writers & directors
we work with
Alex Vance
Writer
Alex Vance is an award-winning Canadian writer and filmmaker from Vancouver who has been entranced by storytelling since she was a child. Alex’s directorial debut, “I Dare You,” a coming-of-age thriller short, premiered at Cannes through Telefilm’s Not Short on Talent in 2016. In 2017 it received the Award of Excellence at the Canada International Film Festival and was nominated for four Joey Vancouver Awards. Alex booked her first writing gig (2022) on an animated historical fiction Métis series in development “Two Rivers,” working with the Hammer and Tong, and was able to learn more about the history of her Métis heritage. Alex is compelled to write and make films about women while raising a feminist lens to the audience. Alex is currently writing a feature film script through the screenwriting program at UCLA and packaging the film along with naltobel productions. Alex is represented by AAO Entertainment.


Solara Thanh-Bình Đặng
Writer / Director
Solara Thanh-Bình Đặng is a Vietnamese-Chinese writer and director currently creating in Vancouver. Solara expresses herself through film, dance and writing. She enjoys conversing with others in English, Vietnamese, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and tender smiles. Her creative process is currently informed by trauma, feminine identity, failed romances, nostalgia, violence, and the human experience.

Stephanie Izsak
Writer / Director
Stephanie is a Vancouver-based artist. She has a BFA from Bishops University and is a graduate of Studio 58. On camera, she has credits from Netflix, Lifetime, Hallmark, the CW, and is starting her fourth season as Central City's sweetest cop Officer Daisy Korber on CW's "The Flash". As a writer and director, Stephanie's film "Consumer" has won awards and screened at festivals internationally. Her screenplay "Parabola" was recently shortlisted at the 2021 Austin Film Festival and selected by Whistler Film Festival as a Top 5 Finalist for the MPPIA Award. The script and pitch deck are currently being packaged with naltobel productions. Stephanie is represented by Kirk Talent.


Rachel Rose
Writer / Director
Rachel Rose is a Vancouver based filmmaker with a history of telling powerful stories and bringing together awesome queer and femme creatives. She identifies as a cis gay woman who is active within her community. Rachel is committed to ensuring her crew is reflective of the diverse communities we live in. Her directing debut for the Crazy8s 2021 Film Competition “Tryst” is now available on CBC Gem. She is a 2021 VIFF Catalyst Alum and was recently awarded the SIM Pride Pitch Competition Sponsorship for her upcoming short "Little Booms". Rachel is currently in pre-production on her Voices with Impact funded short film “Are You Hungry?”. Rachel continues to support the dreams of other indie filmmakers as a 1ST Assistant Director.

Nessa Aref
Writer / Director
Nessa is a Canadian-Iranian writer and director. She is a graduate of University of British Columbia with a major in Anthropology and a minor in Political Science. She grew up in a loud, multi-lingual family.
After showrunning two webseries, Nessa co-produced Freaks (2018) which premiered at TIFF and is now streaming on Netflix. She later directed and co-wrote The Mirror (2019) as part of Crazy8s 2019 festival. Her second short film Decomposing (2021) is currently touring the festival circuit. She has served as associate producer, writer and sometimes even director for the Al-Jazeera podcast series, Hindsight (2020 - 2021), narrated by Charles Dance.
