The visionaries behind the creative bridge

Ian Hale is a seasoned professional with over 30 years in the Australian film industry, having worked across distribution, logistics, sales, marketing, publicity, promotions, exhibition, executive producing and post-production. From 1993 to 2013 he held senior distribution roles at Paramount Pictures, Transmission Films, Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation as State Branch Manager for WA/SA/NT, overseeing sales, marketing, publicity/promotions, cinema chain relations and national strategy implementation.

In 2013 he founded The Backlot Perth, a private cinema and world-class post-production facility, and in 2021 launched HALO Films, a distribution company supporting WA films with cinema partnerships in Perth, Regional WA, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

As an Executive Producer his credits include the five-time AACTA-nominated feature The Furnace, and he served as Chairman of the Revelation Perth International Film Festival Board from 2013 to 2023, helping grow attendance to 12,000 patrons. His contributions have been recognized with the WA Rotary Volunteer of the Year Award (2015) and WA Cinema Pioneer of the Year Award (2022), alongside 25+ years as a Director of the WA Motion Picture Benevolent Fund supporting industry members in need.

He continues to mentor filmmakers, foster WA’s screen industry, and currently serves as Australian/New Zealand Sales Manager for Netflix, distributing their theatrical releases through Films at 42.

Nilesh Makwana is an author, CEO, speaker, thought leader and entrepreneur based on Perth Western Australia. He is a social innovator, ICT advocate and entrepreneur, is an expert at bringing people together to achieve common business goals. He works tirelessly to help improve both business and social causes in commercial and not for profit arenas. Perhaps his greatest strength is identifying ways business, charities and government can collaborate in mutually beneficial ways.

• CEO of illuminance Solutions
• Chair & Founder of West Tech Assemblage
• Project President of Borderless Gandhi
• Lecturer at Edith Cowan University
• Inspirational Speaker
• Author "Terminal 4 - An Entrepreneur's Journey from Bicycle to Business Class

Tim Duffy is an award-winning producer and writer whose work spans film, television, advertising, and documentaries across Australia, the US, and Europe. Over the past 25 years, he has written and produced acclaimed projects including the feature films Drift (2014, starring Sam Worthington), which earned multiple Australian Academy Award (AACTA) nominations, and Let’s Talk About Sex (2010), both of which saw global theatrical and VOD release and continue to stream on platforms such as Netflix Australia, Amazon, and US cable.

He also co-produced Baz Luhrmann’s globally released short film The One That I Want (2015), produced the Olympic sports documentary Come To The Edge for Channel 9 in 2024, and earned a Tribeca nomination for his documentary web series Purpose & Profit (2016).

Based in New York for two decades, Tim has worked on shoots across every continent, specialising in challenging remote environments including oceans, deserts, and mountains, while also producing hundreds of projects in his native Australia.

In addition to his own creative work, he has mentored numerous producers, writers, directors and crew members who have gone on to thriving careers in the industry.

Chris is an artist and film director living in Mumbai, India. Originally from Australia, he has worked in many countries, primarily Europe, the USA, Australia and India.

He has directed numerous TV Commercials, Feature Film productions and award winning short films. The rigour of his professional cinematic experience is evident in his awareness and use of light throughout each composition.

Chris majored in kinetic/robotic sculpture whilst completing his B.A. Fine Art. Shortly thereafter he attained a B.A. Hons 1st, majoring in Media Studies.

Malav is an experienced Chartered Accountant, with over 22 years experience. He leads business strategy advisory to clients with inbound and outbound transactions including Tax Structuring, Employer Obligations and Due Diligence.

He is a Fellow of Tax Institute and a Chartered Tax Adviser.

Malav’s professional focus is in Business Advisory, Tax Planning with expertise in Structuring and Re-structuring, Succession Planning, Cash Flow Management, Business Valuations and General Taxation Advisory associated with transactions.

Neha is a results-driven professional with extensive experience across India, Ireland, and Australia, excelling in community development, strategic marketing, and campaign management. Her diverse career spans the not-for-profit sector, traditional sales, and SaaS, where she has delivered innovative campaigns, managed brands, and successfully executed impactful events.

