Ryan Lee Cornnor
General and Artistic Director of The Atlanta Opera since 2013, Israeli born Tomer Zvulun is also one of leading stage director of his generation, earning consistent praise for his creative vision and innovative interpretations. His work has been presented by prestigious opera houses in Europe, South and Central America, Israel and the US, including The Metropolitan Opera, Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Dallas, San Diego, Boston, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Montreal, Buenos Aires, Israeli Opera, and the festivals of Wexford, Glimmerglass and Wolf Trap, as well as leading educational institutes and universities such as The Juilliard School, Indiana University, and Boston University.
Zvulun directed over 15 new productions in his home company in Atlanta, including Dead Man Walking, Flying Dutchman, Soldier Songs, Silent Night, Maria de Buenos Aires, La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, Lucia di Lammermoor, Magic Flute, and Eugene Onegin to name but a few. During Tomer’s tenure, the company’s fundraising has tripled, resulting in twice the number of productions presented annually. His focus on innovation has garnered national attention and resulted in a Harvard Business School case study chronicling The Atlanta Opera’s turnaround, an International Opera Awards nomination, an ArtsATL Luminary Award, and an invitation to deliver a TEDx Talk about innovation in opera.
Tomer Zvulun was born and raised in Israel, attended the open University in Tel Aviv and Harvard Business School and makes his home in Atlanta.
Felipe Barral is a filmmaker and multimedia storyteller who expresses himself in many ways –through his films, videos and audiovisual works, his music, his art and his writing.
As a filmmaker, director of photography and multimedia storyteller, Felipe specializes in creative, engaging and cinematic content for the arts. Since the end of 2017, Felipe has been a frequent collaborator with The Atlanta Opera, producing groundbreaking content that blends opera and film in many innovative ways. In 2020, the opera expanded this initiative and created The Atlanta Opera Film Studio and its streaming platform, Spotlight Media. Felipe was appointed Director of the Film Studio. In just one year, the studio has released four feature films, three concerts and 12 episodes of the “Love Letters to Atlanta” series. Felipe's cinematographic style has been defined as "remarkably perceptive filmmaking" by noted opera journalist Fred Plotkin.
As an independent filmmaker and artist, he has released short films, short and long format documentaries, three books of poetry, and has composed original scores for silent films and documentaries. He is also the creator and co-producer of the show “Collective Knowledge”, co-produced and hosted by Gail O’Neill.
Former ArtFX student, trying to create an image that would remind you of something that you have never seen before in your life with the help of CGI and VFX.
James Xander is an artist and filmmaker based in Vancouver, Canada. "All Your Words" is his director's debut.
“I put a lot of love and energy into this project,” says James. “We wanted to create a romantic vibe for the video, and Vancouver was the perfect backdrop for our shoot. The beauty of the city perfectly complemented the dreamy look we were hoping to capture.”
Mauricio Reyes
Andrew Bateman
University of Exeter- Med in TESOL
Beijing Film Academy-directing and screen-writing
Sam Kumiko Sheridan
Gustav founded the production company, Cogito Creative in 2013 with the vision of providing new perspectives to the audience and explore important themes and issues which are often brushed aside. SInce its inception, Cogito has accumulated many awards; most recently the audience choice awards, along with 4 jury awards in the 2020 48 Hour Film Project.
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Brooke Rice
Ahi Black is a 26 year old writer and director from South Florida. His intense passion for storytelling has led to him to produce two short films and a book. At the age of 19 to 22 he backpacked 20 countries fueled by his curiosity of the world and its people. At the age of 23 he produced his first short film "Lone Wolf Island" then at 24 he produced his first book "Strength of the Mother". Now at 26 he releases his second and first major short film "Broken Boy". His vision is to produce his first feature film in the near future, with many stories to choose from.
Juming Delmas is best known as a business owner, director, actor, producer, and writer for films, television, and plays. Born in Fort Pierce a small town located in Florida, Juming has been in major films and television series such as Men In Black 3, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Brain Dead, Board Walk, and many others. He first started his career as a writer and director for small local theaters and later moved to New York City to further his career in the film industry. Because of his success, he has been offered the opportunity to become a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) where he would be recognized as a professional actor and performer in the media industry across the world. Juming graduated and obtained his bachelor’s degree in Communication as Magna Cum Laude from Flagler College, and is currently obtaining his master’s degree at Florida State University’s School of Communication with a concentration in Video Production.
Born and raised in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Ryan Cornnor is a recent graduate with a BFA in Filmmaking from New York Film Academy. Through his time in College he Wrote, Directed, and Edited 10 short films, 3 commercials, and 1 music video. He is an aspiring Writer and Director that began his filmmaking passion in the Marine corps. Ryan would study films and techniques used while watching the behind the scenes to build his path for his future. His passion to create and Direct films was driven by the films he owned while stationed in Okinawa, Japan and going through rough times. He is now pursuing his passion and moving to Atlanta GA where he hopes to work on sets and wait to get his opportunity to create further films for the world to see. He spends his days writing scripts to build a list of films to direct as his career unfolds.
Joe Nolan is an intermedia artist based in Nashville, TN. His diverse practice includes photography, multimedia paintings, experimental short films, public radio poetry broadcasts, digital art, live performances, musical releases, public art projects, and his critical writing about art and film. He's the author of Nowville: The Secret History of Nashville, Tennessee's Contemporary Art Scene, coming soon from Vanderbilt University Press.
Brandon Watts
Joe Nolan
AKISAI is a composer and singer-songwriter. She also directs, produces, edit and performs in all of the music videos for her original songs.
AKISAI's work, the music video "Floating Blue" won Best Original Artist at the New York Nil Gallery 2022 and has been selected as a Winner, Finalist and Semi-Finalist in different countries.
AKISAI is currently working on developing the musical "This is Love."
She is visualizing several musical numbers and producing them as music videos and musical short films.
The videos produced are works of art, but can be used as scripts, scores, and image material for performances and screenings.
AKISAI studied classical music and was influenced by a wide range of music including jazz and rock. In her late teens, she began working on commissioned music, but after more than 10 years of life experience, she restarted her career as a composer.
AKISAI started entering international composition competitions in 2020.
She was honorable mention in The Indie Gathering Film Scoring Competition 2020 and 6th place winner in 2021.
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Alisanna Vincent, 18, is a young filmmaker from Maryland with a love for all aspects of filmmaking. The Radio is her second film, after her directorial debut with award winning short Days Like This. Alisanna is currently attending film school in Atlanta where she continues to write, direct, and produce her own films as she builds her filmmaking career.
Curtis K Case is an up and coming director, producer and actor who started working on his first web-series "Siblings" for production company CKC/Quarterly Productions in 2016 which went on to be semi-finalist in 3 different film festivals in Los Angeles. Curtis is originally from Atlanta. In 2007 he moved to Philadelphia to pursue a career in acting in the cities thriving independent film industry. Since then he has acted in over 30 productions. In late 2014 Curtis moved to Los Angeles to further his career in both acting and film making. Since being in Los Angeles, Curtis have worked on numerous productions working his way up from being a production assistant to being the Second Assistant Director on Bounce TV first feature film "A Stone Cold Christmas" that aired this past Christmas, then on to being the First Assistant Director to Netflix show "EastSiders". Now Curtis pushing forward with his Directing Career, by Directing the psychological thriller Spellbinder Shadow and now he's bringing another thriller with Tristan's Plight.
Zijun Cathy You
Nicholas Aska
Jules Rebuffat, Hugo Astesano, Guillaume Hulot, Loic Remy, Loic Ciaux, Benjamin Matthys
Harrison Lubel
Director Grant Lee Bomar (17) has been making short films with his older brother Dean (19) since they were 8 & 10 in the urban and vibrant film scene of Atlanta. Based in the O4W they have been going to the historic Plaza Theatre and other local moviehouses for over a decade and aim to follow in the footsteps of the filmmakers featured there.
