Our Judges
Simon Bell
Simon Bell is a visionary Australian entrepreneur, filmmaker, and business leader. Since 2004, Simon has founded six thriving companies across diverse industries and has guided over 1,000 business leaders in Australia and the United States as a coach and mentor.
In 2021, Simon launched CHOOSEDAY Studios, driven by his lifelong passion for film. Under his leadership, CHOOSEDAY Studios is quickly becoming a prominent player in the Australian film industry, with a diverse slate of five feature films and a TV series in development. By partnering with acclaimed Australian filmmakers, Simon is building a creative powerhouse that combines local talent with global ambition.
Simon’s passion for storytelling, entrepreneurial expertise, and unwavering dedication to quality make him an invaluable partner for filmmakers ready to create compelling and impactful cinema.
Astrid Wells
Astrid Wells has worked for almost every major network as an actor and casting director. She was the voice of QLD Government during the pandemic. Her credits include Deadloch (Amazon Prime); Rosehaven (ABC); In Our Blood (ABC); Nine Perfect Strangers (Amazon Prime); Space Chickens in Space (STAN/ 9Go!); Reef Break (ABC USA); Prosper (STAN); The Gloaming (STAN); The Kettering Incident (Foxtel); Without Limits (BBC).
Astrid has written and directed two short films: Slick Timing has been shown on ABC and toured nationally and internationally and has decorated her with directing awards; Douglas was made for internet sharing and has had 25K+ views.
Astrid is delighted to be returning to the judging panel for SLSFF25.
Don Bridges
Don Bridges Theatre: as actor or director, includes Unicorn (London), Columbia University (New York), Geary Theatre, (San Francisco) Essential Theatre, HIT Productions, La Mama, and over twenty-five productions for Melbourne Theatre Company. Films: include A Fine Bromance, Button Man, Judy and Punch, Patched, Two Heads Creek, Paper Champions, Tender Hook, Romper Stomper, Evil Angels, Malcolm, Rikki & Pete, Road to Nhill, The Hard Word, The Oyster Farmer, Charlotte’s Web, Gettin’ Square and Cohen the Barbarian in Terry Pratchett’s TrollBridge. Television: includes regular roles in Nautilus, The Clearing, Jack Irish, . Planet Lulin, Blue Heelers, Man from Snowy River, Neighbours, Stingers, Something in the Air, The Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries and Upper Middle Bogan. Don is also a musician, playing guitar, mandolin, ukulele and bodhran (Irish drum). He is also grateful for the opportunity to serve as Vice President of the Victorian Actors’ Benevolent Trust.
Kym Wilson
Stewart Tyrrell
Kym Wilson is an award winning Australian actress known for her work in Film, Television and Theatre. Her career began in the Australian Film Institute Awarded Best Film, "Flirting" alongside Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts and later that same year in the mini series "Brides of Christ" starring opposite Naomi Watts and Russell Crowe for which she received a Logie (Australian Emmy) for New Talent. Wilson then appeared in the Sydney Theatre Company's production of "The Crucible" before undertaking a series regular role on beloved Australian drama "A Country Practice" for which she received several Logie and People's Choice Award Nominations for Best Actress in a Series.
Kym returned to the stage where she originated the role of Rachel in the Sydney Theatre Company's "Blackrock". A national tour as Janet in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" followed.
Numerous other stage roles and Australian film and TV movies followed before she returned to series TV in the role of Sam on "Heartbreak High". She then originated the role of Tess McLeod in the television movie "McLeod's Daughters" opposite Jack Thomspon.
Kym is a recipient of the Winston Churchill Fellowship which took her to the US to study with Shakespeare & Company and with the Moscow Art Theatre Company at Harvard. She stayed in the US after meeting her husband, Writer/Producer Sean O'Byrne, and taking a break from acting, successfully launched the Australian fashion label, Leona Edmiston, in the US, Europe & Asia.
She returned to acting in 2016 in Australian Theatre Companies award winning production of 'Speaking in Tongues' at the Matrix Theatre in Hollywood for which she received a Stage Scene LA award for 'Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role'.
