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 Sam Soko is a documentary filmmaker based in Nairobi, Kenya. With his captivating approach to socio-political storytelling, he has developed content and collaborated with firebrand artists worldwide. His first feature documentary project, Softie, a story about balancing the deep love of country with the family’s needs, premiered at the 2020 Sundance film festival, winning a special jury prize for editing. Soko has gone on to receive Emmy, Peabody, and PGA nominations for his work. He is an outspoken defender of freedom of expression and has taken part in global conversations on making media matter when the world is on fire. Soko is also co-founder of LBxAfrica, a Kenyan production company that works with local and international filmmakers to bring uniquely African perspectives to global audiences.   

Lauren DeFilippo is a documentary filmmaker and partner at Insignia Films based in New YorkCity. She most recently produced Ailey (Sundance 2021). The acclaimed feature documentary was released in theaters nationwide by NEON, broadcast on PBS’s American Masters and is now streaming on HULU. Lauren’s directorial debut Red Heaven (SXSW 2020) follows a NASA psychological experiment to prepare for the first manned trip to Mars and asks, what are our basic needs as humans? Her short documentaries, most notably Clean Hands, have been recognized at festivals internationally and have appeared on The New York Times Op-Docs series. Lauren holds an MFA in Documentary Film and Video from Stanford University. In 2021, she was included on DOC NYC and HBO’s annual list of “40 Under 40” documentary filmmakers to watch.