Having retired in 2016 as the chief public relations and media writer for the Norfolk District, Virginia Department of Health, Terrance Afer-Anderson accepted a position in March 2021 as a contract scriptwriter with the National Science Foundation. He has extensive creative writing, producing, directing, performance and hosting experience and credits, having produced and directed more than 50 productions for the stage and screen.
A past Founding Associate Director of Norfolk, Virginia’s celebrated Generic Theater, he has also authored more than 20 productions for the stage. Among his popular works are HIRAM & NETTIE, a slave love story twice produced in Las Vegas; RAILINGS!, the tale of an HIV-positive teen runaway encounters with the spirit of a 19th African American cowboy on a freight train; THE TRIBESMAN, a serial killer with multiple personalities who is ultimately revealed to be a fallen angel; TEMPEST, a Hurricane Katrina love story; VICTORY MANOR, a Vietnam veteran with PTSD is being recruited by both a devout Christian and an impassioned Muslim; THE PRISM PROJECTS, an urban drama about two young brothers on opposite sides of the law who have opposing approaches to challenging gentrification; and THE FIFTH, a fatherhood drama, having its premiere at the 1st International Fatherhood Conference, San Francisco.
Prior to his retirement from VDH, having for 16 years written, produced and hosted the talk show HEALTHWATCH (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL41E72C62CF119F71), Terrance Afer-Anderson was selected for the highly competitive, three-year Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leaders fellowship program and wrote, produced and directed his first feature-length film, THE BLACK WALNUT, a novel docudrama and exploration of the African American prostate cancer disparity, which won a Telly Award and features a supporting cast of 7 actual prostate cancer survivors and 2 physicians, portraying themselves in dramatic roles. Other film projects include the documentary short GIVING ANGELS WINGS, chronicling the experience of fathers grieving the loss of their infant children, winner of a “Peoples’ Choice Award,” Mid-Atlantic Black Film Festival, THE PHOENIX & THE ASHES, a recreation of the 1926 abduction of Norfolk priest Father Vincent Warren by the Ku Klux Klan, and a film version of THE FIFTH. Recently, he wrote, produced, directed and appeared in the short BEING B’UCKED # 22, the story of an elder slave who has disturbing visions of the future while being whipped and violated.
Ahi Black
Chloe Zubiri (she/her) is a native from Las Vegas who has loved movies her entire life. She started acting at the famed Las Vegas Academy performing arts high school and went on to get her bachelors in theater and minor in film from Santa Fe University of Art and Design.
After graduating college, she threw herself into as many classes and workshops in LA as she could get her hands on. After writing and performing in sketch shows at Second City Hollywood, modeling and doing improv for a number of years, she finally branched out to directing during the beginning of 2020, with the remotely shot pandemic comedy web series, “Stay at Home Therapy”.
Now after catching the bug for producing/writing/directing and acting in projects, she mostly just wonders what took her so long to stop waiting and call the shots herself.
She is currently writing and in pre-production for her new web series “My Dominatrix Roomate”. She’s also writing and pitching various other projects, all centering body liberation, lgbtq+ pride, the Devine feminine, and how marginalized voices should be celebrated.
Lavender Haoru Liu & Emily Zhang
Born and raised in South Louisiana, now residing in Atlanta, I tell stories deeply rooted in Southern culture about the forgotten and the downtrodden to make them the heroes of their own stories.
My name’s Erik Kadar, I’m a 24-year-old male underground hip hop and alternative artist from metro Detroit named Based Yung Kadar. I write music, do live performances, model, and develop and produce my own content like the Lit Boy ( Official Music Video). I studied Film and Media Production during my time at Michigan State University.
I’m open to doing live performances, ambassadorships, sponsored social posts, events, meet and greets, photo and video shoots, and acting roles. If you’d like to learn more about me and check out more of my content and music.
Lilly Adams
James Xander
Kaveh Malek
Gianfranco Sorrentino
Chloe Zubiri
Cody Myers
Felix Crumbsy
shan li
I began writing again and decided to produce my first project as a screenwriter and director. Production on my first film, a short, began shooting in mid-2020. It was based on a short story I had written a year earlier. The experience of working on a film from its inception as an idea, to the pre-production, filming and post-production was an amazing experience and it provided further confirmation that I wanted to be immersed in the art of cinema. This would be the exact adventure I was looking for in the next chapter of my story. Currently, I continue to write and hope to begin work on a new film in the very near future.
Clennon L King
Tiana Stuart
Jake Hotaling
Justin Suttles
Alisanna Vincent
Daniel Bergeson
Sam Kumiko Sheridan was born and raised in New York City. She is a Japanese American director, writer, editor, and film student at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Evan Ostrow
Jean-Francois Rodrigues
A Japanese actor and Film director.
Sho started making independent films 4 years ago.
He got an new director award at Hagi Ibasho Film Festival.
Megan A. Zebrowski
Zijun You, also as Cathy You, is an ex-journalist to now a documentary filmmaker. The working experience of writing and reporting for the Seattle Chinatown community has significantly grown her understanding and caring about immigrants and their stories. During her study at the School of Visual Art, with the highest scholarship from the Social Documentary department, she made her first personal short film "To Lay Bare" exploring her own identity of being female, and made it into DOC NYC U 2020. "Chinatown Auxiliary" is another short documentary film in which she unfolded the life of immigrants in a personal and intimate way.
Rob Levinson
Natalie gained her first acting and performance experiences at a very young age and studied performing arts in Berlin. After finishing her studies, she worked in German and international film productions, shot music videos, commercials and performed on stage.
After her initial successes as a performer, Natalie switched to screenwriting and directing. Her short films "The Man Who Couldn't Cry", "Like A Summer Sonata", "Lola wants to see the sea", “It’s getting darker every day”, “The Redhead”, “A Universal Love Story”, "The Funeral Dancer" and "Pink Me Blue" have been screened and awarded at numerous international film festivals.
Natalie is currently working on her second feature film script "When I Stop Dreaming" and is in post-production for her first feature "The Meaning Of A Ritual".
Gillian Moses
John Sexton
Jess is a shamelessly midwestern filmmaker and photographer. She has created music videos for NNAMDI, Yawn, Emil Landman and The Eradicator. Her experimental documentary entitled "Raging Against" was screened at The Wretched Nobles and Chicago Art Department in Chicago. Her photography has been exhibited nationally at the Diego Rivera Gallery, the Midwest Center for Photography and more. Crawdad is Rigoni's first foray into narrative film.
M.S. Kerr &
Laurence Wallace
Liza Asner (Producer, Writer & Director) was born and raised in L.A. but spent 22 years in Portland, OR working in promotions and advertising before returning to the City of Angels to assist her father Ed. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism from Northeastern University and later a Master of Science in Education (recipient of the Helene Krivosha School of Education Scholarship). She produced and voiced radio spots for Portland Saturday Market (largest continuous open-air crafts market in the world), ran the Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular at Fort Vancouver, worked in Production/Sales for KPTV Oregon’s 12, and managed the Saturday Conservatory of Music part-time for several years in L.A. Asner was Associate Producer of the film documentary MY FRIEND ED, voiced the role of Katherine in THE ROMANCING AND REAPING OF RIVEN ROCK, played the teacher in TIGER WITHIN, and played Cindy in PAINTING JANE. Asner was casting director/co-producer of Ed. Weinberger’s staged readings TWO JEWS TALKING with Ed Asner and Richard Kind and TWO SISTERS TALKING with Sally Struthers and June Squibb (2017) at the Falcon Theater. She is the booker/stage manager of Weinberger’s A MAN AND HIS PROSTATE that toured for three years. She has two photo exhibits under her belt benefiting the Jewish Cuba Project and now is the Producer and booker of Samuel Warren Joseph & Phil Proctor’s GOD HELP US, which starred Ed Asner.
