A global streaming executive, a leading creative agency founder and one of Australia’s most exciting emerging filmmakers are set to come together at Cairns Crocodiles presented by Pinterest, as the full line-up for the ‘Poptimism’ session is officially locked in.
The session forms part of the festival’s new Film and Screen Track, debuting on Wednesday 13 May within the broader three-day program.
The session will explore how this rise in catalogue viewing, both in cinemas and on streaming platforms, is shaping modern demand and what it means for those creating content today. It will also ask a bigger question. Can storytelling, and the brands behind it, play a meaningful role in driving powerful cultural impact, and maybe just possibly save the world?!?
The panel brings together a globally diverse mix of creative and commercial voices. Joining from Gimuy/Cairns, Shontell Leah Ketchell is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmaker and founder of Pandamonium Films, whose work spans ABC, SBS, NITV and international productions, with a focus on authentic First Nations storytelling.
Ketchell told Irresistible Magazine, a media partner of the Film and Screen Track, that she is keen to bring a future-facing lens to the conversation, with a particular focus on youth, identity and belonging. She sees storytelling as a powerful tool for shaping what’s possible and is interested in how culturally grounded narratives can connect with broad audiences while maintaining authenticity. She will also touch on how emerging creators are balancing cultural responsibility with commercial realities in an evolving screen landscape.
She is joined by New York-based Suzanne Strasser, VP and global head of CTV brand and agency partnerships at Tubi, who brings more than 25 years of experience across companies including Google, Snap, Uber and Condé Nast, and now leads international commercial strategy across five global markets.
Rounding out the panel is Jaimes Leggett, founding partner of independent creative agency Today the Brave. He has led agencies across the UK and Australia, including as Group CEO of M&C Saatchi AU/NZ and managing director of Ogilvy UK, and is known for helping brands cut through complexity with clarity and impact.
As the lines between entertainment, identity and influence continue to blur, Poptimism promises to be a timely look at why what we watch matters more than ever and how creators and brands can respond.
“At a time when audiences are navigating constant crises, content overload and fragmented attention, viewing habits are splitting in two directions,” said co-curator of the Film and Screen Track and editorial director of Irresistible Magazine, Catherine de Clare.
“On one side, a surge in nostalgia, from reboots to retro aesthetics, is offering comfort and clarity. On the other, darker genres like horror and true crime continue to dominate.”
“We’re all watching content, but what’s interesting is how we’re watching. One minute it’s comfort viewing, the next it’s something that scares us,” added de Clare.
“There’s something really fun in unpacking that tension and what it means for the stories we tell next.”
For more on the Film and Screen Track, see here.
For the full Cairns Crocodiles presented by Pinterest agenda, see here.
And if you’re thirsty for more Speaker Spotlight stories, see them all right here.
