OPERATION: COLD PIZZA

 Jessica Orcsik is an award-winning Australian writer, director, producer, and entrepreneur whose work explores identity, belonging, resilience, and the complexities of the human experience through character-driven, female-led and Young Adult stories. As founder and CEO of Diversity Pictures, she develops inclusive film and television that champions underrepresented voices while balancing emotional honesty with humour, imagination, adventure, and hope. Beginning her career at just four years old on the Australian television series Richmond Hill, Jessica has built a multidisciplinary career spanning acting, writing, directing, producing, and creative leadership. Her directing work includes After Roe Falls, which earned Best Director at the Cannes Worldwide Film Festival, and A Death Perspective, winner of Best Indie Short and Best Women's Short at the Independent Short Awards. She also served as Associate Producer on the acclaimed Australian feature Unsound, recognised with Best Australian Feature at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival and Best Fiction Feature at the ATOM Awards, alongside AACTA and AWGIE Award nominations. Most recently, Jessica co-wrote, directed, and produced the award-winning television pilot Queens of the Desert and co-directed and executive produced Operation: Cold Pizza, an original youth series created alongside the AAFTA Young Actors as a mentor and co-creator, providing emerging performers with professional on-set experience while developing original episodic content. Jessica also supports the Focus on Ability Film Festival, championing filmmakers with disability and greater inclusion across the screen industry. Across every project, she remains committed to telling bold, emotionally intelligent stories while creating opportunities for the next generation of storytellers. 

Robbie Ryde is a cinematographer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, with over 30 narrative credits as a producer and cinematographer. His work spans narrative, branded, and digital content, alongside ongoing contributions to large-scale television production as a Production Coordinator on Below Deck Mediterranean (Bravo). Robbie has worked with leading entertainment and media companies including Moonbug Entertainment, Jubilee Media, TSMA, and Gravitas Members Club, and has filmed high-profile talent such as Rihanna, John Goodman, Ashley Tisdale, and Jason Mitchell. His experience ranges from red carpet coverage and live events to YouTube series and commercial campaigns. He has also contributed to the Focus on Ability Film Festival, supporting productions and initiatives that amplify stories from creators with disabilities and promote greater inclusion across the industry. As a neurodivergent creative who speaks openly about living with ADHD and dyslexia, Robbie brings a perspective rooted in adaptability, creative problem-solving, and a deep commitment to inclusive storytelling and accessible production environments. With a strong foundation in both production and post, Robbie is recognized for his ability to translate creative ideas into practical execution, guiding projects from concept through delivery while maintaining technical precision and efficiency. His collaborative approach and adaptability make him a valuable asset across both small, agile teams and larger production environments.

 Maty Young, founder of Young One Studio, is a filmmaker based in Los Angeles. His creative journey began at the age of 12 in Perth, Western Australia, where he started as an actor and musician. He received his formal training at the world-renowned Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) before launching Young One Studio in Melbourne in 2014. In 2018, Maty relocated to Los Angeles, shifting his focus toward film and digital media. His work has been featured on platforms including Apple TV, HBO Max, and at the Cannes Film Festival. Over the course of his career, Maty has written, directed, and photographed more than 100 cinematic demo reel scenes, served as cinematographer on three feature films and director on one feature film, with his second feature as Director of Photography now streaming on Apple TV. He has also worked as cinematographer, director, or both on more than 50 short films, establishing himself as a versatile storyteller across multiple disciplines. 

Lucy McNulty is an award-winning producer, writer, director and actor. She is the founder of Strange Company Productions and co-founder of DropShock Pictures. A graduate of Studio 58 and alumna of the Canadian Film Centre’s Norman Jewison Producers’ Lab, the GEMS Genre Film Lab, the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival Producers Cohort, the TIFF Series Accelerator, and the Filmable x Collective Bunch Fellowship, Lucy has developed a strong foundation in both creative development and industry-facing producing. Lucy’s debut short, CHICKEN — which she wrote, directed, produced, and starred in — received international acclaim, winning the Jury’s Choice and DEAI Award at the Thomas Edison Film Festival, a Leo Award, Best Script at Santa Barbara ShortFest, and Best Film at the Women’s Comedy Film Festival in Atlanta. The film was acquired by CBC and Japanese streamer Samansa and has been embraced by Down syndrome organizations worldwide. Her producing work also includes Hunting Matthew Nichols, named one of Deadline’s “2025 Horror Films to Watch.” Directed by Markian Tarasiuk, the film will receive a 2026 U.S. theatrical release across more than 1,500 screens and has earned multiple awards including Best Found Footage Feature and Best Editing at FilmQuest and Best Director at the Blood in the Snow Film Festival. Lucy is currently co-producing Devour with Wildling Pictures and developing a slate that includes Deepfake and The Ensemble, both supported by Creative BC’s Equity and Emerging Program. She serves as associate producer on FIONA, the second feature in the Knifepoint Horror franchise, produced by Kearie Peak with Capstone Studios and MGM+.

 Hannah Carman is an Australian-British actor, producer, singer, and voice artist based in Vancouver, Canada. She starred in and produced the internationally award-winning television pilot Queens of the Desert, which has received multiple awards and nominations on the international festival circuit, including Best Episodic Series at the Grito X - Montenegro International Film Festival. She also starred in and produced the award-winning short film The Five Stages, earning Best Producer at AAFTA Emerging Artists Filmmakers Festival and a Best Actress nomination at Belgrade International Film Festival. As a producer, her credits include Bare, selected for Telefilm Canada's Not Short on Talent showcase at the Cannes Film Festival's Marché du Film in 2026. She was also part of the production team for The Sound of One Eye Closing, an immersive VR project developed through Biennale College Cinema - Immersive, the Venice Film Festival’s immersive development programme. As a voice artist, she voiced a supporting character in SeaWorld Orlando's Expedition Odyssey: Fire & Ice. Her additional acting credits include the Australian web series Soul Stories by Fearless Soul, which has received over one million YouTube views, and the Canadian web series Long Story Short, produced by Plug Vancouver. In 2026, she is serving as a judge for the World Indie Film Awards in Italy.