T H E T O P A N G A F I L M I N S T I T U T E is a charitable organization, exists to inspire, inform and interconnect a community of filmmakers and content creators, to foster global connections, to facilitate dialogue and to explore new frontiers of technology and storytelling to advance humanity. TFI was founded in 2011 as the parent for the TFF and as a way to bring year-round events, programming workshops, mentoring and networking opportunities to the community.

T H E T O P A N G A F I L M F E S T I V A L

"One of the 25 coolest film festivals in the world”

— Filmmaker Magazine

Nominated as "One of the 25 coolest film festivals in the world" by Filmmaker Magazine, the acclaimed Topanga Film Festival is now in its 20th year, and programs short and feature films that challenge convention and tell stories that inspire new and original ways of seeing, understanding, and being in the world.

T O P A N G A

Both literally and symbolically on the other side of the mountains from Hollywood, Topanga Canyon has long had a firm reputation for being a unique place - a traditional hotbed of counter-culture and a refuge for rebels, ranging from outlaws, artists, actors, celebrities, producers, musicians, creatives, seekers and thinkers in a wide variety of fields, drawn to the region’s wild beauty, authenticity and sense of community.

T F F T E A M

Urs Baur • Founder

Urs is co-founder and Director of TFF & TFI and a highly experienced and entrepreneurial creative professional. He has a track record of guiding award-winning communications initiatives for global brands in leading ad agencies in New York, Los Angeles, Milan and Zurich. The last decade has seen him create cross-platform branding for numerous start-ups in the energy, wellness, sustainability, and cultural spaces. His work reflects a lifelong passion for advancing a more equitable, ethical, and sustainable way of doing business. Urs trusts in the combined power of technology and storytelling to inspire change.
Adam Noble Roberts • Co-Director / Emcee

Adam showed the signs and symptoms of a budding cinephile as a child, wandering video stores, looking for treasures, pursuing experimental films, reading ALL the details written on the VHS boxes, while his family stood in the new release section, waiting… impatiently. As a teenager, he would become a projectionist at the local art-house theatre in his hometown of Woodstock, NY. From there, he would attend NYU Film School, studying the work of the masters and making films of his own. It was then that he stumbled in front of the camera and discovered that acting was an important piece to his evolving, creative puzzle. He has continued acting since, but it’s his holistic love for cinema that has endured most thoroughly over these many years. He continues to enjoy the hunt for and discovery of wonderful films, and even more so, the opportunity to share them. With his infectious enthusiasm for cinema, he was a natural fit as both TFF’s Emcee and Director of Programming. Now, along with the Fest’s long-time Creative Director Scott Bremner, he is thrilled to be sharing the Directorship of the Festival as a whole. In addition to planning this year’s Fest, you can find him curating outdoor movie nights and hiking the trails of our beloved Santa Monica Mountains. Vive le Cinéma!
Scott Bremner • Co-Director /Creative Director

Scott was born in Scotland, raised and educated in New England, relocated to LA and settled in Topanga 1in 1997.
Scott has been a Creative Director for over twenty years, creating award winning work for clients like Lexus, Amex, Coldwell Banker, The Washington Post, Barron’s and The Natural History Museum of LA.
Most recently, his poster design for the 19th Topanga Film Festival was awarded silver at the Graphis international poster competition.
Scott currently has a show at Natural History Museum of LA. “Collective knowledge from our changing world”. The exhibition invites visitors to take a fresh look at NHM’s collections. With twelve large-scale photographs and a stunning video installation he helped bring objects and specimens to life.
scott-bremner.com→
Miranda Robin • Events Producer

Miranda is working with the Topanga Film Institute ACTION youth program, inspiring young creators and film makers to become storytellers using any media or technology. The TFI ACTION program brings together young people by encouraging and inspiring creativity, communication, innovation, collaboration, education and a passion for storytelling.
Miranda has been producing for the Topanga Film Festival since 2011, creating the beloved Charlie Chaplin Showcase, the 45th Anniversary of the original Broadway musical Hair, the TFI Women in Film panels and much more.
William Preston Bowling • Director A/V

William has been the Tech "Guy" since the beginning of the festival over s decade ago. He continues to make room in his schedule for the Institute and Festival as he loves Topanga and feels there are so many interesting stories to be shared
He continues selling Topanga real estate to make a buck and the rest of his time is spent on the Los Angeles River managing biologists who study fish toxicity and giving lectures advocating for a proper cleanup of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory.
Maya Oløe • Director of Programming
Deanna Read

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Phoebe Sarason / Programmer/Juror

Phoebe is a visual artist, performer/improvisor and writer. She received her undergraduate Film/TV degree from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and had the opportunity to intern on Saturday Night Live and Good Morning America. Phoebe received her MFA from CSULA, studying painting and installation and worked at Los Angeles’ Museum of Contemporary Art. She has exhibited her paintings, sculptures and installations in solo and group shows in California and New York. Falling in love with comedy improv, Phoebe has been and studying and performing at the world-renowned Groundlings Theatre and School in Los Angeles. She has performed improv in LA and Mexico, and has created and performed live and filmed sketch comedy and has appeared in a variety of short and feature films.