Our Mission:

To support a better understanding of the complexity of our times through engaging the public in documentary media as an art form.

We’re Committed To:

  • Cultivating curiosity and critical thought
  • Promoting the intersection of actuality and artistic expression
  • Fostering a local and international community interested in non-fiction media

Our Mandate:

DOXA is presented by The Documentary Media Society, a Vancouver based non-profit, charitable society (incorporated in 1998) devoted to presenting independent and innovative documentaries to Vancouver audiences. The society exists to educate the public about documentary film as an art form through DOXA Documentary Film Festival, a curated and juried festival comprised of public screenings, panel discussions, public forums and educational programs. 

The Documentary Media Society is a founding member tenant of the 110 Arts Co-op which manages The Post at 750 office and studio facilities.

The Documentary Media Society is located on the traditional and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples. We are immensely thankful for the opportunity to present challenging and affirming non-fiction media on these lands, which have been cared for by xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ peoples in perpetuity. To work and live on stolen land requires consistent interrogation of given histories, systems and identities. We believe that documentaries can be an important tool in this process.

DOXA (pronounced dox'-ah) is a greek word meaning common belief or popular opinion. 

Team Members

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Marianne Thodas

Programming & Industry Manager (she/her)

Marianne oversees the management of all things programming, and facilitates DOXA's Industry program. One of her favourite films is Of Shadows by Yi Cui.

A woman with curly hair, wearing glasses and a colorful scarf, smiles warmly at the camera.

Sarah Ouazzani

Artistic Director (they/she)

Sarah O. oversees all programming and engagement initiatives, all while watching too many films to count. Her favourite documentary is Mariner of the Mountains by Karim Aïnouz.

Martin Alldred

Martin Alldred

Managing Director (he/him)

Martin oversees the management of the organization, supports the administration team and spends a large amount of his time with his head in the finances. His favourite documentary is Exit Through The Gift Shop by Banksy.

WarrenChan_Headshot

Warren Chan

Development & Communications Manager (he/him)

Warren manages DOXA's partnerships and fundraising initiatives, as well as marketing and communications. His favourite documentary is Blight by John Smith.

Seasonal Staff

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Maura McDowell

Hospitality and Guest Services Coordinator (she/they)

Maura coordinates filmmaker travel, accommodation arrangements, festival special events and receptions. A recent favourite documentary is Nicole Bazuin’s Modern Whore.

A person with short, curly dark hair and round glasses stretches a piece of 16mm film toward the camera. The 16mm runs diagonally across the frame and is slightly blurred in the foreground, while the person looks intently past it against a plain background.

Rea Saxena

Communications Assistant (they/them)

Rea maintains the web of communications and marketing initiatives at DOXA. One of their favourite documentaries is 88:88 by Isiah Medina.

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Eirinn McHattie

Technical Coordinator (he/they)

Eirinn oversees all print traffic and technical aspects of screenings and live events. A recent favourite doc is Eastern Anthems by Matthew Wolkow and Jean-Jacques Martinod. 

 

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Piper MacDonald

Volunteer Service & Operations Manager (she/her) 

Piper oversees general festival operations, including venue management, box office, and volunteers. Her favourite documentary is Koyaanisqatsi by Godfrey Reggio. 

A person with short dark hair and bangs sits against a plain light-colored wall, wearing a brown sleeveless top and hoop earrings. They have a subtle smile and visible arm tattoos, and the photo has a soft, slightly grainy look.

Sophia Santos English

Programming Coordinator (they/she)

Sophia oversees the tracking & assistance of programming and community engagement. Her favorite documentary is The Cemetery of Cinema by Thierno Souleymane Diallo.  

 

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Nicola Davies

Box Office Coordinator (she/her)

Nicola creates the tickets, and makes sure everyone gets their tickets and passes. Her current favourite documentary is My Octopus Teacher by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed. 

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Carina Xu

Program Book Coordinator (she/they)

Carina coordinates program book-related affairs. Their favourite documentary has been and still is Sarah Polley's Story We Tell.  

Boards and Committees

Board of Directors
Julia Aoki (Secretary), Brit Bachmann (Treasurer), Jessica Hallenbeck (Co-Chair), Lyana Patrick (Co-Chair), Michael Scoular (Vice Chair)

Programming Committee
Kristina Rothstein, Anant Prabhakar, Robin Dalla-Vicenza, Brit Bachmann, Barney Sprague, Sarah Ouazzani, Marianne Thodas, Viktor Koren, Warren Chan, Selina Crammond, Tazeen Ahmed, Prue Baker, Özgün Gündüz, Jesse Cumming, Bouchra Assou

Screening Committee
Gerald Joe, Michael Ioannou, Austeja Usaviciute, Derrick Daniels, Yasmin Ebrahimi, Gabriele Gaurilcikaite, Tani Gordon, Sasha Bondartchouk, Ashley Yeung, Selina Repole, Georgia Haire, Jurgen Beerwald, Maziar Maleki, Marco Fratarcangeli, Brie Koniczek, Christina Larabie, Jessica Dymond, Kai Irani, Joel Destefano, Mélanie Lemaire, Jana Rankov, Colin Williscroft

Finance Committee
Brit Bachmann, Jessica Hallenbeck, Michael Scoular, Warren Chan, Martin Alldred, Sarah Ouazzani

Programming Consultant
Jesse Cumming

Website and Program Book Copy Editor
Ciara Gordon

Media Relations
Nicola Pender / Pender PR

Media Relations Consultant
Marnie Wilson / Artsbiz Public Relations

Graphic Design
Steve Chow / chowdesign.ca, Lisa Chen-Wing / Bonnie Day Press

Web Development 
Left Right Minds / leftrightminds.com