Suzan Beraza
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
Born in Jamaica and raised in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, social and environmental issues pervade Suzan Beraza's work. As a filmmaker, her documentaries have appeared on National Public Television, Pivot TV and the Documentary Channel; have screened at Lincoln Center; and have won over 20 festival awards. Her first feature film, Bag It, has been televised in over 30 countries. Uranium Drive-In was broadcast on PBS’s Independent Lens and was honored for documentary excellence by the Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Uranium Drive-In was also part of the American Film Showcase, an international film program of the U.S. State Department, which sent Suzan to Mongolia, Russia and the Dominican Republic for screenings and to teach workshops. Her current film project, Massacre River, was selected for the Camden International Film Festival’s Points North Fellowship and featured at IFP Spotlight on Documentaries, Hot Docs Deal Maker and Latino Media Market. Suzan has been attending, volunteering and working for Mountainfilm in some capacity since the early 1990s. Her volunteer and staff positions have included set design, videographer, tour assistant, festival judge, screening committee, travel coordinator, Next Step manager, intro editor and board member. She's thrilled to be part of the amazingly talented Mountainfilm team.