2025 FESTIVAL - ANGAELICA

2025 - 2027 ANGAELICA FELLOWSHIP

Welcome! We hope this finds you open to something different and excited to build something new.

What began in 2008 as a celebration of creative community, focused on independent filmmakers, storytellers and creatives – grounded in art and ecology, has evolved and iterated over time. We are not what we were and we are yet to be what we are working towards.

This season we have invited and curated the largest and most exciting group of artists we have ever worked with. We chose you to be a part of change! Thank you for your patience as we build something new and different together.

Please check back and we will continue to update the programming here with links to join the virtual conversations. Emails will be sent to fellows directly through FilmFreeway.

2025 Introductory Conversations

Welcome

Join Dr. Breven Warren as she shares the intention that drives the purpose and practise of Angaelica.

Creator Connect

Virtual connecting sessions. Randomly assigned breakout rooms for creators to connect. Come and go during this session at anytime.

MENTORS! We are excited to introduce amazing women as mentors and leaders whose contributions to supporting independent filmmakers is unparalleled!

Alia Quart Khan

Alia Quart Khan is a Swiss-born, Canadian-Pakistani cultural strategist, creative producer and former Hollywood publicist based in Vermont, working at the intersection of storytelling, community, and impact. For over 20 years, she worked in film publicity, festivals, and awards campaigns across the U.S. and Canada, including with the National Film Board of Canada, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Film Independent (Spirit Awards, LA Film Festival). Her work has supported Academy Awards campaigns for films such as The Artist, Django Unchained, The Master and Silver Linings Playbook, and taken films to Cannes, Venice, Toronto, and Sundance. Through On Goldfish Pond Creative, she now supports filmmakers, artists, and cultural organizations in shaping clear, authentic communications and meaningful live experiences—particularly within rural and place-based contexts. She is especially interested in how creative work travels: from idea to audience, from page to screen, and from place to place. She is the founder of Hollywood, VT, a Vermont-based initiative that uses Vermont-connected films as cultural and community catalysts, and she serves on the boards of the Vermont Arts Council, the Vermont Production Collective, and the Randolph Playhouse Movie Theatre. Her approach blends strategic vision with empathy, curiosity, and care—for the work, the audience, and the people making it, preferably without anyone losing their mind along the way.

Liz Manashil

Post-graduation from USC Film School, Liz spent several years as a film critic for the PBS/Hulu series JUST SEEN IT (which she also helped produce and direct). Overlapping this, Liz worked with distribution guru Peter Broderick. In 2016, Liz became the manager of Sundance’s groundbreaking Creative Distribution Initiative until the program’s close in 2019. She continued her work in artist support by working with Dear Producer, Picture Motion, Filmmaker Magazine, Moviemaker Magazine, The Film Collaborative and as a freelance distribution consultant and producer’s rep. As a filmmaker, she has written, directed and produced 3 features and has been the co-host of indie filmmaking podcast Making Movies Is Hard!! for the past 5 years. LIZMANASHIL.COM

Tools & Resources

Flm Lnk, Inc.

Helping filmmakers grow audiences before their film releases – new marketing tools available for filmmakers to succeed.

Greenlit

Greenlit is a film finance and project management platform to help filmmakers fund and manage their films more efficiently.

Paul "Pizza" Pianezza &

Truman Kewley

These filmmakers are in the top 1% of indie creators in the streaming world and have incredible insights to offer for all. I’m excited to invite this conversation in what is happening for indie filmmakers as they navigate and evaluate their streaming successes.

Rippin Sindher

When one of our own dear alumni is on a wild Oscar qualifying campaign – we want to hear the story and learn. We are so proud of you Rippin!

Alumni, Leadership & Collaborators

Sarah Keo

Celebrating one of our own Angaelica leadership. This organization wouldn’t have nade it this far without Sarah! She’s everything – and oh yea, she was just shortlisted for her documentary short, CHASING TIME for 2026! Congratulations Sarah!

Judah Ray &

Lauren Bancroft

Alumni, Judah Ray and collaborator, Lauren Bancroft are filmmakers and producers doing extraordinary work, going above and beyond in our industru. They are both actively striving and sharing what it takes, and it’s an honor to have a larger conversation with them here.

Guest Speakers

Film Forge

At The Film Forge, the mission is to empower storytellers through technology that keeps the human in control.

Lucie Jourdan

A call to action! A session with Lucie Jourdan to discuss her filmmaking and documentary career. A discussion about now, from studio filmmaking and work to making change as an independent creator.

Wrap up & New Beginnings

Wrap up the introductory sessions and kick off of this new Angaelica fellowship – this is just the beginning

2026 FESTIVAL to FELLOWSHIP

Filmmakers, screenwriters and creators begin a new journey in a new transformative fellowship.

One-on-One Creator Conversations Have Begun

Live Conversations Coming Soon

Jay Duplass

Ever grateful to have an alumni, mentor and friend who brings extraodinary light to all things independent film. Jay has offfered to join us for a fellowship session in January. Details coming in the New Year. Be sure to watch BALTIMORONS this Holiday Season!

Melissa O. Adeyemo, MBA

Join us for a conversation with Melissa, the amazing producer who is returning as a mentor to our community. I’m ever grateful to learn with her and invite hr to share more about her incredible producing and business journey in national and international independent film.

Creator Community

This list in alphabetical order will continue to be updated with fellows and participanting artists, filmmakers and writers. This is an inclusive invitation – BE INCLUDED