An accomplished team leader, Neha has led multidisciplinary teams across data, creative, digital, and marketing communications, demonstrating expertise in managing complex campaigns. Known for her creative flair and solution-oriented approach, she thrives on crafting memorable events and building meaningful connections through networking.

A lawyer by profession, Ian has over 20 years experience in financing and commercial matters in the Australian film and television industry. Most recently, Ian served as CEO of Screenwest, the Western Australian peak film financing body for over a decade, financing hundreds of film and television projects, with some highlights including Red Dog, Satellite Boy, Looking for Grace, Hounds of Love, Paper Planes, Bran Nue Dae, Australia, Breath, Cloudstreet, Mystery Road, Outback Truckers, SAS: The Search for Warriors, Who Do You Think You Are, and many more.

Ian has worked at executive level at the ABC, and has served as a non-executive director on the Boards of national screen agency Ausfilm, Awesome Arts and the Film and Television Institute.

Mat is the Director of the Creative Tech Village (WA Creative Tech Innovation Hub) with the state government to foster collaboration and creative innovation. Over the last 14 years, Mat has focused on the development of the Creative Sectors within the South West with the establishment of the Emergence Creative Festival and the Creative Corner. Mat was integral in the conception and development of festivals such as Strings Attached, Cabin Fever, Margaret River on Tour and the Pinot Picnic. He has worked for 17 years at the South West Development Commission and worked in partnership with Austrade (Australian Trade Commission) since 2005 as the TradeStart Advisor over this period until 2015 when managed the program. Mat has an extensive background in export market development for the wine, food, tourism, creative and innovation sectors. Mat moved to Margaret River after graduating with his Bachelor of Business degree at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in 1995 and in 1996 developed the Margaret River Wine Club. Mat then returned to Perth to study Postgraduate Diploma in Multimedia at ECU and helped his vision become reality of developing a Marketing Agency in Margaret River called CREATIVE JUICES.

Stephen is a corporate advisor, company director and entrepreneur. Stephen has founded and operated a number of companies in the digital and information technology sectors including Australian streaming pioneer Quickflix.

His earlier corporate career was in funds management having commenced his professional career with an international accounting group. Stephen served on the boards of film funding agency ScreenWest for 10 years until 2017 and on the board of mental healthcare group Richmond Wellbeing until 2023. He has also served on other boards in the not-for-profit, public and private sectors in addition to his corporate advisory and venture firm, Rockstream Partners.

Aarti Chabria is a versatile figure, renowned as an actor, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and tech enthusiast. With keen insight into technology’s role in entertainment, she seamlessly blends her talents for a unique impact. Aarti’s journey began in acting, earning acclaim and a devoted fan base. Transitioning to filmmaking, she mastered producing, directing, shooting, and editing her content.

Beyond film, Aarti’s entrepreneurial spirit led her to website design and Victorious Mind Power, a platform where she serves as a visionary spiritual strategist. Her diverse talents and tech savviness make her a true trailblazer, leaving an impression in entertainment, entrepreneurship, and technology.

“Aarti’s guiding principle is to enrich the world through her distinctive skillset and empowered voice, striving to contribute meaningful value to society.”

Chris recently completed a three-and-a-half-year term atScreenwest as Head of Production, overseeing the WA Production AttractionIncentive, PDV, and the Documentary and Digital Games Programs. His roleincluded international market attendance and discussions with many of theglobal industry’s most influential decision-makers.

During his time at Screenwest Chris was an advocate forWestern Australian international relationships that included India, Indonesiaand SEA.

Chris has now re-established Veerhuis Pictures as apremier film production company in Western Australia. The company’s mission isto create compelling, powerful films and TV Series that not only captivatelocal audiences but also resonate on a global scale.

Veerhuis Pictures focuses on authentic storytelling and highproduction values, the team consistently delivers projects that stand out inthe international film landscape. VP is dedicated to bringing unique Australianperspectives and talent to the world stage, solidifying their reputation asinnovators in the industry.

Throughout his 15-year career Chris has built an abundanceof relationships with producers, production companies and market partners inAustralia and globally via his Warner Bros Script Initiative, his Producing andLocation Management and throughout his time as HoP at Screenwest.