Yashira McCray
Duncan Peake
Ellis Flurry
M.S. Kerr and Laurence Wallace are creative partners who have jointly produced a number of Theatrical Workshop Productions in New York City including: ‘Has-Been/ Never-Was’, by M.S. Kerr ( Jim Kempner Fine Art), ‘Before You Say Hello’, by M.S. Kerr (Torn Page), ‘Beethoven Bluesman’, by M.S. Kerr (Gibney). This is their first film collaboration.
Danny Ashkenasi has been acting professionally since the age of ten and composing musical works that have been publicly produced since the age of fourteen. In pursuing these arts, he has also developed his expertise as a writer, singer, director, producer and teaching artist. In recent years he has focused on creating and performing musical works that highlight the American experience, by adapting American literary masters and focusing on pertinent American historical and social themes.
Danny Ashkenasi just completed his second film project, the musical Poe adaptation “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre”, sibling to his first film short "The Tell-Tale Heart - a musicabre", winner of over 65 film festival awards. Danny Ashkenasi composed the music, wrote the screenplay, produced, directed and performed the lead roles in both films.
Mabel Ryu
Angel Alvarez
Winchester 7 (vocals, ukulele), like many of us, was born within the domed city. But, when Phil Voorhees (bass) and Jack Kane (drums) decided to pull a runner, they didn’t expect that he would be the one to come after them. None of them further imagined that when their paths finally crossed, a few bass notes and halting drum beat would be met with a rocking ukulele reply, vocal harmony, and…music.
Together, Winchester 7 & the Runners, have since found that a forgotten world, beyond the dome, that welcomes their music and films even as their friendship grows.
Out of Atlanta, Georgia-based (home to Winchester 7), Sanctuary Studio; though runners, Voorhees now resides in Amsterdam and Kane is itinerant within the United Kingdom; the trio deliver their unique blend of indie garage rock with alternative, classic, and surf influences.
Juming Delmas
Daniel's greatest passion is building bridges through narrative. That passion led him to cofound a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to amplifying the perspectives of marginalized groups through film. Daniel has been involved in production since he was two years old and after realizing the unparalleled power of empathy in cinema, he began making films in high school. Later, he started a production company in Sioux Falls before finding his calling in the nonprofit world.
Filmmaker based in Montgomery, AL. I've been doing films for 10 years. I plan on being something like a Spike Lee or Tyler Perry.
Thomas Hibner
Vseant Nath
Beth Ashby
With a Bachelor’s degree in Film & Media, 8 years of experience as an independent director, 15 completed independent films and well over 250 total films completed in his portfolio all together; Rowland Jordan is an up and coming director with not only the passion to rise to the top, but the talent and know how as well. He is a proven success having generated hundreds of thousands of views since the beginning of his career with a keen sense on how to entertain the people. Rowland Jordan is the Co-Founder of BellaMar Pictures.
Winchester 7
Shaofu Zhang
Mazen Hamed Alhaj Salem
Keith O'Grady is a filmmaker who often works in other crafts of film and television. He is primarily a director, but is also a writer, producer and Cameraperson, among other things. He trained in a number of disciplines including acting, and has Bachelors and Masters degrees in film production. His recent directing credits include the short drama ‘Rian’ (2021), the oral history feature doc ‘Border Tales’ (2021), the independent feature ‘The Prince of Pies’ (2018), the multi-award winning short film ‘Saving Santa’ (2017), the doc series ‘Truckers na h-Éireann’ (2019), the documentary biopics 'Bram Stoker & Dracula' and 'Robert Burns'; and the multi-award-nominated documentary film 'Vótaí Do Mhná' for TG4; a series of four BBC films 'An Colaiste Éireannach', and the award-winning short drama 'A short film about fear’, which played at festivals across Europe and North America. He is currently producing a film about the life of St. Colmcille, and developing more feature drama and more documentary work.
Keith O'Grady
Shaofu Zhang is the founder of Taiko Studios and the producer and writer of the Oscar-nominated short film One Small Step. Shaofu was the winner of the 2011 Student Academy Award Gold Medal for Best Animated Short Dragonboy which he wrote and directed.
With over a decade of experience in the animation industry, Shaofu has been an animator for Walt Disney Animation Studios and Sony Pictures Imageworks, including Animation Supervisor for Disney’s Gigantic. He has recently directed the award winning short films Pangu for Tencent and Fú for Airbnb. Shaofu is also a Visiting Professor at Wuhan University.
Ethan Payne
Brandon Watts is a filmmaker based in Los Angeles, CA. Growing up, he was involved in the arts...be it music, drawing (not very good), writing, and photography.
As his love and appreciation for cinema increased, he started a self-taught path towards filmmaking. His vision is to tell engaging stories that lead the audience on an entertaining and thought provoking journey.
Brandon has written and directed a number of narrative short films as well as dabbled in the experimental film genre.
Writer + Director based on the East Coast.
Savannah College of Art and Design graduate with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Film + Television.
Working on narrative features, shorts and music videos that emphasize the visceral power of film as a vehicle for empathy.
Duncan Peake is a film director, writer, and editor, born in Nambour, raised in Brisbane, Australia. He began filmmaking when he was seven years old, where he made home-made films with his uncle and brothers. Throughout high school, he continued to make media projects for school assessments including music videos and short films. After high school, he studied at TAFE Queensland with a certificate III in media. After a year at TAFE, he began studying at Griffith Film School.
He directed his first University based short film in 2015 called Under the Bridge, a story about a man who loses everything after his wife discovers an affair with another woman. Throughout his first two years at Griffith, his skills in editing and sound design increased, where editing became a high motivation skill and passion but directing and writing was always the first priority. His second short film ‘Replacements’ became his first non-uni directed project and first horror film. In 2018, he made a short dark horror comedy called Bloody Maria. In 2019 he shot a short film called 'Where's Weirdo' produced by Aldergrove Studios in Brisbane, but unfortunately due the Pandemic in 2020, production was delayed till 2021. His favorite genre of filmmaking is horror and plans to continue making projects in that genre.
Peter Luis Zimmerman is a Miami born and Atlanta raised actor and recording artist. His credits span from Tyler Perry's Meet The Browns, VH1's Single Ladies, Billy Crystal's Parental Guidance, Disney’s Jungle Cruise to his current role as Eduardo on AMC's The Walking Dead. Peter is also working on a new project this Summer that is being kept under wraps for now but will be announced soon.
In addition to acting, Peter finds great pleasure in producing music. His music can be found on iTunes. Peter has also been Directing short films and plans on releasing a few as early as May!
Peter notes the love and support of his parents as the foundation for his passions. He has professionally pursued music and film since the age of 14, but recalls it being his passion since the young age of 7.
Upon his high school graduation, Peter embarked on a career-move uprooting from his Atlanta home and moved to Los Angeles, California. In 2011, the Atlanta television and film industry was beginning to blossom, so Peter returned home to Gwinett County to continue pursuing his acting and music career.
Kipp Adler was born in the United States and moved to Israel in his early 20's, where he began his filmmaking career. While working as a documentary director, Kipp has completed several narrative film projects. Today he lives outside of Denver, Colorado.
CJ Colando
2017 KBS UHD Special 'Country' Hello, My Girls' Generation
2018 KBS UHD Special Feature 1945 Iki Island_Where is the broken memory?
2019 KBS Special 'Homecoming'
2020 KBS Korean War 70th week begins, Gokgye Cave
2021 KBS UHD Environmental Special Special Byeolnaerin Forest
2021 KBS UHD home documentary smartphone
2021 KBS UHD Special Documentary The Garden of Daecheongho
Chris Angel Walker
Most people know me as, Brooke Rice. I am Snipe clan of the Kanien’kehà:ka nation, born and raised in Kahnawà:ke.
