STAFF

Ben Rowe - Programming Coordinator
Ben Rowe is a writer, programmer, podcaster, and filmmaker from Calgary, Alberta. In the past he has worked with local arts media groups such as the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers (CSIF), CJSW 90.9 FM, NUTV, and the Fifth Reel. He holds a Bachelor of Film Studies degree from the University of Calgary, and a diploma in Film/Video Production from SAIT. When not working for the Cinematheque he can be found running his three weekly Dungeons & Dragons games, and co-hosting the classic horror movie podcast Scream Scene with his wife, Sarah.

Mary Getaneh - Communications Coordinator
Mary Getaneh is a journalist, addictions support worker, social media coordinator, and film lover from Calgary, Alberta. She holds a Bachelor of Communications degree, specializing in journalism, from Mount Royal University. When not working her many jobs she can be found watching too much TV, learning a new hobby, or taking a long walk. She is still crying over Moonlight (2016).

Christian Argyll - Bookkeeper
Also known as the "accounting ninja", he is rarely seen in person. He currently supports approximately 12 arts and culture organizations in Calgary.


BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mary Reay Arnatt - Secretary
Mary holds an MA in Communications and Media Studies and a BA in Film Studies from the University of Calgary, where her research centred on Production Cultures, Reception Studies, and Canadian Cinema. She was the 2018 recipient of the Gerald Pratley Award from the Film Studies Association of Canada, and the 2017 recipient of the Sandra and Jeffrey and Sandra Lyons Canadian Film Scholarship from the Toronto International Film Festival. When not thinking about film, Mary teaches computer coding and plays a small number of video games on repeat.

Jillian Bagay
Jill is a tax accountant by day and an amateur keyboard player by night. She spent two years teaching English in Seoul before returning to Calgary in 2019. Jillian’s other hobbies include golf and highly competitive board games. Her favorite movies include The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Children of Men, and Coming to America.

Carlos Borjas
Carlos is a business professional with a background in project management and data analytics. His past involvements with non-profit organizations include a directorship position at the European Cultural Society of Calgary. He began appreciating cinema as art after attending a screening of the film Nell.

Sean Clark
Sean brings extensive business and negotiation experience to the Calgary Cinematheque board, through his commercial real estate experience at Avison Young. Sean is also involved with: SAIT Busines School Program Advisory Committee, United Way GenNext and Rotary Calgary Connect. His education includes a B.Sc. Economics from Duke University and a Management Cert. from Stanford University. A little-known film fact about Sean is that he has appeared in a music video that has +6,000,000 views online.

Vince Diano
​​Vince’s formal education in Urban Planning was the foundation for a diverse career in contract management, advising on planning decisions related to cultural, environmental, infrastructure and transportation issues. His colourful career kicked off when he was able to balance his editing and contract expertise with an international multilingual production company, drafting, negotiating, and administering international agreements related to the studio’s development and production business, while also performing as a voiceover and dubbing actor for Japanese TV, film & documentaries - when not moonlighting with a Canadian comedy sketch troupe and acting in professional theatre. Upon having a family of his own, Vince hung up his acting boots further developing his career in contracts and procurement, proudly managing multiple procurement projects in heavy equipment, renewable energies and infrastructure construction. Vince’s work has always been purpose-driven, which is why he was proud to accept a role with Canadian Blood Services in 2020 managing procurement for the nation’s blood system.

Kevin Dong - Vice President
Kevin is an independent filmmaker and programmer based in Calgary. He holds a BA in Film Studies from the University of Calgary, and has been involved in a number of local film organizations, including Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers (CSIF), Calgary International Film Festival, and NUTV. His first feature film as producer, Events Transpiring Before, During, and After a High School Basketball Game screened at festivals around Canada in 2020.

Ashraf Khoury
Ashraf Khoury is a PEng. Working in the field of Firmware programming. He enjoyed B&W photography prior to the digital era. The real joy of movies started when he watched “la nouvelle vague”. Ashraf also sits on the board of directors of La Cité des Rocheuses, where he is involved with the screening of French Canadian and other French movies. He sat on other non-profit French organization, e.g. Cinémagine and Théâtre à Pic (where he had the chance to perform in some French community plays).

Scott Lang
Film Lover, Writer, and Photographer.

