Vera Bianchini (she/her), a queer, first generation immigrant from Brazil, is the Film Program Director at Zeitgeist, where she leads initiatives that build a thriving film ecosystem in the region, connects audiences with bold storytelling, and fosters arts-based community building. With over a decade of experience in the film industry, she has worked with regional organizations such as MSP Film as the Development and Membership Manager, Flip The Script Queer Film Festival, and the Upper Midwest Film Office, as well as internationally-recognized, Oscar-qualifying festivals including Sundance, Chicago International Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, and Palm Springs International Film Festival.
Her expertise in programming and education in both the nonprofit sector and film production has led to invitations to serve on festival juries and panels nationwide. A graduate of Full Sail University Film School, Vera began her career at an animation studio in Miami before working in post-production in Minneapolis and later producing a wide range of independent projects. Recent producing credits include A Kidnapping (2024, dir. Karl Gadjusek), I & Me (2024, dir. Elizabeth Chatelain), and Ish Meets a Mermaid (2025, dir. Jonathan Thunder). Currently Vera serves on the board for Flip the Script Queer Film Festival and Future Film & Sound: EDU Film Fest.