I am currently enrolled in the Master of Arts Individualized Program at Concordia University where I hope to create experiential learning, youth mentorship in the community based on cosmological kinship systems, language, and land. I envision an environment that nourishes our gifts, the gifts our ancestors left us. My previous studies in Ratiwennahní:rats, a Kanien’kéha language immersion program has helped to build my identity and a foundation deeply rooted in tsi niionkwariho:ten. I am passionate about learning the language of the land and tapping into ancestral blood memory while weaving my web of kinnections across Turtle Island.
Being an energetic snipe, I love hanging out with my family and friends, eating scrumptious foods, foraging, learning, planting, seed saving and hunting.
I crossed paths with a few filmmakers on my journey which sparked my interest in creating visual stories. I had the opportunity to make these shorts through an awesome initiative, Our World Language, guided by amazing mentors.
Clay Randel
Forest Under Stress is a collaboration between Michal Hall Bravo Ramírez and Rachel Lee Hall, a mother-daughter duo from southern Oregon in the United States. Together they wrote the script, and Michal took the roles of storyboard artist, animator, editor, voice over, and composer. This film speaks to their care and concern for this region of the Pacific Northwest.
Rachel Lee Hall
For over 44 years, Rachel has lived in the Rogue River Valley with her husband Larry, where their children were born. Her interests encompass earth dynamics, geology, and forestry while working in and enjoying farming, soils, water hydrology, gardening, education and domestic and wild animals. Her hands have planted over 250,000 conifers for the government and private sector in Southern Oregon four decades ago. To watch the forest burn by lack of active forest management resulting in mega wildfires is a crime. For this reason she wrote Forest Under Stress and produced this movie to bring awareness to the disruption in the hydrological cycle on the forest floor causing loss of resilience in our forests.
Michal Hall Bravo Ramírez
Michal is a bilingual, Chicago-based screenwriter, film director, and artist. She earned her M.A. in Art Education and studied screenwriting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She studied Digital Animation at Escuela Escena and Digital Filmmaking at Cinefilias, both in Mexico City.
Andrew Bateman is Denver, Colorado based filmmaker, sound designer, and educator. Prior to Loose Change: A Memoir of Childhood, Andrew worked in documentary film and multimedia journalism. Currently he teaches for the University of Colorado Denver, Department of Film and Television.
Andrew received a MFA in Film and Media Arts from Temple University and a MA in American Studies from the University of New Mexico where he wrote his master’s thesis on the prescient and omnipresent artist Sun Ra.
Cody Leveski
Sheldyn 'SAM' Moore is an emerging filmmaker. She is a 2022 gradate of University of Georgia’s inaugural Master’s in Film class. She has a concentration in Directing and has a Bachelors of Science also from the University of Georgia in Communications. She is the Production Coordinator for Rockdale County, Georgia, where she oversees film, tv, and web projects. She is the COO of Perry Moore Entertainment. She has done several film projects and has worked on film projects for WB, NFL and Amazon. She aims to tell stories that inspire, uplift and entertain.
A.J. Ogilvie
Born in Puerto Rico, Daniel Leonard Bernardi is an officer in the United States Navy Reserve, retiring this year, and served in Iraq leading Combat Camera for U.S. Army 5th and 10th Special Forces Groups. His military experiences also include tours at sea, in Europe, South East Asian and Guantanamo Bay. In his civilian life, Bernardi is a Professor of Cinema at San Francisco State University and director of the award-winning films "The American War" (2018), "Noble Sissle’s Syncopated Ragtime "(2019), and "The War to End All Wars… and its American Veterans "(2020), among others. Most recently, he founded El Dorado Films as a collective of filmmakers interested in the connection between social justice and the artistic possibilities of documentary storytelling. The collective work of El Dorado Films demonstrates a commitment to intersectionality, with stories in and out of the U.S. military.
Born and raised in Miami, Florida, moved to Chicago to pursue a bachelor's in fine arts for Film and Television with a cinematography concentration at DePaul University. Passionate about making experimental visually appealing films and collaborating with different artists to express creativity for the world to see.
Ellis Flurry is a director, writer, actor, and standup comic currently living in New York City.
Gabriela Lopez is a recent graduate from Clayton State University with a bachelor's in film production and Minor in Marketing. Gabriela has been involved in film production since her sophomore year in high school and aspires to work in editing while writing scripts on the side for films she hopes to Direct in the future.
Mazen AlHaj Salem is an aspiring filmmaker, screenwriter & editor who also owns and runs his own freelance advertising brand. He's been working professionally in the advertising industry for the past few years, creating ads and commercials for a number of brands and stores. Mazen believes that the only way to never work a day in your life is to do something you love.
Listed as one of the Black Icons of the decade by the GList, filmmaker W. Wesley Henderson started his journey into entertainment in 2005, and ever since he has become an internationally known personality through youtube and social media. His passion for film leads him into creating a new streaming network called Aconnectiontv.com, a place where all stories can be told. Building the network in its first solid year 2019, Aconnectiontv was the winner of 6 NYPS Awards.
• "Network of the Year 2019"
• "Show of the Year", for Frenergy
• "Cast of the year", for Frenergy
• "Actor of the year", Wesley Henderson
• "Soundtrack of the year", The Mister
• "New Comer of the year"
"Adopting similar connections despite our differences", is the quote that he leads with at
the beginning of every video, ensuring that the viewer can connect in some way to the film or message relayed in the film. Over 3000 videos later, working with now over 100 actors and staff, Wesley looks to create a popular streaming network that everyone can be entertained by. Tune into Aconnectiontv.com.
Terrance Afer-Anderson
Kat Wilson
Mario was and raised in the outskirts of Albuquerque, New Mexico in a Genizaro neighborhood known as El Washe. After losing his mother as a child he was raised by his grandparents who had a great influence on him. He expressed himself through community theater and photography and earned a presidential scholarship to the University of New Mexico. After graduation he moved to Los Angeles where he works as a commercial actor and photographer. He went to Grad school to pursue filmmaking, which in many ways is a combination of his two passions. He will complete his MFA January 2022.
Jonathan Moffett
Christopher Angel Walker Gjevnøe is songwriter, producer, visual artist, author, and film director. He is best known as frontman for the band Substereo. Chris was born in Vienna, Austria. His Mother Patricia Barreda is a Mexican/American concert pianist (niece of artist Diego Rivera), and his father Kurt Gjevnøe was a Danish sociologist and author known by the pen name 'Uro Conrado'. Chris grew up in Vienna until the age of 10, when he moved to Topsfield, Massachusetts, USA. At the age of 13 he moved to Queretaro, Mexico with his father, and consequently to Oklahoma City, USA. At the age of 19 he joined the Danish Army where he reached the rank of Captain. He was deployed with The British 7th Armoured Brigade to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and then later to Ethiopia as a United Nations Observer.
in 2013 Chris worked on Substereo's debut album 'Fuel for The Revolution' with American multi-platinum award winning record producer Dito Godwin (No Doubt, Mötley Crüe). After the release of the album Chris directed and produced the music video for Substereo's singles 'Cry Freedom', and 'Rollin' Daisies'. In 2016 he wrote, recorded and produced the band's second album 'Nowhereland', The album was based on a novelette by the same name, which he also wrote and illustrated.
Chris has directed and produced music video's for Florea's 'Someday I'll be there' (2017), The Viders 'Never be Sober' (2017), and The Factory's 'The Pressure' (2016).
Robby Wilentz is a filmmaker who just graduated from Syracuse University with a BFA in Film. Growing up, Robby has dealt with significant hearing loss as well as wrestling with self identity due to intersectionality in religion and ethnicity. These factors in Robby’s upbringing ended up being blessings in disguise because the life experiences that have been provided allowed Robby to see the world from a unique lens, which is expressed and shown in his films and scripts. Right now, Robby is working on a feature script titled, 'Under the Over', with two colleagues and aims to get the story produced!