Deva Mahalingam is the Founder and CEO of Thirai Flicks, one of the leading distributors of Indian films across Australia and New Zealand, with distribution networks extending into Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and the Pacific region.

He is widely recognised for distributing Baahubali 2 in Australia and New Zealand, which became the highest-grossing Indian film release in the history of those markets, generating more than AUD $4 million at the box office and receiving recognition from industry measurement provider Comscore.

Through Thirai Flicks, Deva has played a significant role in bringing Indian cinema to international audiences, building relationships across film producers, distributors, exhibitors, and diaspora markets. His extensive experience in film distribution, audience development, theatrical releases, and cross-border entertainment partnerships provides valuable industry expertise to the West Australian Indian Film Council's mission of strengthening screen industry collaboration between Western Australia and India.

Ghirija Jayarraj is an award-winning Australian Tamil filmmaker, dancer, writer and theatre producer based in Perth, Western Australia. A graduate of Curtin University with degrees in Commerce, Film & Television and Screen Arts (Honours), she is the Founder and Creative Director of Shastram, a Perth-based arts organisation dedicated to Indian classical dance that has engaged over 400 artists globally and reached audiences of 25,000 since its founding in 2011. As a filmmaker specialising in dance films that bridge screen and stage, her work has earned international recognition including Best Short Film at the Calcutta International Cult Film Festival for her film Touch, and she is a producer under the This Gen fellowship by Encounter Theatre, affiliated with the State Theatre of Western Australia and Why Not Theatre in Toronto.

Suzanne Worner is a highly experienced arts and screen professional with a strong track record across arts management, film production, community engagement and cultural policy in Western Australia. She brings deep sector knowledge developed over three decades working across film, broadcasting, festivals and local government.

Suzanne has produced, associate produced and executive produced numerous Western Australian screen projects, including Frank and Frank, Black Cockatoo Crisis, Honeymoon and Green: The Fight for Rock and Roll, with responsibilities spanning funding acquisition, mentoring emerging practitioners and overseeing publicity campaigns. Through her consultancy Brain Salad, she works with arts organisations and corporate clients in curation, production management, marketing and promotion, and has curated major public-facing programs including the return of outdoor cinema to Camelot.

From 2011 to 2025, Suzanne served as General Manager and Head of Communications for Revelation Perth International Film Festival, where she led the festival’s expansion into a year-round cultural program and managed budgets, staffing and programming. Her earlier career includes almost two decades at the ABC in senior production management roles.

Alongside her professional practice, Suzanne is an elected Councillor at the City of Vincent, Chair of its Arts Advisory Group, and an active board and advisory group member, contributing strategic insight to the ongoing development of WA’s arts and screen sectors.

Daniel is an award-winning cinematographer, with ongoing experience in feature film, music video, short film, corporate and commercial works. He has a love of visual storytelling that centres on the artistic, finding himself at home behind the lens and creating beautiful images.

With over 18 years of experience in the education industry, Daniel brings a seasoned approach to fostering success through collaboration. His extensive background across both government and private sectors—spanning primary, secondary, and internationally recognised tertiary institutions—has honed his communication skills and cultivated a collaborative mindset. This breadth of experience enables him to effectively navigate challenges and drive solutions across all age groups and educational settings.

He has his RePL (Remote Pilot Licence) and is a qualified First Aid trainer.

As the driving force behind Karla Hart Ent PL for over 9 years, Karla's journey weaves creative storytelling with a passion for representing Indigenous voices in mainstream media. Her competencies, honed over multiple years of experience, include workshop facilitation and creative writing, which fuel her projects with authenticity and innovation.

Karla's role coordinating the Wardarnji Festival showcases her expertise in event management, ensuring cultural celebrations resonate with diverse audiences. The values of community engagement and cultural preservation guide her team in creating impactful experiences that honor tradition and inspire connection.

Ronak Bhalvani is an Australian screen actor with a growing body of work across film and television, including roles in The Twelve (2022), the children's series Itch (2020), The Heights (2019) and Aztlan: Axons Rise (2022). Having grown up in India and now based in Australia, he brings a unique cross-cultural perspective to his craft and is a compelling emerging voice in the Australian screen industry, passionate about creating greater opportunities for artists of South Asian background within Australian and international screen productions.