Organization Team
John Allison - Festival Director, Feature & Short Film Programmer
While film blogging on his own personal site, John attended Toronto After Dark, his first film festival in 2007. He met a bunch of cool film lovers, saw some good movies, and had a total blast. He knew that he wanted to bring the experience to Saskatoon and two years later on September 24, 2009, Dark Bridges Film Festival (later rebranded to Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival) was born. While John really enjoys good horror movies, he loves all genre films that bring something new and different to the audience.
Jeff Drake - Assistant Festival Director & Feature Film Programmer
Jeff watches a shit-tonne of movies every year as the Assistant Director of the Saskatoon Fantastic and Dark Bridges film festivals, and is happy to tell you which films are better than others. By day, he’s the Director of Marketing for Calian Advanced Technologies where he markets everything from RF signal analyzers to remote PHY modules. In his spare time, he watches movies, reads comic books, listens to progressive metal, books matches for Prairie Pro Wrestling, and travels as much as possible.
Scott Hamilton - Broadway Theatre Contact
Scott has been the Film Programmer at the Broadway Theatre and mulish pillar for all things cinema at the Broadway since 2013 in addition to acting as occasional live talent booker, apprentice projectionist, and begrudging custodian when the right mess presents itself. Outside of the Broadway’s hallowed halls Scott is known for his sonic exploits with the groups KEN mode (with whom he has been nominated for two Junos), Adolyne and Grey Light District among others. If it isn’t art, he probably doesn’t have time for it.
Saskatoon Fantastic Programming Team
Jay Clarke - Short Film Programming Director
Jay Clarke was born & raised in Oakville, Ontario and grew up loving film – blockbusters to bargain basement. He has written & directed several short films, some of which have acquired Canadian and worldwide distribution. In addition to Saskatoon Fantastic, he also programs short films for Hamilton's Hexploitation Film Festival, the Toronto Smartphone Film Festival as well as Toronto's monthly short film showcase, Little Terrors. He is also the founder & curator of The Horror Section, a horror media blog and VHS archive.
Steven Landry - Feature Film Programming Director
Steven Landry was born in the woods and raised by three wise women. A film fanatic since his first theatrical screening of Benji, Steven has run the gamut behind the scenes: from shooting on 16mm, guarding Hollywood stars, tending bar at secret film societies, and portraying a Merman. Currently he is a full-time employee of the Toronto International Film Festival and a film programmer for Ithaca Fantastik, Toronto True Crime Film Festival, Night/Light, and the Calgary Underground Film Festival. Steven enjoys bourbon, snow storms, and Kendrick Lamar, in no particular order.
Lisa Gallagher - Senior Feature Film Programmer
Lisa is a blue-haired ball of anxiety that likes to stay home and watch movies. She is the founder and festival director of Toronto True Crime Film Festival and also works as theatre staff for Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. Previously, she spent three years as the producer and programmer of The MUFF Society, a feminist film screening series based in Toronto. She is a lover of carbs, cats, and Keanu Reeves.
Andrew Mack - Senior Feature Film Programmer
After countless hours of watching movies from the Golden Age of Hong Kong cinema his bestest buddy started up the site that would eventually become Screen Anarchy. Andrew has been a part of the Screen Anarchy family from day one - fifteen years ago - and has been writing, reviewing and reporting on international cinema ever since. Sometimes he even gets on a train or a plane and goes to wonderful places in this World only to sit on his bum in a dark theatre and watch movies for as many hours as there are days. For reasons beyond Andrew`s own understanding this somehow comes across to Saskatoon Fantastic director John Allison as expertise worthy of a spot on the programming team.
Dara Moats - Senior Feature Film Programmer
Dara Jade Moats is a filmmaker, writer, and film programmer. Dara grew up in Regina and attended the film production program at U of R. Since then, her work has taken her to Nairobi and Montreal, with stops in between. Her own short films have played in horror festivals stateside, collecting awards for ‘Best Short Film’ as well as the coveted ‘Best Blood Bath’. She has worked as an Associate Producer for the NFB and as the Director of Hospitality at Fantasia International Film Festival. In addition to programming for the Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival, she is currently the founder and programmer of cELLEuloid, a Montreal-based monthly screening series of films made by women.
Dark Bridges Programming Team & Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival Submission Team
Adam Hicks - Feature & Short Film Programmer
Adam’s life was forever changed when he saw Michael Jackson’s Thriller video at the age of five. As such, he’s been a life-long fan of horror movies and funky music. As a DJ and beat maker, Adam has released several hip hop albums both as a solo artist and a member of Dragon Fli Empire, as well as touring and performing in eight countries. He has also hosted an underground hip hop show called Mental Illness, on CJSW 90.9 FM Calgary for 25 years. Adam has an insatiable appetite for watching messed up movies. This was fostered by watching films like The Shining, Evil Dead 2, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Exorcist and A Clockwork Orange before turning 10. He is also a programmer for The Calgary Underground Film Festival and previewer for The Calgary International Film Festival.
Jaye Luk - Feature & Short Film Programmer
Bio Available Shortly
Anthony Buziak - Feature & Short Film Programmer
Bio Available Shortly
Other Volunteers
We would also like to acknowledge the volunteers as well as the staff of the Broadway Theatre. Without all of them the festival would not succeed.