As they approach the start of its third edition on March 14, the crew behind the Circus International Film Festival has gotten together this year’s jury panel—artists who meld the craft of both circus and the silver screen. Here’s who (and what!) you can expect to see from CIFF 2023!

Since its inception in 2020, the Circus International Film Festival (CIFF) has been honoring circus through the medium of film and video. With hundreds of submissions over its two seasons, the competition has only grown more and more as filmmakers and circus performers discover new and innovative ways to blend the two art forms. The CIFF needed a jury to match, and we are so excited to announce our jury line-up for the 2023 season:

Under 18 Category

Eve Gordon (NZ),Power Rangers, founder of The Dust Palace

Izzi Kessner (USA), two-time CIFF juried award winner, Nike ad campaign model

Short Shorts Category

Christo Tsiaras (USA), Boston Comedy Film Festival Best Picture, The Disney Channel 

Miguel Garcia (USA), Cirque du Soleil,Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Kevin Beverly (USA), Gravity & Other Myths, Les 7 Doigts de la Main

Shorts – Documentary Category

Léah Wolff (CAN), Cirque du Soleil

Veronica Blair (USA), “The Uncle Junior Project”

Sonya Ballantyne (Cree Nation),The Walking Dead: LAST MILE

Shorts – Non-Documentary Category

Johnny Kim (USA), Cirque du Soleil, Dragone 

Isabelle Chassé (CAN), Les 7 Doigts de la Main

Thomas Chambers (CAN), Warner Brothers, Cirque du Soleil

Junru Wang (CHN), Les 7 Doigts de la Main, Cirque du Soleil

Full-Length Category

Mel Bayol (UK), Cirque du Soleil

Taras Shevchenko (USA/CAN), Cirque du Soleil

LeeAnn Ball (CAN),Canada’s Got Talent

Head to the CIFF website for more information on our incredibly talented jury, and keep an eye out for our upcoming series “Off Script,” where CIFF will go more in-depth with some of our jury members about the festival and why they’re so excited to be a part of it!

In the meantime, get your ticket today!

(P.S. Are you a filmmaker or circus performer with a film to submit? If so,  submit it here.)