Peterborough’s ReFrame Film Festival has appointed interdisciplinary curator, producer, and writer Ryan Barnett as its new creative director. The social and environmental justice documentary festival announced Barnett’s appointment on Friday (August 7) following a three-month national search.
A hiring committee made up of ReFrame board members and senior staff reviewed applications from across Canada before interviewing what the organization described as an exceptional group of candidates.
According to ReFrame, Barnett’s artistic vision, documentary expertise, technical knowledge, communications experience, and commitment to community engagement made him the clear choice to help lead the festival into its next chapter.
The Montreal-based Barnett holds a master’s degree in film studies from Concordia University’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema. His career has included documentary production, public programming, and cultural engagement, with an emphasis on connecting audiences with nonfiction stories.
He is the founder of Knockabout Media, which produces podcasts, books, and other nonfiction projects about Canadian culture and history.
Barnett was recently a finalist for two 2026 Digital Publishing Awards for the podcast series Story Girl: The Life of Lucy Maud Montgomery and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood North. He is also the author of the nonfiction books The Raftsmen and Buster: A Life in Pictures. His work has been featured by museums, broadcasters, and publications across Canada.
“Ryan brings a remarkable combination of creativity, curiosity, technical expertise, and generosity,” said ReFrame board chair Dr. Melanie Buddle in a media release.
“Throughout the hiring process, it became clear that he shares ReFrame’s deep commitment to documentary film as a catalyst for dialogue, community connection, and social change. We couldn’t be happier to welcome him to the team.”
In his role as creative director, Barnett will be working with ReFrame executive director Kait Dueck.
Barnett succeeds Eryn Lidster, who announced in May they were stepping down after three years as ReFrame’s creative director.
Appointed in April 2023 to replace Amy Siegel, Lidster led the programming of three festivals while ReFrame continued navigating a hybrid format combining in-person and online presentations. At the time Lidster’s departure was announced, the festival credited them with deepening its artistic vision and community impact.
“As Ryan steps into this role, ReFrame also celebrates the contributions of outgoing creative director Eryn Lidster, whose thoughtful leadership, artistic vision, and unwavering commitment have left a lasting mark on the organization over the past three years,” reads the media release.
ReFrame is now planning its 2027 festival, scheduled to run from January 29 to February 7, and is seeking documentary films focused on social and environmental justice. Filmmakers can submit their work through FilmFreeway at filmfreeway.com/ReFrameFilm until Friday, August 21.
Based in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough, ReFrame presents its in-person festival during the final weekend of January, with screenings, artist talks, workshops, and special events at venues in downtown Peterborough. An online festival follows the next week, making selected documentaries available to audiences across Canada.
Approximately 15,000 people participate in the annual festival and ReFrame’s year-round community programming. All programming is offered on a pay-what-you-can basis, with the organization also using captioning, accessible venues, and community partnerships to reduce barriers to participation.
For more information, visit reframefilmfestival.ca.
