Genevieve ClaySmith, 29, CEO of Bus Stop Films, inclusive filmmaker.

2015 JUDGES’ CHOICE CO-WINNER:

Genevieve was a teenager when she spent 18 months as a trainee filmmaker on a documentary for Down Syndrome NSW. Through this she met Gerard O’Dwyer, a man with Down syndrome who wanted to be an actor. They went on to make a film, Be My Brother, which won the short film festival Tropfest in 2009. This convinced Genevieve to start Bus Stop Films, a not-for-profit dedicated to helping people with a disability be involved in the film industry.

Today, Bus Stop Films has a partnership with the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) making the institution accessible to people with an intellectual disability. After an executive from Panavision Australia read about Bus Stop Films in The Weekly, the company provided students with top-of-the-range equipment. “The Qantas flights also allowed students to attend international events and festivals, and assisted us with bringing Jamie Brewer, an actress with Down syndrome and star of TV’s American Horror Story, to Australia,” says Genevieve. Many of Bus Stop’s films also appeared on Qantas in-flight material, creating a wider audience for the company and their incredible projects.