Rowland Jordan
Julia Deak was born in Budapest. She holds a degree in Hungarian Literature and is a qualified journalist. After winning two journalism writing competitions, she joined Hungarian State Television, where, for seven years, she was responsible for the making of cultural documentary films. She has been awarded prizes for her work there. During that period she also wrote screenplays for her own films and television programs. Later, she pursued her career as an independent, free-lance writer. She has had two prose volumes published by a respected publisher, and her novellas and book reviews have appeared in a well-known literary monthly. In recent years Julia has devoted herself to making short films. She writes these films herself, and is the director, cinematographer, producer and editor rolled into one.
Roxanna Dunlop
Corey Malone has only worked professionally in the film world for only a short time, but is promising to have a long career in the industry. His debut film 'Final Touches' is already on the Festival Circuit and is promising to do very well at screenings
I was born in Hangzhou, China, and came to the Savannah College of Art and Design in the United States to study film. Sometimes I often regret the choices I have made. So I wrote this experience into a story and made my short film "The Ballerina". I love to tell stories, and I also hope my stories can be heard by more people.
Daniel Andre Sagona
Claudio Mühle was born in 1996 and has lived in northern Switzerland ever since. He published his first fantasy novel at the age of sixteen. In his teens he also founded his production company Clato Pictures Filmstudio together with a friend. After a technical apprenticeship, training in the Swiss Army in Electronic Warfare and a longer language stay in New Zealand, he studied digital film production. Professionally, he works as a technical manager at a local television station. In October 2021, his first feature-length documentary film about the bombing of neutral Switzerland during World War II was released in theaters.
Angel Alvarez is an American actor and director. Getting into the industry late in life Angel received film training from The Forkshop and acting training from The CineWorks Academy both in Atlanta Georgia.
Angel is an instinctive method actor who utilizes his natural penchant for storytelling to bring his characters to life by creating a natural conversational relationship between himself and his scene partners.
He's been nominated for several awards for his short films and is certainly to win more in the near future.
Haley Seppa
Paul B. Kim has two decades of experience in the film, television, and media industries as a documentary filmmaker and new media producer on projects spanning six continents, exploring topics in human rights, global health, education, and the intersection of religion and politics. His work has screened at domestic and international festivals, public television, universities, and industry events.
Kim is a professor of screen arts at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA. He holds an MFA in Film and Electronic Media from the School of Communication at American University, where he served as a graduate fellow in the Center for Media & Social Impact funded by the Ford Foundation and collaborated with the MIT Media Lab on their new media literacy project. During Kim’s academic career, he developed and directed a unique undergraduate documentary filmmaking program, received his institution’s highest teaching award, and chaired a department overseeing numerous programs within communication and the visual arts. His student teams won some of the highest awards in the field, such as the Pacemaker Award from the Associated Collegiate Press and a Student Academy Award nomination. At Pepperdine, Kim teaches courses in production, storytelling, and documentary filmmaking.
Tiana is an actress, musician, writer, and director hailing from the weird and hot-as-hell city of Austin, Texas.
Never giving up on her acting “phase,” she eventually got to work alongside Ed Anser (The Flood), and Jesse Plemons (Love and Death, HBO). That’s her go-to brag btw; the HBO gig. She never shuts up about it.
She also discovered a love for comedy and improv when she moved to Amsterdam, The Netherlands, for a couple of years. She got to study and perform long-form improv at the world renowned Boom Chicago under the direction of The Free Association out of London. Learning comedy AND Ducth? Life was good.
She still goofs around today at ColdTowne Theater in Austin, TX.
Getting a little bored with the continuous onslaught of “mom” characters she was getting brought in to audition for, she decided to explore life behind the lens as a way to entertain her brain in-between acting jobs. Writing scripts and persuading her friends to help, Tiana found a love for directing. With her acting experience, she truly enjoyed finding an objective her actors can work with in the most authentic way.
(Oh and she’s fine with auditioning for mom roles. Please don’t stop bringing her in for auditions. She was only kidding…)
She also has a dog who she’s convinced is a demon in disguise.
Paul Kim
Debut film as director. Author and Screenwriter, I wear many hats because I like to get things done. Created "D. F. Writes: A Mini-Mini Series" and author of "What The What: Book of Short Stories." Learning and growing in the field.
Samuel J. May
Oriana Theo
Jonathan Moffett was born in Tyler, Texas and raised mostly in the countryside until 2011 when he moved to Dallas, Texas. He took an interest in filmmaking at an early age and unexplored his curiosity by filming short documentaries taking place around the Texas landscape up to his college years. From there he had also taken an interest in telling stories through narrative film dealing with elements of childhood and nostalgia.
He has worked on numerous short and experimental films, driven by unique ways to tell stories. He went on to create "Choices", a documentary about a man transitioning out of prison after unintentionally killing a young girl at the age of nine. It premiered in 2020 on "Frame of Mind", a PBS program featuring short documentaries. He focused his energy during his senior year at UTA on his short narrative film "We Used to Waltz", which explored passing time and how the past affects the future (and vice-versa) in numerous ways.
At the center of Jonathan Moffett, he's a filmmaker who is determined to explore the human condition. He has written and directed all of his own work and continues to look toward the themes that deeply interest him as inspiration for his later works.
John R Sexton is an actor/producer/director who began as a film production coordinator. After years of experience John moved on to working as a unit production manager, line producer, casting associate, locations manager and properties manager for many advertising and film companies such as HBO NY, Henry Corra Films, Khol Pictures, Morgan Creek Productions and many others. Notable film projects have been, Calm Before, Gospel Hill, Pendulum Swings, Test, Chill Factor, Andersonville, Fled. For the past 5 years John has focused on making short films with his co-producer/actress/wife, Donna Whitmore-Sexton.
Matthew Long is a filmmaker and screenwriter from Richmond, Virginia. He graduated from Liberty University through the Zaki Gordon Cinematic Arts program. Since the completion of "No Laughing Matter", Matthew has been developing several other short film projects. He and his 48 hour film contest team won 1st Place at the Richmond competition in 2021, and he is currently in development on a short film in the summer of 2023 regarding the important subject of adoption, titled "A Giant Secret."
"I am so thankful to work with such talented crew and cast on my film projects, and have been immeasurably blessed to be in a position to create thought-provoking stories through film. Stories that can be humorous, touching, and can provide discussion among viewers are inspiring to me, and I really would love to work toward developing those stories as best as possible as an artist in the future."
After many years working in theatre management and aviation, Jason decided to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a filmmaker. He recently graduated with a Film and Digital Media certificate. "Sticks and Stones" marks his second time as writer/director. His first short, "At the Dentist," enjoyed success on the film festival circuit last year with Jason's direction and set design being recognized. He plans to continue writing and directing as well as working with Craig and Jorge. The three of them are already hard at work on their next project together!
Josh Sikkema & Johnny Ray
Rodney Roldan
Mario Theodosio Gallegos
Thomas Hibner directed Isonology a short documentary, and Time to Grow Up a short film.
Tucker Clement grew up in Prattville, Alabama, studied Fashion in college and switched to film afterwards. He's worked on many short films, major tv shows & streaming movies.
Chris Casaceli is a 26-year-old first-time filmmaker who works in the video production industry out of Reno Nevada.
Jess Myers Rigoni
Curtis K Case
Mike Ekpoh
Film making is a field of unending talent. It's the art of inspiring storytelling and creating impactful scenes, and my story has just started.
I grew up in Kentucky, USA, but was born in India, I carried the imagination in my eyes and loads of beautiful stories.
