Special Guest

Gavin Baird

We’re very excited to welcome Gavin Baird to the Living Skies Student Film Festival.

We’ll be screening his latest work KLEE, and afterward, he’ll be joining us for a Q&A to share more about his process, inspirations, and experience bringing this story to life.

The screening will take place on March 26th, 2026, at 8:00 PM, with a Q&A to follow

3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina SK S4S 0A2

La Cité Room 215

Director Bio

Gavin Baird is a Metis artist born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Primarily interested in telling stories set in his homelands, his projects have received funding from imagineNATIVE & Netﬂix, SK Arts, and Creative Saskatchewan. His work has been screened internationally at a variety of ﬁlm festivals including TIFF & Festival du Nouveau Cinema Filmography Klee - Short Film - 2025 8th Street Menace - Feature Film - 2024 A Storm Blows Over - Feature Film - 2023 The Caring Only Cry at Night - Feature Film - 2021 Begonia - Feature Film - 2019

Jacob Farrell

Jacob Farrell will be joining Gavin Baird on the Q&A panel following the screening to discuss KLEE and offer insight into the film’s creative process. As the producer of KLEE, Jacob played a key role in bringing the project to life and will share his perspective on supporting and shaping Gavin’s vision for the screen.

Jacob Farrell is a filmmaker and arts & cultural worker currently based in Saskatoon. Originally from Foam Lake, Saskatchewan, Jacob is a BFA graduate of the University of Regina film program. He is primarily interested in producing and directing independent film projects inspired by his home province. Other areas of interest include photography, graphic design, & film programming. In 2022, Jacob founded Dorothy Studios, a production company located on Treaty 6 lands, through which he produced 8th Street Menace (2024), Klee (2025), & Danceland (Release TBD).

Matt Ripplinger

Matt Ripplinger will also be joining Gavin Baird and Jacob Farrell on the Q&A panel following the screening of KLEE. As the film’s cinematographer, Matt helped craft the visual style of KLEE and will share insights into the process of translating the film’s story and tone through its imagery.

Matt Ripplinger is a filmmaker residing in treaty 4 territory, also known as Regina Saskatchewan. He completed his BFA in Film Production at the University of Regina with specific interests in Cinematography and alchemical filmmaking. His film Sir Bailey (2018), has been screened internationally in numerous festivals [Edinburgh International Film Festival, Festival du Nouveau Cinema (MTL), Fracto Film Encounter (Berlin)], and was included in a publication by Wales author Kim Knowles titled Experimental Film and Photochemical Practices (2020). Beyond the single channel screen, Ripplinger explores the bounds of expanded cinema, with light-based installations like Memory Palace (2023) in collaboration with filmmaker Ian Campbell. Since 2023, Matt has been working in the film industry, specializing in different technical departments such as Camera, Grip and Lighting work.

In 2024, shot using his spring wound Bolex 16mm camera, his latest work as a cinematographer was with Director Gavin Baird on his period prairie gothic horror film KLEE (2025). The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, as well as being included in TIFF’s Canada’s Top Ten shorts of the year.