SELECTION COMMITTEE 2026
Women and the World International Film Festival
Caprice Crawford
Caprice Crawford is an American producer, actress, and talent manager based in Berlin, Germany, with more than 30 years of experience in the international film and television industry. Trained at the William Esper Studio in New York, she has built a career spanning acting, producing, talent development, and international industry consulting. She is the founder and CEO of Crawford Talents, an international actors management agency representing actors across Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Caprice is also a member of the European Academy and is actively involved in supporting emerging talent, promoting diversity, and fostering international creative collaborations. Through her work as a producer, talent scout, and mentor, she is dedicated to connecting outstanding artists with opportunities in the global entertainment industry
Nancy Bishop
Nancy Bishop is an award -winning casting director, who works internationally from offices in London and Prague. She is a founding member and former President of the Casting Society of America’s (CSA) European branch. With over 100 major feature film and television projects among her credits, Nancy has cast hundreds of actors throughout Europe, the United Kingdom and the U.S. Nancy has been retained as casting director by dozens of major screen producers and directors, including Sacha Baron Cohen on Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm, for which she won an CSA Artios Award for best casting of a comedy. Other credits include casting Donald Sutherland’s last film, Miranda’s Victim, working with Brad Bird, (Mission Impossible IV), and Bong Joon Ho(Snowpiercer). She also was nominated for an Emmy Award for her casting work on Anne Frank: The Whole Story, ABC/Disney Studios, and she has penned three books, published by Bloomsbury on casting
Janira Ider
Janira Ider is an international actress, model, and creative professional whose work spans film, television, fashion, and digital media. Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), she has built a career across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, bringing a multicultural perspective shaped by her Spanish, Algerian and French heritage and international experience. Janira has appeared in film projects and has been featured in leading publications including Vogue Italia, Official Arabia, Hello! Magazine, and the Times of India. Her work as both a performer and storyteller reflects a deep appreciation for artistic excellence, cultural diversity, and authentic narratives. As a member of the Selection Committee, she brings industry insight, creative expertise, and a passion for discovering and supporting outstanding cinematic talent.
Multi-award-winning filmmaker who's film WORTH was eligible to be nominated for an Academy Award and has won, cumulatively, over 60 awards, Chair of the Festival Outreach Committee for the Alliance of Women Directors, acclaimed author, mentor and part-time professor of The Role of Music in Film at Chapman College in Southern California.
Kathi Carey
Charlie Webb
Charlie Webb BFE is a BAFTA-nominated documentary editor with an impressive track record across major broadcasters and streamers, including Netflix, Disney, Amazon, ITV, and Channel 4. Known for crafting compelling, character-driven stories, he has worked on some of the most acclaimed factual and documentary series of recent years. His recent credits include the critically acclaimed Undercover Police Scandal: Love and Lies Exposed, the hit Formula 1 series Drive to Survive, and Trainwreck: Storm Area 51. Charlie is recognised for his ability to shape complex narratives into engaging, emotionally resonant films that connect with audiences worldwide. As a member of the British Film Editors (BFE), he continues to be a sought-after editor across premium documentary and factual programming.
Cassie Bennitt is a BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning Showrunner and Executive Producer. A gifted storyteller, she is renowned for producing ambitious, genre-defining documentaries. From bringing the behind-the-scenes drama of Formula 1 in the hit Netflix series 'Drive to Survive', to following Simon Cowell as he puts together a new boy band in 'Simon Cowell: The Next Act', her career has taken her on adventures all over the world. She is a passionate champion of gender equality.
Cassie Bennitt
Award winning Producer, Actor and Screenwriter. Founder of London Independent Pictures, production and events company. Full voting BAFTA member, BFI South East Writers Cohort 2025 and NFTS Creative producer and Film Accountancy alumni. Author of Actorpreneur and host of Acting with Asha Podcast. Known for features- GHOSTED, DUE DATING, HANG and THE INTENT.
