Vince Colosimo

Vince Colosimo has worked consistently in theatre, film and television since he won a Sydney Film Critics Circle Award for Best New Talent and was nominated for the AFI Award for Best Actor in 1982 for his debut feature performance in Moving Out. He is best known for his roles in Andrew Dominik’s Chopper, Ray Lawrence’s Lantana (for which he won the AFI Award for Best Supporting Actor), Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, Ridley Scott’s Body of Lies as well as Australian Box Office hits Wog Boy 1 & 2. His TV roles in shows such as Underbelly and The Secret Life of Us, have made him one of the most recognised and well loved Australian actors.  

Simi Garewal

Synonymous with TV and cinema, Simi Garewal has become a living legend throughout Indian households for her film work both on and behind the silver screen. After swiftly landing her first acting role in the English language film ‘Tarzan Goes to India’ (1962) Garewal’s career skyrocketed towards success as she wrote, directed and starred in a variety of acclaimed films. As of late, Simi is most recognisable for her anchoring role on the trend-setting talk show ‘Rendezvous with Simi Garewal’. Simi is also a member of the advisory board for this year’s festival.

Andrew Anastasios

Andrew Anastasios is a screenwriter, script editor and producer, most well-known for his passion for historical narratives and his work on The Water Diviner which earned him an AACTA nomination for Best Original Screenplay and an AWGIE Award for Best Writing in an Original Feature Film. Some of his more recent credits include Australian prison drama Wentworth and the critically acclaimed Jack Irish starring famous actor Guy Pearce.

Rajeev Masand

Rajeev Masand is one of India’s best known film critics and entertainment reporters, having started his long career with The Times of India newspaper at the young age of sixteen. Masand has famously broken new ground in the entertainment industry and paved a new path for future film critics, having conducted famous interviews with big names like Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, Guy Ritchie, and M Night Shyamalan. His impressive work as a film critic has earned him three awards for ‘Best Entertainment Critic’ from the National Television Awards.

Paul Ireland

Actor and director Paul Ireland, known for B. Monkey (1998), The Turning (2013) and Wedding Belles (2017) has established himself as a true creative force over his long-lasting career. Paul’s acting career has included roles in various hit TV shows like the ABC comedy show Outland, the Australian drama series Underbelly, and Australian soap opera Neighbours. Recently, in 2015, Ireland turned his sights toward directing, creating the multicultural dramedy Pawno, a film that follows the intersecting lives of fourteen characters who all encounter and interact with a seedy pawnbroker.