Board of Directors
Grady Lawlor
President
As co-founder of Evergreen & Bound Films, Grady Lawlor has produced films and videos over the past 20-odd years with a focus on storytelling with heart. Grady has produced award-winning short films since 2002, graduated from the Canadian College of Film & Acting and is a lifelong learner through CreativeLive both online and in-studio in Seattle. After a brief stint on-camera sprinting alongside Jason Statham, Grady moved to 'the big city' of Vancouver to see what all the buzz was about. Focusing on both sound production and the camera department for multiple years in the independent film scene of Vancouver & Whistler, he has worked on feature length films, documentaries, TV spots, ads, music videos and short films. Deciding the Island life was in fact the life for him, Grady returned to Victoria to co-found Gradio Media. Creating successful educational, promotional and fundraising video content for organizations in Victoria & Vancouver, lead to the opening of Evergreen & Bound Films. This now 7-year venture allows Grady to explore the beauty of BC while sharing moving, emotive stories for connected couples. As proud foster parents of 27+ rescue dogs, Grady and his partner Breanna's latest fundraising film directly resulted in over $240,000 being raised for the BC SPCA's Cruelty Investigation Department to save more animals in need throughout BC.
Aly van Akker
Vice-President
Aly van Akker has been an active member of the Victoria Film Community since 2019, contributing in some way or another to over 60 productions. Though she started on the camera team, first as a 2nd Assistant Camera and then as a 1st Assistant Camera, she has since gone on to co-write, direct, and has produced several short films. She currently resides in Victoria, BC.
Sharon Joseph
Secretary
Sharon Joseph has been a member of CineVic for over a decade, volunteering on numerous short film productions. Writing is her primary interest however in 2002 Sharon directed Bridges, a short film exploring the work of a Saltspring Island painter and 2008 saw her producing the featurette Tumbling After by Bryan Skinner. The longest currently serving board member (for 13+ consecutive years), Sharon was previously CineVic's liaison with the BC Gaming Policy & Enforcement Branch but has been Secretary for several years now. She works at Camosun College and spends all her money on trips to the Maritimes.
Re Ngongo
Treasurer
Re Ngongo currently works at the Vancouver Island South Film and Media Commission. They help market and promote the locations, skills, and creativity inherent in Victoria and Vancouver Island to the global film industry, alongside the Film Commissioner and Coordinator. They can be found doing in-depth research about Vancouver Island and British Columbia’s film history, reviewing important documents, and managing the social media presence while maintaining internal and external communication. As an all-around artist living in the heart of Chinatown, they enjoy filmmaking, producing, writing, organizing photoshoots, and DJing. Also, an avid cinephile, Re has encyclopedic film and entertainment industry knowledge.
Chris Vautour
Director-at-Large
Chris Vautour is a French-Canadian, Hungarian settler living in the traditional territories of the Lekwungen peoples (Victoria, British Columbia). She has spent the last 25 years working in the film industry in Vancouver/Island as a location manager & scout. Chris has extensive on-set production experience and considers a film set her home. As an emerging filmmaker in 2022, Chris was awarded a Canada Council Grant to research her short doc, The Robin's Nest about a covert lesbian bar that ran for 33 years. Her short narrative about the same topic, was short-listed for Toronto's Inside Out Festival, Film Finance Forum. In 2019, she produced a short documentary with Violator Films for CBC Gem called "The Pilgrimage" about a spiritual quest on motorcycle event she organized for women.
Suraia Patrick
Director-at-Large
Suraia Patrick has contributed to both documentary and narrative film projects as a volunteer and crew member. She had her first experience working on a film set in Toronto as a teenager, while also volunteering with TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival). After moving to Victoria in 2020, she continued working in film productions and festivals. She has been a member of CineVic since 2021. Suraia is passionate about film, and always looking to expand her experience with the community.
Carrie Wheeler
Director-at-Large
Carrie Wheeler is a Talent Agent and Producer based on Pender Island in British Columbia, Canada with over 2 decades of experience in the fashion and film industries. She has developed, represented and negotiated contracts for models and actors around the world and has produced theatre, feature length and short films, webseries, e-zines and international commercials. Carrie is the Vice-President of Redundant Redundant Filmed Entertainment, an independent Canadian film and television production company committed to producing some funny stuff. Carrie has lectured and been on panels for film festivals, unions, acting schools, training studios, drama clubs and highschools across the nation. She was the recipient of the Irving Avrich Fund at TIFF, completed the British Columbia Film Producer’s Internship Program, completed the Telefilm Canada Online Marketing and Multiplatform Strategies Program and completed the Business & Rights virtual business and financing series presented by CBC, CAVCO and CMPA.