My grandmother (Mom) raised me – I inherited the motivation for storytelling from her - she was the greatest storyteller I have ever met. She told me tales about her adventures.
I believe that it's not us that holds power to create stories, but the people, nature, and god-like phenomena around us – that is what keeps us going. Being in the film industry, I plan to keep going with this phenomenon, producing more stories to display on screens and create my mark on the audience.
With a background in film studies and a decade of experience in the commercial film and photography industry, Kaveh Malek attempts to shed light on important topics by combining his unique visual storytelling techniques with his expansive traveled, empathetic worldview.
Linda Kudzmas
Christoph Salzmann works as a filmmaker, photographer and music producer in Bern - Switzerland.
He loves telling stories. He can reflect his impressions with image and sound. Observing - Thinking - Expressing. The focus is on the human being with all his ambivalence. "Life is complicated - A gift for us creative people." - he says.
Director Bruno Barranco grew up in Panama City, Panama. He moved to Houston, TX, to attend film school, where he graduated with honors. Currently, Bruno works as the Video Director for an advertising agency in Oklahoma City, OK.
Jason Tran
Kiya Sabet
Clay Randel is an independent filmmaker and actor based in Atlanta, Ga. Since graduating from SCAD’s Film and Television program in 2011, he has gone on to write, direct, and produce a wide variety of projects including short films, documentaries, and plays. Accolades include Best Director in the 48 Hour Film Project, the award-winning short films Walkman, Grimoire, Telly Award-winning branded content, and several scriptwriting awards. In addition to his film work, he is also the Director of Creative Content at The Galloway School.
Beth Ashby is a Chicago-based writer/director whose directing credits include Behind You (2020), Walk (2020), and The Runt (2017). Before pursuing her MFA at Columbia College Chicago, she made branded digital series for clients including Build-a-Bear, Cepia, and SEGA. Her multiple awards include the grand prize in Champion Screenwriting Competition and second place in Scriptapalooza. She centers the narratives of misfits, as well as LGBTQ and neurodivergent characters, and believes storytelling that normalizes inclusion, empathy, and nonviolence is more than capable of keeping audiences enraptured.
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Started Mike Lewis Productions Inc. in Atlanta, GA in January 2014. Provided videography, photography, and graphic design services for local artists, events for community organization, and family milestones (weddings, birthdays, maternity, etc.). Currently work with non-profit organizations, filmmakers, and local artists around and outside the Atlanta area. Operate with a team specializing in creating digital content for social media, storytelling visuals, and streaming services.
Kevin Saunders
Lance J Reha
Roxanna (She/Her) is a director born and raised in Toronto. Since 2019, she’s made a splash as a commercial director, and now with her latest short film Queenbird, hopes to hit the ground running in the narrative world. Her style is refreshingly collaborative, an approach that is palpable on set. Empathizing with her talent and crew in a way only a fellow actor and producer can, Roxanna creates a safe and exploratory on-set environment, fostering fertile ground for fresh work. She is thrilled to share her latest narrative short, Queenbird, with the world - and is in the process of developing the feature version of this story.
Tucker Clement
Mana Tagami
Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Johnny Ray moved to Los Angeles with a blue-collar work ethic and mentality. He's written independent films and directed countless music videos. Including writing for "13 Reasons Why" Executive Producer Mandy Teefy, "New Girl" Tv show Actor Lamorne Morris, and Director King Hollis.
He segued into the Director seat shooting Rolling Stones top 10 songs, Rotimi's "Love Riddim". But his true passion outside of Writing & Directing has always been his charity, WARF which stands for (Where Are ouR Fathers). A charity dedicated to helping single fathers get back into their children's lives.
Johnny Ray partnered with business partner and powerhouse Director Josh Sikkema, in an effort to make a visually stunning film that speaks to the true challenges facing our country. "SOMETHING IN THE CLOUDS" is the first film born out of their camp that needs your contribution and support.
Born in the sprawling city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Josh Sikkema has created a name for himself both locally and in Los Angeles. Dropping out of college his freshman year, he used his government aid to purchase his first camera and laptop. He went on to work at a market 39 television news station for 4 years. Leaving Michigan, he took his television background along with the local entertainment production and set his sights on Los Angeles.
Since his journey in Los Angeles, he has worked with RCA records and worked with many of todays top recording artists. Working with the likes of Mya, Snoop Dogg, and super producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Josh's visuals have assisted over 1 billion streams worldwide, 2 billboard #1's, and 2 platinum records in both Italy and Australia.
Alongside his co director and business partner, Johhny McClain, Josh is now planting himself more in narrative short, commercial, and feature films.
Peter Luis Zimmerman
Mason Gillard was born and raised in Georgia and has worked in the film industry since 2018. He is an editor and VFX enthusiast currently working at a VFX house in Atlanta.
Kipp Adler
Sam Wilson
Evan Ostrow is a director, writer, Pennsylvania native, and Temple graduate with a BFA in Film & Media Arts. He has worked very closely with his team at Wild Oz Film since 2015 creating short films, and mock ads, that range vastly in style and genre. He believes strongly that it takes a creative collaboration to make a film, and not an individual. Without a team working hard together, nothing can be accomplished. He currently resides in Los Angeles, CA where he freelances as post-production editor.
Sho Watanabe
I started my career in word of art by writing. My 1st novel, AYDA IS RUNNING, was publishing in 2014 in Iran. Since 2018 l have written few orginal screenplay and l also was assistant director for couple of movies. My 1st short movie, MAHTAB which l wrote the screenplay and directed was completed in early 2022.
Mike Lewis
My name is Jean-François Rodrigues. I'm an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose aim is to make films that have a positive influence on society and future generations.
In 2020, we have seen the world plunge into turmoil over both the Covid19 global pandemic and the realization that climate change is real. Through this enduring year, I have come to understand that leaving our future in the hands of those who place profit before people and the well being of this planet, appears to be a lost cause. Nevertheless, in a planet with over 7 billion people, the potential of the individual is immense and En-masse they have the ability to influence markets towards less harmful and more environmentally friendly buying trends that can positively assist and benefit the planet. As a filmmaker, my hope is that my work goes in some way to bring about the necessary change required to leave the planet in a good place for future generations.
Chris Casaceli
Walter Ernest Haussner
Bruno Barranco
A.J. Ogilvie is an American screenwriter, director, and producer from North Carolina. He is a May 2015 graduate of North Carolina State University, where he studied English and graduated magna cum laude. Very visual and imaginative in boyhood, Ogilvie inherited his love of films from his father. He became interested in filmmaking in college, when he started screenwriting as a hobby. Another writer eventually encouraged him to start making films of his own.
John Hanninen is a graduate of the University of Alabama, from Tuscaloosa, AL, majoring in creative media with a minor in creative writing. This is his second film set and his first time directing! He’s super excited to bring his vision for this film to life!
Haley Seppa is a filmmaker, photographer, and digital artist with a degree in Film Studies from UC Berkeley and is currently pursuing her MFA in Cinema at San Francisco State University.
She is a first time Director, Producer, and Writer.
As an artist, she has a passion for representing the intimate and candid moments of relationships, whether they are friends, family, or anything else along the spectrum.
Many of her projects incorporate traditional narrative storytelling and framing, with the less represented discourse of queer relationships, thus allowing a space to subvert traditional representations and create new forms of critical inquiry in familiar visual language.
Her previous work includes Production Coordinator for the award winning Sundance feature film "Connected "and Production Assistant for "The Future Starts Here" AOL series and the "Let it Ripple: Mobile Films for Global Change" series by Tiffany Shlain.
As a human being, she loves cheeky humor, her grandmother’s minestrone, and fun swear words.
