STAFF

Katherine Bruce

Executive Director

A part of the Planet in Focus team from 2010-2012, Katherine was delighted to return to the festival in 2016. She has worked extensively in the arts sector as a producer in film, theatre and visual arts including the UK-based Cape Farewell – The cultural response to climate change as Development Director for Carbon 14: Climate is Culture in partnership with ROM Contemporary Culture. Katherine has an MA in Communication and Cultural Studies with a research focus on fresh water as both a commodity and a human right through the historical narrative of Toronto’s R.C. Harris Filtration Plant. She also serves on the Advisory Committee for Youth Unstoppable and on the board of the international Green Film Network.

Lesley Johnson

Senior Programmer

Lesley Johnson is a director, producer and programmer, based in Toronto and Yellowknife. She studied Film Production in York University’s MFA program, and holds degrees in wildlife and environmental sciences. Before becoming a filmmaker, she worked in community-based research in the Northwest Territories, and on studies chasing after the likes of terns and wolverines. She is the former director and programmer of the Yellowknife International Film Festival, and of a Cinema Politica chapter.

Simone Estrin

Senior Programmer

Simone Estrin is a Toronto-based programmer, curator, and filmmaker whose work looks at the experience of art from a social and environmental perspective. In addition to her role as Senior Programmer at Planet in Focus, she is an International Features Programmer at Hot Docs, and also contributes to film programming at TIFF Docs and Le Festival International du Film sur l’Art. Simone holds an MFA in Documentary Media Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Hui Wang

Program & Box Office Manager

Hui Wang (a.k.a. Jane) is a Toronto-based documentary filmmaker and programmer. Born and raised in Wuhan, Wang has been working and living in Canada since 2001. Her debut feature-length documentary LAST HARVEST (2015) won the Tokyo TV Forum Award at the CNEX Chinese Documentary Forum in Taiwan, was the closing night film at Planet in Focus International Environmental Film Festival, and won both the World Documentary Award and Best Female-Directed Documentary Award at Whistler Film Festival. LAST HARVEST has been licensed for broadcast on major networks in Asia and Europe, including Singapore’s CNA and ARTE France. Wang’s second Read More

feature-length documentary THE GARDENER AND THE DICTATOR received support from the Hot Docs CrossCurrents Canada Doc Fund, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and the National Film Board of Canada, and was among the Top 20 Audience Favourites when premiering at the 2025 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. In addition to her role as Festival Program Manager and Box Office Manager at Planet in Focus, she is also the curator for the Documentary Program at Mulan International Film Festival.

Nicole Capogna

Programs Coordinator

Nicole holds a degree in Urban and Environmental Studies from the University of Toronto, where she developed a passion for understanding how people connect with the spaces around them. She is particularly interested in the environmental aspects of Planet in Focus’ work and is dedicated to supporting the organization’s mission. Outside of her work with Planet in Focus, Nicole facilitates development approvals for affordable housing projects at the Region of Peel, contributing to the creation of more inclusive and sustainable communities.

Michael John Long

Pre-Screener

Seeking adventure and refuge in the lakes and forests of the Simcoes and Muskokas as a child has inspired much of Michael’s environmental education and documentary work. Michael teaches Geography and Sustainability as a Contract Faculty Professor at George Brown College (GBC) where he is also the Faculty Advisor to the student Sustainability Squad. Michael has published book chapters, articles, open educational resources, and interviews about the environment, documentary film and education. He is the 2021 Awards of Excellence recipient for ‘Outstanding Post-Secondary Educator’ from the Canadian Network for Environmental Education Read More

and Communication (EECOM). Michael studied at York University and Osgoode Hall Law School where he completed the Master of Environmental Studies and Master of Laws, respectively.

Avneet Sharma

Pre-Screener

Avneet Sharma is an incoming Ph.D. student at the University of Toronto’s Cinema Studies Institute. His research investigates the effects and potentialities of desire in queer spectatorship of cinema, contending that queer spectators engage in ‘improper’ viewing practices that generate provocative interpretations and forge communal bonds. He earned an M.A. in English Literature from McGill University with SSHRC funding, where he wrote a thesis on politics and sexuality in the novels of Alan Hollinghurst. Currently, Avneet is co-editing a forthcoming collection of essays for ASAP/J on reality TV in the social media economy.

Nicola Saikali

Pre-Screener

Nicola is a graduate of York University’s Cinema and Media Studies program, an actor, and a film lover. Growing up in Toronto she became an avid attendee of all the wonderful film festivals the city has to offer. She has also worked in front-of-house roles at many of Toronto’s film festivals including TIFF, Hot Docs, Reel Asian, and Regent Park. Nicola is enthusiastic about the environmental aspect of Planet In Focus and excited to learn more about festival programming through her role as a pre-screener.

Summer Love

Pre-Screener

Summer Love is an established, award-winning Canadian director, producer, writer, and cinematographer known for bold, artistic and thought-provoking documentaries. Founder of Deltatime Productions in 2005, she quickly made her mark with Sounds Like a Revolution, a festival hit chronicling the rise of protest music in post-9/11 Read More

America. Broadcast globally, the film won Best Documentary at Raindance and Most Inspiring Film at the Orlando Film Festival, to name a few. Over the last decade, she forged a collaborative partnership with Spin Master, Canada’s largest toy company, where she produced and directed several docs, including The Great Canadian Toy Story (Netflix, 2017) and the vérité feature How to Make a Hit Toy (2020). Whether exploring music, art, design, or politics, Love’s films aim to enlighten, inspire, and spark meaningful conversations.

Gesila Azorbo

Shorts Pre-Screener & Photographer

Gesilayefa Azorbo is a Toronto-based writer, photographer and filmmaker. She has a deep interest in music, film, literature, and pop culture. She was born in Nigeria, grew up in Kenya, currently lives in Canada, and considers herself a Third Culture Kid. Her work explores themes related to music, creativity and identity.

Neil L. Tangcuangco

Video Editor

Neil is an undergraduate student at Toronto Metropolitan University pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Creative Industries. With a strong love for the performing arts and media production, Neil aims to use his creative abilities to serve these communities by creating purpose-driven art. Upon moving to Toronto, Neil discovered his passion for dance and choreography and has since developed his experience within the Toronto dance community. Currently, he is the Creative Director of the competitive dance team UHHU.