Short Story Long: From Shorts to Features

Dr Jessica Byrne is a Wiradjuri/Kamilaroi woman and Investment Manager in the First Nations Department at Screen Australia. In her role, Jessica manages a diverse slate of projects across scripted, documentary and factual content. In 2021 Byrne completed her PhD at the National Indigenous Knowledges Education Research Innovation (NIKERI) Institute, Deakin University, examining relational storytelling and First Nations research methodologies in filmmaking practice. Her previous roles include Research Manager, First Nations audiences at SBS and NITV.

Georgia Noe is a Screen Australia Enterprise People Recipient, which funded her placement in the role of Development & Production Associate at STUDIOCANAL ANZ. She was one of Screen Producers Australia’s “Ones To Watch” for 2024/25, and was selected for talent incubator Platform: Lab in 2024. Georgia has produced work across commercials and narrative, currently at Plus Also Studios by Howatson+Co. She has produced a number of successful short films including HOW CAN I HELP YOU (Eliza Scanlen) and THE DANCING GIRL AND THE BALLOON MAN (David Ma), which won Best Live Action Australian Short at SFF 2023. She is one of the founders of Floating Leaf Pictures, along with David Ma and Johnathan Lo, and together they were shortlisted for Screen Australia x SBS’s Digital Originals initiative. Playing at SFF this year is her most recent short, MR ADIDOS (Henry Stone), and her first independent feature, FRENCH GIRLS (Hyun Lee).

James Ashley McLaren is a screenwriter and director in Gadigal/Sydney. A proud Kamilaroi man, storytelling is in his blood. He was shortlisted for the prestigious Emerging Writers’ Award by the Australian Writers’ Guild in 2024. James graduated from the University of Technology Sydney, where he studied Media Arts and Production. After a decade and a half as a director and editor in commercial media to pay the bills, James is happy to be back pursuing his passion of making movies, focusing on crafting powerful stories that resonate with audiences.

Lauren Edwards is a multi-award-winning film and television producer with over 18 years of experience in the industry. Her production credits include DIARY OF AN UBER DRIVER, THE SECRET DAUGHTER, AMBER AMULET and BEAR, which was selected for Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival 2011, Sundance Film Festival 2012 and screened at over 80 international film festivals.

Lauren has been employed at Screen NSW since April 2021, where she has worked across development, production and special initiatives, including the Screen NSW Power Lunch and the Short to Feature Fast Track.

Renée Marie Petropoulos is an award-winning queer filmmaker from Gadigal/Sydney. A Columbia University MFA graduate, her work has received international acclaim premiering at festivals such as Berlinale, SXSW, including her most recent film SOUVENIR which won the Narrative Short Film Jury Award at SXSW 2026.

Sandy George has twenty years of experience covering the business of the Australian film and television industry as a journalist, interviewer, researcher, writer and presenter.