R I F F 2021
TALENT LAB PARTICIPANTS 2021
ABOUT CAITLYN SPONHEIMER
ABOUT ALINA VITA KULESH
Caitlyn Sponheimer is a Canadian awardwinning filmmaker and actor currently working on her directorial debut feature “Wild Goat Surf” supported by Telefilm Canada. Her dark comedy short “Kitty’s Naughty Knickers” (’19), was nominated by the Directors Guild of Canada for Outstanding Directorial Achievement and is a Fantasia winner. She co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in “April in Autumn” (’18/ Sulatycky) premiering at Telefilm’s Best of New Canadian Cinema at Cannes Marché 2018. In 2020, Caitlyn produced and costarred in the multi-award winning Telefilm Canada and Alberta Media Fund feature “Jasmine Road” (’20/Sulatycky) currently on its festival run with over 23 festivals to date. Caitlyn is a graduate of the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre (NYC), is in development on multiple projects including the psychological thriller feature alongside producer Maddy Falle, and her work has shown around the globe at esteemed festivals. Through her work, she seeks to bring light to stigmatized and challenging female struggles through a heightened lens of genre and comedic inspired storytelling.
Alina Vita Kulesh is a Crimean-Canadian emerging filmmaker who creates empathetic work with aesthetic sensitivity. Her debut short film BABY BLUE played at festivals in Toronto, Portland and L.A, winning “Best Romance Short” and “Best Director” awards. Her sophomore short film, LITTLE SOUL, was acquired by Canada’s national broadcaster, premiering in January 2021 and is currently available to stream in Canada on CBC Gem. In July 2021, LITTLE SOUL was featured at the Festival de Cannes Short Film Market. In October 2021, LITTLE SOUL will have its European premiere at the Reykjavík International Film Festival as part of the “Golden Egg’’ competition.
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TALENT LAB
Alina is currently in pre-production on her third short film, HARD FALLS SOFT LANDS. Alina believes in the healing power of cinema.
