CATHERINE DELALOYE
Founder & Executive Director
Catherine Delaloye is a director, producer, and writer, who is passionate about social impact and dedicates her work to empowering diverse voices. Her credits include WHERE TO NOW?, THE WITCHES OF BUSHWICK, THAT PART, and the upcoming feature film SLEEPAWAY CAMP, starring Antoni Porowski (QUEER EYE). Growing up between Europe and the US, Catherine has a global perspective that she uniquely brings to each film and project she is a part of. Her projects have been awarded various honors, including recently winning the Grand Jury Prize at Barnstorm Screenwriting Contest for her script Noah & Camille. She's also won the International Honolulu Film Festival Screenplay Award and the International Los Angeles Film Festival Screenplay Award for her script THE DOLLMAKER. Catherine founded Female Voices Rock, an organization that aims to increase the female presence in the film and TV industry. Through her organization, Catherine has raised over 200K for various film projects, creating a substantial platform for underrepresented filmmakers in the industry. The annual Female Voices Rock Film Festival has grown to be rated amongst the “Top 100 Film Festivals in the World” in just two years since its inception.
MARIA AKAY
Producer & Senior Programmer
Maria Akay is a NYC-based producer and a fierce advocate for the minority narrative, helping the female, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ communities by amplifying their stories. Previously the Director and Narrative Feature Film Curator of the NYC Independent Film Festival, Maria now sits on multiple screener teams for film festivals and serves on the marketing team for Spotlight Cinema Networks. Her project, DORRIS 85, is currently garnering attention on the festival circuit.
KIRA LEINONEN
Producer
Kira Leinonen is a producer and writer passionate about stories at the intersection of social impact and entertainment. After her studies in Germany and Canada, Kira spent more than 10 years in the production trenches in China, working on domestic and international co-productions as an in-house producer for Greenpeace East Asia, DJI Studio, and as an independent producer and writer. Her projects include titles such as CHINA ON FILM, BETWEEN CLOUDS AND DREAMS, INVISIBLE NATION, RUN FOR LOVE, RADICAL CRAM SCHOOL (Season 2), UNSPOKEN CODE, AIRWAY, and GOOD VIBES ONLY. As a writer, Kira wrote on the Chinese language web series THE JING, Discovery Asia programs such as SOUNDS OF THE ROAD and THE DAY I RAN CHINA, and was a script consultant on the Chinese blockbuster CRAZY ALIEN.
JENNIFER LE ROUX
Creative Director
Jennifer has worked in marketing as a content specialist, designer, and digital marketing expert for more than 15 years, and stepped back into her screenwriting routes in 2019 after a late ADHD diagnosis that caused her to lean into all of her "too muchness". Since she has written five TV pilots and has major studio interest. She is also doing an MA in animation with aspirations to create epic TV opening sequences. Volunteering for Female Voices Rock gives her the chance to do what she knows for an industry she loves, and a cause she's passionate about; empowering women. Jennifer looks after the website content, artwork and social media. She also designs our program, and is keen to hear from volunteers that would like to offer FVR marketing support... she could use the help! Learn more at oddcontent.co.uk.
PIERA VAN DE WIEL
Senior Programmer
Piera Van de Wiel is an actor, singer-songwriter, filmmaker, and founder of Stronger With Music. With a passion for social impact, Piera dedicates her work to advocating for gender equality and uplifting LGBTQ voices. Her single "Used" raises awareness of domestic violence, and has been aired on NBC. She also performed at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for the International Women’s Day celebration. She received the Global Music Awards Listener Impact Silver Medal for her song “Come Back Home (Abaco Relief Song)”. As the previous Co-Director of Fusion Film Festival, she worked alongside HBO and Refinery 29 for film panels and screenings.
DEMITRY EDWARDS
Senior Programmer
Demi Edwards is an actor based in NYC. She is known for her roles in PILLOWTALK (THE PLAYERS CLUB), THE MORNING AFTER, SHAW, and A STEP TOWARDS OBLIVION. In early 2020, Demi assistant-directed her first play BENEATH WONDERLAND at Winterfest. Demi is a University of Virginia graduate.
ERIN TOMKINS
Senior Programmer
Erin Tomkins is a film composer from Lawrence, Kansas. Currently based in New York, she has composed original scores for documentaries, short films, and animation. Recent projects include THE NOTHING (2019) and STRIP CLARA (2020). In addition to film, she writes theatre and concert music. Erin holds an MA in Film Studies from King’s College London (2018), an MM in Scoring for Film and Multimedia from New York University (2015), and a BM in Piano Performance and Music Composition from the University of Kansas (2012).
JASON COOMBS
Producer
Jason A. Coombs is a New York City-based actor, filmmaker, and teaching artist. His television pilot entitled, Chasers, was a semifinalist at the 2017 Independent Television Festival and made it to the second round of the 2018 Macro Lab Screenwriting contest sponsored by The Blacklist. He's produced a handful of award-winning short films that have premiered in over two dozen festivals worldwide including The La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival, Miami Independent Film Festival, Los Angeles CineFest, Brussels International Fashion Film Festival, Dumbo Film Festival, The Astoria Film Festival, and the Australian Film Awards, among others. In 2020 he became the Founder and the Artistic Director of the first annual Bridgeport Film Fest, which premiered in July 2021. His award-winning web series SHAW, which he wrote, produced, and starred in, is currently streaming on SEEKA TV. The six episodes of season one currently have over 7,000 views online. His latest short film, The Morning After, which he wrote and directed is making its premiere at the 9th Annual Chelsea Film Festival. He has worked on set and in the production offices of the television shows, White Collar (USA Network), Celebrity Ghost Stories (ID Channel), and The Haunting Of (ID Channel), among others. As an actor, he was most recently seen in the independent film Pretenders streaming on Amazon Prime and in the pilot episode of the CBS show Tommy, starring Edie Falco in Spring 2020. When not performing or working on set, Jason is writing original pieces that he can never finish, exploring New York City, making his friends laugh...most of the time unintentionally. Jason is super excited to once again work with the Female Voices Rock Film Festival team and is looking forward to another magical event celebrating indie filmmakers and writers!