Board of Directors (scroll down for bios):
Xan Aranda, Andrew Bird, Jason Vassiliades, & Ryan Jewell
Film Brigade became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 2006
OUR MISSION
Chicago Short Film Brigade is dedicated to encouraging active exhibition and appreciation of local and international short film. We believe the general public should be able to see first-rate short films in cozy, non-festival, non-academic environments where accessibility and community come first.
SCREENINGS
There are plenty of ways to watch short films on the internet or on a phone. That sounds lonely! Join Film Brigade in a warm, social environment to enjoy short films with other humans. A comfy room, good company, hot popcorn and an uncommon curated selection of short films.
ANNUAL AWARDS
Making a short film can be so blood & guts basic, often using scavenged cash and borrowed cameras. We salute the gumption and tenacity it takes to pursue this work. In support of the mini-masterpiece, a cash prize is given at our annual Best Of show at the Gene Siskel Film Center.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
XAN ARANDA ~ CURATOR/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Xan is a freelance director and producer affiliated with acclaimed documentary powerhouse Kartemquin Films (Hoop Dreams) and the U. S. Department of Education.
She is currently producing and directing Mormons Make Movies, a feature documentary (in development with Kartemquin) examining the now-booming Mormon filmmaking community and its origins within the Brigham Young University Motion Picture Studio.
Xan is a Producer of the multi-award winning 2008 Kartemquin release Milking the Rhino, which aired on PBS (Independent Lens) and continues to screen at festivals, universities, and conferences worldwide. She serves as Outreach Director for Rhino as well as Prisoner of Her Past, directed by Gordon Quinn.
She recently produced and directed Andrew Bird: Fever Year, a feature-length concert documentary to be released by the artist in early 2011.
Xan has been hosting Midwest screenings of international short films since 2003.
She often serves on competition juries as varied as the Chicago International Film Festival, the Third Coast International Audio Festival, Hugo Television Awards, and the Illinois Humanities Council’s Looking For Democracy Film Contest, among others. She is also a popular featured guest speaker for film students of Columbia College, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Northwestern University.
Born and raised in Illinois, Xan Aranda lived in California for ten years until moving to China and eventually, Chicago in 2001. She has worked in the film, music video, and commercial industries since 1994.
ANDREW BIRD ~ CONSIGLIERI/VICE PRESIDENT
Andrew is an internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter from Chicago, known for his distinctive musical style and unparalleled live performances. After graduating from Northwestern University he formed a band called Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire, with which he recorded three albums released by Rykodisc, including THE SWIMMING HOUR in 2001.In 2003, Andrew further developed the distinctive style unveiled in his album, WEATHER SYSTEMS. Soonafter, THE MYSTERIOUS PRODUCTION OF EGGS and ARMCHAIR APOCRYPHA were released to rave reviews. His most recent record NOBLE BEAST came out in 2009. He has toured worldwide in addition to TV appearances on Late Night with David Letterman and the Conan O’Brien show, among others.Andrew describes his Brigade work as a healthy diversion from music– one that allows him to be part of something more community based. He likes riding his bike around town, hanging up posters.JASON VASSILIADES ~ NFP WIZ/BUSINESS MANAGER
A Chicago-area native, Jason is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, having received his MBA in Non-Profit and Public Management. He has an undergraduate degree from Miami of Ohio.
Jason has worked for over five years on international humanitarian projects first as a Peace Corps Volunteer, then as consultant for a major NGO in the Balkans. He consulted on projects in Uzbekistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia, Armenia and India. Projects included civil society development, youth media/art development, community development, micro-credit business development, and housing reconstruction.
Jason currently works in the United Arab Emirates on commercial property developments featuring contemporary designs and green technologies. In the past, Jason has made short films including MOMENTARY INTERMISSIONS, which screened at the Soros Media Center in Sarajevo.
RYAN JEWELL ~ THE GLUE/OPERATIONS MANAGER
Ryan is the Executive Director of IFP/Chicago. Previously, he served as Managing Director of Cinema/Chicago (presenting organization of The Chicago International Film Festival) for two years where he handled all aspects of the organization’s business.
Prior to his position at Cinema/Chicago, Ryan worked with Magnolia Pictures/Landmark Theatres for five years and was responsible for the operations of three different theaters, working closely with a number of organizations in producing film festivals and various special events. He also was responsible for the publicity of numerous films in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area as part of his responsibilities at Landmark Theatres.
Ryan graduated with a degree in Music Business from Oklahoma State University and is a member of local rock band La Scala.
FILM BRIGADE ADVISORY PANEL
Michael Slaboch (Volunteer Jury ‘10)
Producer & Archivist, Numero Group
Post-Production Sound, Independent
Theaster Gates (Derby Judge ‘07/’08)
Director of Arts Programming, University of Chicago Office of Provost, Dept. of Visual Arts
Director, Yamaguchi Institute
Dan Rybicky (Derby Judge ‘07/’08)
Professor, Department of Film & Video, Columbia College
Screenwriter/Director/Author
PAST BOARD MEMBERS
Aaron Wickenden (Board of Directors ‘06/’07/’08)
Freelance filmmaker, film editor, photographer, and soon-to-be author
Vanessa Roanhorse (Board of Directors ‘07/’08)
Producer, activist, filmmaker, ass-kicker
Liz Tapp (Board of Directors ‘07/’08)
Editor-in-Chief, Mule Magazine
Freelance, LizTappDesign
Graphic Design, Free Write Jail Arts
Abby Factor (Board of Directors ‘08)
Carole Snow (Board of Directors ‘07/’08)
Associate Producer, 137 Films
Video Specialist, Northwestern University Advanced Media Production Studio