Linda Kudzmas is an independent animator based in a suburb of Philadelphia, PA. She started animating in college by using paper cut-outs filmed with a 16mm Bolex camera. After graduating, she was hired as full-time faculty in the animation department at the Art Institute of Philadelphia and taught there for over 22 years. During that time, Linda obtained mild success with her independent animation in the festival circuit. She took a leave of absence from teaching to animate and direct segments in season two of ‘VH1 Illustrated’ produced by Camp Chaos. Linda loves to read and is a huge fan of Roger Corman movies.
Gillian Moses is a Cinema student at Virginia Commonwealth University. Their passion for filmmaking extends through many departments, including writing and directing, cinematography, and editing.
Michal Joy Hall Bravo Ramírez & Rachel Lee Hall
Joy Gu grew up in the Washington DC area and is now studying Film/TV at Boston University. She currently works as an Assistant Director, Gaffer, and Production Assistant on various college shoots. This is her directorial debut.
Christoph Salzmann
2022 Award-Winning Filmmakers in the spotlight
Originally from Guangzhou, China, Lavender Haoru Liu is a freshman at New York University pursuing a BFA in Film and Television.
Emily Zhang is a first year student at New York University majoring in Film & T.V. Production.
Mabel Ryu is a female Korean filmmaker who studies Character Animation at CalArts.
I was born in High Point, NC, and grew up in Panama City, Panama, and Fort Valley, Georgia. Some of my earliest and most cherished memories are of watching condensed, silent versions of various feature films on the family's 8mm movie projector. Over the years I worked in various professions....civil aviation, career military officer, county government...but I always wanted to make movies.
Sean Perez is a graduate of The Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music (CQCM), Mackay - CQUniversity (BA Music, Specialisation Musical Theatre), The Western Sydney Institute of TAFE NSW (Cert IV Musical Theatre) & Cranebrook High School (Cert II & III Live Technical Production).
Sean directed his first play as part of CQCM's "Context" & "Busy As Usual: The Web Series" marks his professional debut as a director & writer and very proud to have won a festival with it.
Sean co-wrote & co-directed THE CONFESSIONIST with fellow actor GEORGE ZHAO and couldn't have asked for a better person to have made this film with seeing as this is his first short he's ever created.
Lilly Adams grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a city surrounded by art, and a vivacious want to create it. Growing up, there was no escaping cinema. Every summer the streets of downtown would be blocked as a new production filmed, in every coffee shop a casting call, and at home at night, a movie was on at the end of every day.
She originally began college at the Pennsylvania State University as a Media Studies major, desperate to figure out what it was that drew her to film; how could moving art hold so much baggage in between it's lines? Why did everyone she knew want to become a filmmaker?
She wound up on set one day as a production assistant and figured it out; it's the immense gratification that washes over someone when they get the perfect shot, when the actor delivers the line just right, and the realization that your film can send a message all in one shot. This inspiration never left her, she quickly switched to a Film/Video major that same semester, and the rest is history.
Natalie MacMahon & Nikola Drvoshanov
Daniel Leonard Bernardi
Matthew Long
Cody Myers is a filmmaker from Carlisle Pennsylvania who does commercial video and photography work under his company Myers Media. Whether he is working with individuals, small businesses, or nonprofits, he is always looking for a good story to share with the world. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Communication Studies from Shippensburg University.
Clennon L. King is a critically-acclaimed, award-winning documentary filmmaker whose films focus on the underrepresented experience of Africans in America, especially where it concerns their history, struggle and legacy.
Most recently his work includes two film shorts, 'The Boston Photograph' about a woman who dated MLK and studied with Coretta before the two met, and 'Albany, Georgia: A Lesson in Black Excellence' about the rich Black history of Albany where Du Bois, MLK and scores of other Black luminaries spent time.
He has produced a three-part series on COVID-19's impact on predominantly-Black Albany, Georgia, and multiple film shorts on the current Black Lives Matter Movement.
His films have been reviewed by The Boston Globe, The Atlanta Constitution and the Tampa Bay Times, and have been screened at multiple institutions, including Harvard University, Dartmouth College, University of Texas Austin and Georgia Tech.
Robert Howat
Nicholas Arnold Aska is a BIPOC film maker who is originally from Hyderabad, India. Today he lives in Toronto, Canada(Hollywood North). He is an engineer and did his Bachelors from Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences. Growing up he belonged to a middle-class family and hailed from a less developed part of Secunderabad which is a twin city of Hyderabad, in India.
His passion for film started even as a child, he would love watching films and was an avid film goer till he left India. He did not learn of his passion for film making till he was in his early thirties. He first wanted to be a novelist in his free time and wrote Bro Binny as a novel, but then his passion for film making was realized through some plays he watched at EMBASSY Church that threw out huge productions. He then went to a Prestigious Organization in Toronto and took some courses on film making and Direction.
Danny Ashkenasi
My name is Jason Tran, I am from Acworth Georgia. I first got introduced to film when I took my very first film class in high school. I immediately fell in love with filmmaking from that point on. I started working independently as a music video producer for local rappers around Atlanta. I had the opportunity to work with some big named people such as Rich Homie Quan and Waka Flocka. I decided to expand my knowledge in the filmmaking field and had the opportunity to work at Tyler Perry Studios. I was working as an assistant and was able to get my name out there. After a year with Tyler Perry, I just recently signed with Warner Brothers as a cameraman working for bleacher report!
Oriana Theo is an emerging filmmaker interested in exploring themes of morality, reality, perception, and identity through her films. Her goal is to always center nuanced female characters. She is currently a student at Vancouver Film School, and is working on her latest short film project.
Sam Moore
Gabriela Lopez
Joy Gu
Cody Leveski, originally from Michigan, moved to Texas to pursue his career as a civil engineer. Realizing his passion for film, he began freelancing videography and editing projects in the Austin, Texas area. After learning valuable skills creating videos for corporate clients, he followed his dream of creating a short film.
Erik Kadar
Carlos Ferrand was born in Lima, Peru. From Lima to Brussels, Paris and Vermont, he spent several years studying and wandering about but with film always at the core of his interests. For the past 40 years, he has worked in Canada as a screenwriter and director and has collaborated as director of photography on over fifty films, both fiction and documentary, including his latest feature documentary "Jongué, A Nomad’s Journey"; "13, A Ludodrama about Walter Benjamin," which made its international premiere at the 2019 Venice Film Festival; and "Americano," a road movie from Patagonia to the Arctic visiting friends and taking the pulse of the Americas, which has been presented in 25 festivals and won several prizes and nominations.
His interests vary from social issues to spirituality and the poetics of entertainment. He directed the first film made in Peru about African slaves, "Cimarrones"; then for InformAction Films "Visionaries" (Best Cinematography and Best Overall Sound at Hot Docs); and "The Magic Touch" about Dominique Lemieux, costume designer for Le Cirque du Soleil, which won three Gémeaux Awards, including Best Cultural Documentary.
He lives in Montreal with his family.
Staten Island, New York City, born and raised independent filmmaker who began making Super8mm films with his brother and friends as a young boy. Created an anthology of short horror and thriller films called, "The Mind's Eye", which put his own company, Lake Films, on the map as a force to be reckoned with in the independent film community. Now an established feature film director, he still resides in his hometown of Staten Island with his wife, Elizabeth.
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CJ Colando is an award-winning producer, writer and director who has worked closely with some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Since earning a film degree from Penn State University in 2014, he has received an invaluable firsthand education working on several high profile productions, under the directorial likes of Woody Allen and Jonathan Demme. This year he worked alongside Vince Vaughn as co-producer on the holiday comedy CHRISTMAS WITH THE CAMPBELLS starring Brittany Snow and Justin Long.
John Hanninen
D. F. Wright
I worked as an actor in both theatre and film for several years gaining valuable practical experience before turning to writing and directing for film.
