2014 MCs, Panelists & Judges

2014 Best Canadian Short Award Judges

Selwyn Jacob is a Canadian documentary filmmaker whose work has often explored the experiences of Black Canadians as well as other stories from Canada’s multicultural communities, as both as an independent director and since 1997 as a producer with the National Film Board of Canada (NFB).

Glen Schaefer is a writer on film and the Vancouver film production scene for The Province newspaper. He also shows up every once in a while doing the same thing on various TV and radio outlets. His one movie role, as a walk-on zombie in the horror movie HOUSE OF THE DEAD, was thankfully cut from the finished movie.

Jeannine Sheares is the President and Festival Director of the Vancouver Singapore Film Festival and is proud to partner with VAFF for the first time this year. A true blue, food-obsessed Singaporean, she has made Vancouver home for the past fifteen years. She is passionate about film and showcasing the work of filmmakers from the ‘little red dot’ on the map.

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2014 Panelists

Linda Dong is a 21-year-old female comedian known on YouTube as Leendadproductions. She directs, edits and also stars in her own YouTube comedy skits which has garnered over 14+ million views. Recently, she was awarded for the “Best Social Student Video Channel” at the Vancouver Social Media Awards. Linda is a very passionate individual and hopes to inspire others to express their creativity and individuality.

Kevin Li has worked in broadcast news in Vancouver for 16 years. His passion for Asian culture has led him to create various TV shows, documentaries and films reflecting Asian Canadian culture.

Jeff Young, Associate Counsel, Altman and Company

Jeff Young is an active member of the Law Society of British Columbia, Canada and the State Bar of California, USA. Jeff received his Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia, where he also studied Commerce. He began his twenty-three year legal career in corporate and real estate law. He ultimately focused on intellectual property, new media, sports and entertainment, particularly in film/TV and music. Companies that have received his legal work include Fox Family Channel, the OutTV Network, the Vancouver Whitecaps, Shavick Entertainment, the Shaw Rocket Fund, and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Suzette Laqua is an Entrepreneur, Executive Producer, Producer and Writer of TV, Web Series and Short Films. She is a graduate of Simon Fraser University and has had a number of successful businesses. Suzette has also given back to the community as a Volunteer Mentor with PLEA – KidStart; working with teenage girls at risk in the Vancouver area since 2003. Suzette has traveled extensively and has been fortunate to live in other countries, including the United States, Holland and Australia. These experiences have been invaluable in developing Suzette’s appreciation and understanding of the Global Village. By bringing Vancouver and Canada a Festival that honours web series from around the world, Suzette is aspiring to create an awareness that will be beneficial for web series creators and their teams and will help the web series evolve forward as an entertainment medium unto itself.