Sheena Manabat - President
Sheena is a writer and creative with a background in film and communications. She has been an assistant for the Amateur Movie Database, researched film policy for the Calgary Film Centre, and wrote her Master's Thesis at the University of Calgary on home movies. Some of her favourite films include Volver, My Neighbor Totoro, and Jurassic Park

Emily Mody
Emily Mody is passionate about film and art. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Honours from the University of Calgary in 2013. While attending the University of Calgary, she was a founding member of the campus Film Society as well as co-editor of the Undergraduate Academic Film Journal, Crash/Cut. After graduating, she became a member of the Alumni Arts and Culture Council through the University of Calgary. She still loves to spend her time getting involved in the local film and art community in Calgary. Her experience includes interning at and serving on the board for the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers. She was a writer and reviewer for five years with Calgarymovies.com until they closed their doors in 2021. She also had the pleasure of acting as programming juror for the Canadian International Fashion Film Festival.

D. Scott Moore
Scott has been involved with the Calgary arts community since the 80’s as a musician, and the film community since 2000 as a volunteer with the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF), assisting in the programming department, where he has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to review thousands of films over the past 20 years.  As a corporate commercial lawyer at Szabo & Company, he has also made his legal services available in the past to CIFF, and presently assists the Board of Directors of Cinematheque in corporate governance and wherever else his services may be required.

Mark Skibo
Mark Skibo worked in Los Angeles for over 20 years with studios such as 20th Century Fox and MGM.  Mark has a degree in film production from the Roy H. Park School of Communication in Ithaca NY, and currently owns and operates a media company working to localize non-English streaming productions for North America/UK. An avid film lover and viewer, Mark looks forward to one day having a chance to view more of the thousands of films on his “to watch” list…

Jason Wierzba - Programming Chair
Jason Wierzba is a writer and musician with a Master's degree in Film Studies from Carleton University.


COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Gary Burns
Gary Burns is an internationally recognized writer and director of feature films. His films include The Suburbanators, Kitchen Party, waydowntown, A Problem with Fear, Radiant City, and most recently, Man Running. His awards include Best Canadian Feature at TIFF and Genie for Best Documentary. Gary is a founding member of the Calgary Cinematheque.

Donna Brunsdale
Donna Brunsdale is a founding member of the Calgary Cinematheque. She is a filmmaker and artist who has shown her work across Canada and abroad. She is also an adjunct instructor at the University of Calgary. She was most recently a producer and co-writer/editor on the feature film Man Running.

Morgan Cairns
A Calgary arts professional, Morgan has worked for such organizations as Sled Island, Calgary International Film Festival, BIG Winter Classic, Music Calgary, Emmedia and BeatRoute. She also founded and books under her own promotion label, CryBaby, and programs a women filmmaker-focused screening series at Globe Cinema called A League of Her Own. She believes Jack Black's performance in School of Rock is the biggest Oscar snub of all time.

Claire Mikuska
Claire is a 4th year student at the Smith School of Business. Claire is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce with a special interest in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. Claire stays active in the community with her involvement in Cure Cancer Classic, a student-run club that pilots events raising money for cancer research. Claire recently completed part of her undergraduate degree in Austria at the Management Center Innsbruck. Some of her favourite films are Chocolat, Ladybird, and Grave of the Fireflies.

Nathan Morton

Dale Turri
Dale Turri is a genuine arts freak with a long history of involvement with the Calgary arts scene. She is a fund development professional and business development consultant specializing in fundraising, sponsorship, board governance and strategic planning. She has served on the boards of AUArts, Arts Commons, The Magnetic North Theatre Festival, Ghost River Theatre, and Downstage Theatre. Pre-Covid, she attended an arts event, on average, three times a week and looks forward to the day when we can once again gather in large groups to enjoy theatre and film.


MANAGEMENT

Aaron Grach - Operations Manager
Formerly one of our directors, Aaron Grach is a lawyer and the chair of our Governance Committee. Erstwhile U of C English masters student, fiction editor for filling Station magazine, and drawing student at ACAD, he remains a perpetual neophyte to the arts, including to film.


Past Board & Committee Members

Jennifer Cecconi, Zach Green, Danny Farmer, Mahfam Ghods, Meike Wielebski, Filomena Calabrese, Jesse Foster, Sachin Gandhi, Felicia Glatz, Brennan Tilley, Trevor Smith, Colin Mitchell, Aaron Grach, Brendan Kredell, Jeremy Dietz, Barbara Sutherland, Justin Waddell, Bronwyn Henry, Charles Tepperman, Jolie Bird, Mark Hamilton, James Ellis, Tricia Leadbeater, David Christensen, Jamie Woods, Kevin Allen