Marc Smith
As most great camera operators, Marc Smith prefers to be behind the camera and out of the picture...but we managed to track this one down! Marc Smith has agreed to come back for another year judging the art in filmmaking...and we think that as a multi-award winning cinematographer, sound recordist and producer for the critically acclaimed ABC TV's 'Australian Story' we think he makes a pretty impressive addition to the team! When asked for a bio, Marc said "I make Tik Toks on shoots as well now!
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Steve Mann
Steve Mann is Australian television royalty. Having a career as a director spanning 45 years, his credits include Blue Heelers, Neighbours, McLeod's Daughters, Heartbreak High, The Saddle Club...just to name a few.
Astrid Wells
“Freedom in film is the mirror reflecting society’s dreams, hopes and sometimes its darkest truths.” - Stewart Tyrrell, SLSFF Judge
Stewart is a passionate filmmaker, educator and cinephile with more than 20 years experience in the film, television and radio industries.
Stewart is a long standing committee member of the Australian Screen Editors Guild and for the past 15 years has been inspiring young creatives as a lecturer at the Griffith University Film School and also a teacher with Essential Screen Skills - a High School film industry connection initiative - visiting Brisbane high schools and running film camps in outback Winton and tropical Cairns.
He is also the writer and director of a romantic comedy feature entitled ‘Brisbane’ which is currently in post production.
It is Stewart’s fifth year judging for SLSFF.
Jack Berry
“Freedom in film is the ability to create work that ignites a dialogue between viewers and conversation between their perspectives. It is bringing to the forefront difficult stories that people can relate to. It is about inclusion and collaborating with trusting, daring and likeminded creatives.” - Jack Berry, SLSFF24 Judge
Jack Berry is a 32 year old Sydney based actor. He first began acting at the age of 5 in school productions and hasn’t looked back. He studied at the New York Film Academy, graduating in 2015. From there Jack has remained extremely involved within the industry through multiple departments. He has built sets for major motion pictures Alien:Covenant, Pacific Rim:Uprising and Belvior Street Theatre. Jack has also worked behind the scenes in both MX and LX departments on such shows as ‘The Wizard of OZ’, My Fair Lady, School of Rock and Tina as well as many shows with Opera Australia. Jacks recent acting credits include “Patched” Directed by Steve Mann (film), ‘Lunch Break’ (film) Broken Promise Land (stage), ‘Affliction’ (stage) directed by Steve Le Marquand, ‘The Elephant man’ (Stage), Parisian Jam (WINNER Best Picture, Best Thriller, Best Indie Film @ New York Film Awards and Best Student film @ the LA film awards, ‘A Bunch Called Rowdy’ (Series) starring Stephen Hunter, ‘The skydiver and the Scarecrow’ (WINNER- Best film @ Sydney Indie Film Festival), ‘Our House’ (WINNER- John Pooley Play of the Year) and Lake Terror (NOMINATED- Best Short Film @ Screen Producers Australia Awards).
Amanda Kaye
Amanda Kaye is an award winning Writer, Director and Producer living in Brisbane, Australia. Her first 6 years in the industry was working as a production manager on various factual feature films and mini series. In 2019 she shifted into creating her own content and proof of concepts as a writer, director and producer. Her short films, Norm (2019), Good Times and That’s Okay (2022), Even If I Wanted To (2023) have won numerous awards and screened at Academy-Award, BAFTA and Canadian Screen Award qualifying festivals. Her film Good Times and That’s Okay has also screened at St Kilda Film Festival, Cambridge Film Festival, DeadCentre and Santa Monica. Even If I Wanted To (2023) has been endorsed by world leading material regret academic Orna Donath. Her film Norm is part of Bloody Bites Season 12, streaming on Screambox TV on Roku Channel, Plex TV, Vizio, Amazon FreeVee in Dec 2024. She has worked alongside acclaimed filmmakers such as Sandra Sciberras, Peter Hegedus and Douglas Watkin. Amanda has also been a long time collaborator with Tristan Barr and David Gim from Continuance Pictures, the most recent being as Line Producer on Tristan Barr’s fantasy horror feature film ‘Dusk’ in late 2023. Currently she is working with Tristan Barr at filmbarr on numerous productions.