Born in Toyokawa, Japan, Sion Sono began his controversial career in 1978 as a poet, dropping out to concentrate on filmmaking. His films include Suicide Club (2002), Himizu (2011) which were screened in competition at the Venice Film Festival, FIPRESCI Prize-winning Love Exposure (2008) and The Chasing World (2015).

Actor Gael García Bernal was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and studied at UNAM and London’s Central School of Speech and Drama. He is also renowned for his human rights activism. His acting credits include AmoresPerros (2000), Bad Education (2004), Babel (2006) and Rosewater (2014), and Deficit as director.

An Indian film director, screenwriter, and actor Kashyap made his directorial debut with Paanch (2003). As a screenwriter, he wrote the scripts for the Academy Award-nominated Canadian film Water (2005). His feature film debut Black Friday won the Grand Jury Prize at the 3rd Annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles 2005 and was a nominee for the Golden Leopard at the 57th Locarno International Film Festival. His other films includes No smoking (2007) and That Girl in Yellow Boots (2011) Bombay Velvet (2015).

London-born Natasha Khan is best known as singer-songwriter Bat for Lashes, and is a multiple Brit Award nominee. Khan has also recorded songs for film soundtracks such as The Hunger Games: Mockingjay and How I Live Now.

Writer, director and musician Sebastián Silva is from Santiago, Chile and studied at the Escuela de Cine de Chile. His films include La Vida Me Mata (2007), The Maid (2009) and Magic Magic (2013).

Canberra, Australia-born actress Mia Wasikowska trained in ballet before taking a role on a television serial and committing to acting. Her credits include The Kids are Alright (2010), Lawless (2012) and Stoker (2013), and Long Clear View in The Turning (2013) as director.