Jade Asha
Lucie Wenigerova
With over 20 years of experience in the film and television industry, Lucie Wenigerová is a BAFTA-nominated producer with a diverse body of work spanning film and television. Her credits include feature films (Strawberry Fields), short films (Sap), documentaries (Leaving to Remain), and children's programming (Mist). She has produced and co-produced internationally acclaimed projects that have premiered at major film festivals and been broadcast by leading broadcasters. Through her company, Spring Pictures, she develops and produces ambitious, internationally focused projects with strong cultural and social impact. She is currently developing a slate of feature films and animation projects that bring overlooked stories and underrepresented voices to global audiences.
Chahat Kalra
Post-production professional with experience across feature films, television, and independent cinema, including credits on The Radleys and All the Devils Are Here. In 2025, curated the Feature Documentary programme for Raindance Film Festival, as well as coordinating all logistics for screenings, filmmaker attendance and Q&As, also continued to work with the festival as a freelance programmer. Her programming experience also includes contributing to the 16Days16Films initiative, championing impactful documentary storytelling. Drawing on experience across both post-production and festival programming.
Uchenna Ugwu
Nigerian Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter and Co-founder of Nsibidi Media; an independent production company. She has over seven years of experience crafting character-driven narratives for Nigerian film and television. Her producing credits includes work for Africa Magic, as well as the award-winning short film ‘I Too, Crave Death’, an Igbo-language drama exploring mental health, grief, and teen suicide, which has screened at over twelve Nigerian and International festivals. The film won Best Short Film at the Eastern Nigeria International Film Festival (2024), Best Screenplay at the Filmjoint Awards (2026), and Best Actress at the Bantu Film Festival (2025). As a writer, Uchenna has contributed to over 180,000 minutes of television across 13+ series for MultiChoice's Africa Magic and Showmax, serving as headwriter on ‘Nwaanyi Ike’, Africa Magic's first commissioned Igbo language series. Through Nsibidi Media, she develops original content that centers culturally grounded storytelling built for global audiences.
A British factual entertainment and documentary editor with over 20 years industry experience. Credits ranging from Real Housewives of London, Love Island USA, and At Home With Katherine Ryan. Work appearing on BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, UKTV, and streamers such as Disney, Netflix, Hayu and Peacock. A full voting BAFTA member and member of the British Film Editors as well as Co-Founder of Stitch N Bitch Editors Collective.
Tonye Paul-Worika
Zan is a documentary editor, writer & producer with a rich range of independent documentary, factual entertainments and current affairs work under her belt. She's proud to be a co-founder of Stitch N Bitch Editors collective.
Zan Barberton
Soul Nazemi is a BAFTA and RTS-winning documentary editor with 20 years' UK broadcast experience across the BB, ITV and major broadcasters. Celebrated for BBC Panorama's Britain's Immigration Secrets and BAFTA-nominated Grenfell coverage, her passion is the untold stories with investigative rigour, blending sharp storytelling instinct with a calm, collaborative approach on every edit.
Soul Nazemi
Deniz Kavalali
London-based film and TV editor working across feature films, scripted drama, documentaries and premium factual television. Her credits include the World War II feature The Crimean, political prison drama F Type, three seasons of Channel 4’s Narrow Escapes, and the title sequence for HBO’s True Detective: Night Country. Most recently, she edited Douglas Mackinnon’s music video for The Proclaimers’ You May Offend, archive sequences for the RTS Southern Award-winning documentary Saving Mum: Our Family Secret, and Nega Tonha, a short drama inspired by the true story of Juazeiro’s pioneering first trans woman amateur football goalkeeper. Throughout her career, she has championed diverse cultural and gender perspectives and supported emerging voices through ScreenCraft Works, the Mama Youth Project and the Wonder Women community. She believes great storytelling depends on creating space for new and underrepresented voices, both behind and in front of the camera.