Remote)
Renowned Cultural Trailblazers
Kathleen Brennan & Tom Waits join the film jury
Tom WaitsFilm Jury
In a career that spans over four decades, singer-songwriter Tom Waits has adventurously delved into recording, literature, film and theater, as both actor and composer. His music, recognized for its distinctive orchestrations and arrangements, has ranged from country, blues, cabaret, waltz and field hollers to gospel, polkas and marches. He has recorded over 20 albums including Bad As Me and appeared in well over 20 films including, Ironweed, Dracula, Down By Law, Short Cuts, Book of Eli and The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, working with such maverick directors like Jim Jarmusch, Terry Giliam, Francis Ford Coppola, Hughes Brothers, Hector Barbenco and Robert Altman. Waits and his long-time collaborator and wife, Kathleen Brennan, were named number four in a list of the “100 Best Living Songwriters” published by America’s Paste magazine. Paste said “In literature only a handful of writers have pulled off the near impossible. In music, it happens on every Tom Waits recording”. Tom and Kathleen were also awarded the PEN Award of Literary Excellence for their songwriting.
Film Jury: Emerging Cinematic Luminary Ellie Foumbi
Ellie FoumbiFilm Jury
Rising Star Editor, Kristina Motwani, Joins Our Esteemed Film Jury
Kristina MotwaniFilm Jury
Six Degrees of Ed Begley Jr.: Hollywood Veteran Joins Our Film Festival
Ed Begley, Jr.Film Jury
Inspired to be an actor by the works of his Academy Award-winning father, Ed Begley, Jr. caught audiences’ attention for his portrayal of Dr. Victor Ehrlich on the hit TV series “St. Elsewhere,” for which he received six Emmy nominations.
Begley has moved easily between feature films, television, and stage productions.
Ed has recently appeared in “Amsterdam” with Christian Bale and Margot Robbie, “Book Club” with Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen. He can also be seen in a number of Christopher Guest films, such as “A Mighty Wind,” “Best In Show,” and “For Your Consideration.” He has also appeared in the Seth Rogen/Judd Apatow film “Pineapple Express.”
Begley can be seen on “Young Sheldon,” “Modern Family,” “Better Call Saul,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Bless This Mess” (with Lake Bell, Pam Grier, and Dax Shepard), “Six Feet Under,” “Arrested Development,” and “Portlandia.”
On stage, Ed starred in David Mamet’s “November” at the Mark Taper Forum and has appeared in several other works by this amazing playwright: “The Cryptogram” in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles, as well as “Romance,” also at the Mark Taper Forum.
He has written several books, the most recent being “To The Temple Of Tranquility, And Step On It.”
THE HOSTS
Karin Demarest Takes the Mic: Your Host and Local Change-Maker
Karin Demarest Host
Karin Demarest, MAT has 30 years of experience in the fields of arts, education, nonprofit organizational development, and philanthropy.
Karin is a Sonoma County favorite to interview nationally known leaders and change-makers, including:
• Fran Lebowitz, author, public speaker
• Amy Sedaris, Actress, comedian and writer
• Molly Shannon, Actress and comedian
• Eve Ensler, Tony and Obie award-winning playwright, author and activist
• Anne Lamott, novelist, non-fiction writer, activist, public speaker, and writing teacher;
• Sir Ken Robinson, best-selling author, and Advisor to the British Government
on Arts and Education;
• California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye.
Other career highlights include:
• Teaching artist turned arts education advocate in California
• Program Officer (2011), then VP for Community Impact (2013) at Community Foundation Sonoma County
• Managed diverse grantee portfolio; created Sonoma County Resilience Fund post-2017 fires
• Champion for equity-centered grant-making and DEI implementation
• Principal Consultant, Demarest Strategy Group (2022-present)
Meet Conrad Cecil: From Shakespeare to the Silver Screen... in English and French!
Conrad CecilHost
Conrad Cecil is a classically trained actor, host, and public speaker with international experience. His film credits include roles alongside Sophie Marceau, Liam Cunningham, and Clémence Poésy, in both studio and art house productions.
A Shakespearean expert, Conrad has played leading roles in the Bard’s canon and prepared the text of a unique hand-printed edition of Shakespeare’s Sonnets in Northern California.
As host and M.C., he has performed at San Francisco’s Moscone Center and Saint Joseph’s Art Society, Los Angeles County’s San Gabriel Mission Playhouse, Paris’s Centre Pompidou, and Strasbourg’s Museum of Modern Art.
Conrad grew up in England, and lived for many years in Paris, where he founded a theatre company and performed in both French and English. There, he assisted German filmmaker Werner Schroeter at the Théâtre du Rond-Point on the Champs Elysées and was commissioned to write a book on performing arts touring, La diffusion internationale du spectacle.
Conrad studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and Kings College London and trained at East 15 Acting School.
THE TEAM BEHIND THE SCENES
Kathleen JohnsonFestival Producer
Kathy has embraced acting for most of her life, gracing the stage in a wide range of stage roles and several on-camera productions.
Her passion for theater extends to directing and stage management. Having balanced single motherhood and a professional career, she has continually nurtured her love for the performing arts.
She brings her wealth of experience to the prestigious Raven Theater, where she expertly manages the house operations, working closely with artists and audiences to ensure each performance shines brightly. She is thrilled to be participating in the 2024 HISFF production for the first time, adding another exciting chapter to her rich theatrical journey.
Suanne SpokeFlim Selection Advisor
Suanne Spoke has built an impressive career spanning theatre, television, film, and education. She recently starred alongside Renee Zellweger in NBC/Peacock’s “The Thing About Pam”, earning Emmy consideration. Her film credits include roles in “Whiplash”, Spielberg’s “War of the Worlds”, and Christopher Guest’s “Mascots”. On television, Suanne has appeared in shows ranging from “Golden Girls” and “Seinfeld” to current series like “Station 19” and “Criminal Minds”, with recurring roles in “Switched at Birth”, “General Hospital”, “Step by Step”, and “Judging Amy”.
In theatre, Suanne received a Broadway World LA Best Performer nomination for ICT’s “Exit Wounds”. She has graced stages at the Fountain Theatre, The Road Theatre, and Company of Angels, garnering multiple awards for both performance and producing. A career highlight was her portrayal of Blanche Dubois in Deaf West Theatre’s acclaimed “A Streetcar Named Desire”, opposite Troy Kotsur, where she utilized both ASL and voice.
Beyond performing, Suanne serves on Deaf West Theatre’s board of directors and has taught in their summer school program. She is currently faculty at the California Institute of the Arts and has contributed to Sundance Lab Workshops and ACTORFEST on both coasts. Suanne continues to thrive as an actor, producer, and private coach, bringing her wealth of experience to each new project.
Julie EvansFilmmaker Liaison
Julie is a passionate storyteller and content creator. If she is not writing, playing music or building Barbie diorama, she is relaxing in her mini-storybook castle, enjoying a thought-provoking movie or book – relishing stories from imaginative people whose art inspires her to continue creating her own. She loves meeting other creators and is thrilled beyond words to be part of this year’s film festival as the Filmmaker Liaison.
Amy RichardsFilmmaker Liaison
Amy Richards is thrilled to serve as a Filmmaker Liaison for this year’s Healdsburg International Short Film Festival. With her passion for storytelling and deep appreciation for cinema, she is eager to connect with filmmakers, ensuring they have a memorable and rewarding experience at the festival. Amy looks forward to fostering creative collaborations and celebrating the vibrant short film community.
John YoungbloodAcoustic Ambiance - Kick-off party: The talented John Youngblood
