Selection Panel 2026

Sarah Hurwood

Sarah is a Gippsland born creative, local Mum, and like most, a self-proclaimed film buff. Having grown up in Warragul, Sarah noticed a lack of creative opportunities in Gippsland and is now passionate about inspiring excitement in young Gippslanders to pursue creative education and filmmaking. She has spent the past 10 years of her career working across content creation, events, digital marketing and short film. Sarah is ecstatic to be working as a part of the GIFF team and can’t wait to see the impact it has on local creatives and the awareness it brings to the wider Gippsland community.  In 2026 she is working as the GIFF Festival Coordinator and with our business sponsors.

Sarah Duck

Sarah Duck is an established Creative Professional, and Lead Educator at TAFE Gippsland, working across a range of digital projects and programs involving Information Technology and Screen and Media. She has worked with Baw Baw Shire Council in the creative space and is currently the Chair of the Noojee Eco-Community Working Group, contributing to Forestry Transition Planning and sustainable regional development. Sarah is passionate about supporting local communities and providing opportunities to foster growth and resilience. The Gippsland International Film Festival is an exciting opportunity to celebrate film culture in Gippsland – creating community connection through storytelling, and providing a platform for local young filmmakers to make their mark. Her favourite films include No Country For Old Men, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy.

Joyce Agee

Joyce Agee had a successful career as a documentary photographer and art curator in England and Australia. She has worked as a film and television stills photographer, and produced the award-winning film Grays Harbor Happenings: The Newsreels of C.D. Anderson while working at the University of Washington in Seattle. She has had a lifelong romance with film and considers it a great honor to be contributing to the inaugural Gippsland International Film Festival.

Joshua Darby

Joshua Darby hails from Glengarry and is a multi-hyphenate artist with a degree in animation. He has a lifelong passion for screen and digital media of all kinds. Between work and being a dad he makes time to collaborate on short films in a variety of ways. Some of his favourite films include: They Live, The Matrix and The Princess Bride.  His enthusiasm for a film festival to run in West Gippsland has spurred the team forward and as GIFF’s Art Director he is responsible for the all of the GIFF branding and logos for the festival.

Alana Auden

Alana Auden is a multi-disciplinary artist and filmmaker with a background in medical science and research. She has made three short films that have screened at festivals in Australia and internationally. Alana also works in the Engagement team at Federation University. She is one of the GIFF festival directors for the inaugural 2026 run of the festival. Some of her favourite films include Fight Club, Drop Dead Gorgeous and The Big Lebowski. She is excited about this year’s program of narrative and comedy works.

Edward Yates

Edward Yates is a screen and media practitioner with over 15 years’ experience within the film and television industry. He has made three short films that have screened in film festivals in Australia and internationally. Since 2013 Edward has worked as a freelance artist in film and television within prosthetic make-up, art department and special effects, including Predestination, Cargo and Bring Her Back.  Prior to this, he wrote film and television reviews as a media critic for ATOM Publications from 2009. He holds a PhD in Social Science and has a background in cultural anthropology. Some of his favourite films include Bladerunner, Alien and The Big Lebowski. In 2026 Edward is one of the festival directors for GIFF.