Meet the people behind the Montrose LandxSea Film Fest — from passionate filmmakers to community leaders, all with a commitment to environmental cinema.
Our festival is powered by a small core team, a dedicated Board of Trustees, and a brilliant group of volunteers, all working together to bring you the best environmental cinema experience.
Join our team today and be a part of the LandxSea wave!
Co-Founders
Rachel Caplan, Co-Founder & Festival Director
Rachel is an award-winning film festival producer and impact strategist with over 25 years of experience in the UK and USA. Passionate about the power of storytelling to inspire action, she has built internationally recognised platforms that connect audiences with urgent environmental and social issues. She founded and led the San Francisco Green Film Festival, transforming it into a globally recognised hub for environmental storytelling; directed the International Ocean Film Festival, North America’s largest showcase for marine films; and produced Scotland's Climate Festival for COP26, engaging 30,000 people across 37 events nationwide.
Now based in Scotland following nearly 20 years in California, Rachel continues to champion environmental cinema, leading LandxSea by curating compelling film programmes, securing funding, and overseeing festival operations.
Contact Rachel about partnership opportunities, film programmes, or general festival queries.
Anthony Baxter, Co-Founder & Trustee
Anthony is a globally recognised documentary director and producer based in Montrose. Renowned for his award-winning documentaries, including the highly influential You've Been Trumped, Anthony has used his career in journalism and filmmaking to give a powerful voice to pressing environmental issues. His film Eye of the Storm, a deeply engaging portrayal of renowned Scottish artist James Morrison, won Best Specialist Factual at BAFTA Scotland, cementing his status as a critical filmmaker. Anthony's expertise and industry connections significantly elevate the festival's commitment to showcasing meaningful, impactful cinema.
He also created the stunning Festival trailer!
For the 2024 Festival
River Ferris, Marketing & Communications Manager
River is a social media and communications specialist, with a background in international film festivals and television production. Prior to joining LandxSea, she was Marketing Manager for Sheffield DocFest and London Film School. She has also worked on a number of documentaries for Netflix, Disney+, BBC, Discovery ID, Channel 4, and Channel 5.
Holly Muse, Guest Liaison & Festival Assistant
Holly is a Creative Producer from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne with extensive experience in the arts and film sectors. She has worked at various film festivals, including Encounters and Afrika Eye, and with the Watershed cinema in Bristol, focusing on inclusivity and accessibility. At BFI Film Hub South West, she helped distribute funding to filmmakers and cinemas. Holly co-produced a pop-up community cinema and brought cinema to refugee camps in France and youth centres in the West Bank. She recently completed a master’s in Visual Ethnography at Leiden University.
Eternity Uwaifo, Digital and Social Creator
Eternity is a First Class BA (Hons) Journalism graduate from Robert Gordon University, soon pursuing a master’s in Broadcast Journalism at City, University of London. With extensive editorial and digital skills, she has a strong track record in meaningful journalism, focusing on social issues like climate change, human rights, and culture. Eternity has worked with Carbon Brief and Elsevier, and is passionate about using documentary filmmaking and social media to inspire public interest and drive social change.
Board & Trustees
Graham Black
Graham is an architect with a passion for creative arts. After eight years with a preservation firm in Hawaii, he pursued photography, evolving into a semi-professional sports photographer. His work has been featured in local and national newspapers across Angus and Scotland. As a key creative force for Arbroath Football Club, he manages social media and marketing. Now, Graham brings his creativity to the festival, serving as its official photographer, capturing memorable moments.
Kenny transitioned from a 35-year career in the petrochemical industry, where he worked in North Sea gas and around Grangemouth's oil and gas complexes, to become a champion of environmental causes. Notably, post-COP26, he relayed the COP baton by land and sea from Glasgow to Sharm El Sheik as a ‘green runner’ and Scotland’s representative. An active participant in climate events across the UK, including Scotland’s annual Climate Camp, Kenny serves as a passionate ambassador for our festival, offering a critical perspective on the environmental transition.
Gemma Bradshaw, Trustee
Gemma is the Programmes Director at the TV Foundation, the charitable arm of the Edinburgh TV Festival. Prior to that, Gemma was the director of One World Media and focused on growing their support for new talent covering global stories. She is passionate about making the creative industries more accessible and the power of stories to open minds and create space for conversation and change, with a particular focus on the climate crisis. Gemma started her career in public policy before a move to the US led to her working in the documentary industry as Director of Programs for the Social Impact Media Awards (SIMA), and prior to that as COO of San Francisco Green Film Festival.
Fiona Guest, Trustee
Fiona is a leading producer of wildflower seeds in Scotland, championing the preservation of Scotland's flora. Operating Scotia Seeds, the most northerly wildflower seed producer in the UK, Fiona (and partner Giles Laverack) has deep environmental connections in Angus and is a key figure in the supply of wild seeds for major projects across Scotland and beyond. Her ongoing outreach for the festival, including collaborations with Clay Half, Buglife, Montrose Basin Visitor Centre, and Montrose Sailing Club, is vital to our community engagement and environmental advocacy.
For the Montrose Playhouse
David Paton, Chair, The Montrose Playhouse SCIO
David is a dedicated community leader and long-serving associate director at Crawford Architecture. As the founder and Chair of the Montrose Playhouse SCIO, he played a key role in transforming the town’s old swimming pool into a community-owned cinema. A driving force behind the Montrose Music Festival (MoFest), Scotland’s largest free music festival, David was honored as Montrose Citizen of the Year in 2014. His leadership, community focus, and design expertise make him an invaluable asset to the LandxSea team. David produces the festival's eye-catching posters and graphic materials, as well as organising the lively Eco Fair on the Mall.
Contact David about participating in the Eco Fair.
Claire Carle, Operations Manager
Stewart Buchanan, 2nd Assistant Director
Jenna Henderson, Youth Programmes Coordinator
None of this would be possible without our amazing Festival Sponsors & Partners. Thank you!