My current science fiction comedy short film Professor Henry Bowfax's Fantastic Journey Through Time! has won The Golden Raptor Award at the 2022 Scottish Short Film Festival, Best Editing at the 2022 New Wave Film Festival Munich, Best Sci-Fi at the 2022 Tokyo International Short Film Festival, a Silver Award at the 2022 Spotlight Short Film Awards USA and an Honorable mention at the October edition of the 2021 Berlin Flash Film Festival.
My recent short action film Junction Zero was nominated for Best Apocalyptic Action at the 2021 End Of Days Film Festival USA, won a Gold Award at the 2021 Spotlight Short Film Awards USA and received an Honorable Mention at the March edition of the 2021 Berlin Flash Film Festival.
ANAZIA AKHALU
菲菲FEIFEI 仲ZHONG
Tomer Zvulun & Felipe Barral
Mana Tagami is a Japanese filmmaker and photographer. After graduating from high school in Japan, she graduated with a BA in film studies from the State University of New York in Oswego in 2011. She pursued her video editing career for Japanese broadcast company in New York City while directing short form contents for small businesses as well as her first short film, Daydreaming Nightmare which she faced creative and technical challenges. She carried on with her video editing career along with photography when she moved to London in 2016. In 2020, she won First Prize for Adobe x Vampire Weekend video editing competition. After moving back to NYC in 2020, she finalized post production for Daydreaming Nightmare and started working on another film with a theme around her life in London.
Ron Weisberg is Owner and Founder of Story Quest Studios in Albuquerque, New Mexico
He is also an Established, Actor, Writer, Producer and Film Acting Teacher.
Hélène Matte, Jérémie Thibault, Marco Chantal
Corey Malone
Benz Lutumama is an actor, photographer, videographer and production assistant; born in Lufu toto in 1984 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
An economics graduate from William Booth University in 2013, Benz has had a passion for images since childhood.
he began practicing photography for his family and friends while still in high school.
In 2006, he joined the professional world of cinema and television where he trained as an actor and production assistant, alongside Tshoper Kabambi, Papy Witshima and Thino Tshangay.
Since then, he has participated in numerous projects as an actor and production assistant in various positions.
Actor in such notable films as "Heart of Africa" by Tshoper Kabambi, "Matshozi" by Lupia, "a devil in my life" by Irene Vaweka. Assistant director of the short film "Mbote" which won the prize for the best French-speaking short film in 2014.
Since 2015, Benz has lived in Los Angeles, California (USA) where he evolves as a photographer and videographer and where he takes his first steps in cinema.
His first documentary film as a director is based on the story of a restaurant affected by the Corona virus pandemic and which is about to close, whose owner will do everything in his power to prevent its closing. does not risk losing his residence in the United States of America.
Sam Wilson is an award winning artist and filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. He recently was a recipient of the Fran Weiser Grant from Arri for his fantasy film project The Molok.
Mason James Gillard
Maria Juranic
Liza Asner
Rodney Roldan was born on July 20th, 1977 in New York, New York, USA as Rodney Manuel Roldan. He is known for Imperium (2016), Battledogs (2012), and A Gifted Man (2011). He is a current member of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation for Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), and Actors Equity Association (AEA).
Ashley Causey is a writer and director located in central Alabama. She is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and currently attends the University of Montevallo. She has directed three short films: "These Days (2021)", "Served Cold (2022)", and "Discovery (2022)".
Originally from Maryland, Kevin Saunders has enjoyed acting on stage and on film for more than ten years. Though initially from a theatre background, Saunders considers film acting his true passion. Still, he credits the stage with cultivating his love of performance. Now working in the Georgia market, Saunders is an active member in the Atlanta film community.
Saunders likes to keep busy, having appeared in several television shows, multiple national commercials, and a handful of short films. A versatile performer, he loves comedic roles but truly relishes in dramatic performances that evoke audiences' emotions. When he is not acting, Saunders also enjoys directing, producing, and writing.
Ashley P Causey
Jason Kelly Lee
SPOTLIGHT
FILM AWARDS
Jim and Nick Zounis raised in Adelaide South Australia have had a passion for film-making since childhood, producing a string of short films over the years in several styles and genres. Their desire and passion for the art has resulted with several awards from local and international film festivals. More recently the Horror/Comedy genre has been the focus of their work.
Gustav Wilde
Somaye Sepide Farahmandian
Ron Weisberg
Hélène Matte has been working in Québec City’s cultural scene for over twenty years as a multitalented free agent. She is a writer and a poet, a curator and a mediator, a performer and a visual artist, a mother and a citizen. Her artistic practice examines the notions of the voice, encounters and experimental poetry. She practices action art, draws and writes. While Matte has exhibited and performed in Europe, Canada and elsewhere in the Americas, she is also active locally, initiating, coordinating and supervising projects such as Apprentis poétes ! (Planète Rebelle, 2015) and Vies de Quartier (2016). Hélène Matte regularly publishes her work and has directed and produced numerous works of video poetry (Aurora Revelatìon, Fotogenia Festival 2020).
Marco Chantal is a cinematographer that specializes in editing and directing. He often works with young artists and helps them create their audiovisual projects
Anazia Akhalu moved to Los Angeles at 19 years old with $500 to start her modeling career, only to fall in love with script writing 3 short years later. The ambiguous content in her writing caused several different platforms to try and silence her voice, but she persists. She makes her first directorial debut with her short film "Black Vengeance" that she also wrote. This is the first of many, of course. She can't wait to take Hollywood by storm with her new, innovative, and quirky ideas!
Benz M Lutumama
Originally aiming to become a painter, he grew interested in film in late adolescence, after graduating from university with a degree in Film Production he was unable to work in the industry for several years due to injury and changed focus to writing, being published at sites such as Indiewire, Little White Lies and Filmmaker Magazine. When able to return to work properly he looked to put together his own projects, both short and feature, though these became curtailed by logistical issues and then covid. Once the pandemic ended he was able to put ‘I Do Not Exist’ into production
An immigrant from Yugoslavia, Maria Juranic is a director and editor working in New York and Los Angeles. She has made visuals on a variety of media platforms from music videos and advertising to fashion and film. She also teaches graduate students cinematography at Brooklyn College.
In the last decade, Maria has been writing and directing short form content for brands and companies as disparate as Conde Nast and Sesame Street. She recently directed the 10-part SnapChat Originals miniseries "Action Royale,” and her short documentary “RedBone” is currently distributed on NBC LX.
She is also sought out by labels such as Warner and Universal for her music videos. Her work has been seen on MTV, VH1, Rolling Stone and Nowness. Her latest music video for Poliça, "Agree," is a Vimeo Staff Pick, and her most recent branded spot won a 2019 Gold Telly Award. She is a recipient of the 2017 Jerome Foundation Grant and 2013 WIFT Grant.
Rob Levinson is a writer and director, known for the short-films, Outlaw (2017) and the award winning, Where Were You (2019)*. In addition to writing several short scripts, Levinson has written the features, Closure (2006) and An Unspoken Truth (2012). Many of Levinson's short plays have appeared on stage in the Northeast of the U.S.
Carlos Ferrand
Sean Perez &
George Zhao
Wilbur W Henderson
Robert Samad Wilentz
I am Felix Crumbsy. I am a writer/director from Decatur, GA. I have been writing and directing since my undergrad years at Albany State University. Growing up I had never considered filmmaking as a career. I believed that I would be a lawyer, but one morning during my freshman year I just decided that Law School wasn't for me, however, it did not take long for my passion to hit me. That night I watched David Fincher's "The Social Network" and from there I just had an inclination to tell stories. The film to me was so visual and the edit was tight with incredible pacing. To this day I can't tell you why this film grabbed, its not even my favorite film, but it did grab me and made me see my favorite movies and a completely different light. My eyes were opened to the wonders of filmmaking. Soon after I would enroll in film classes while earning my BA in English Literature. A few month after graduation I would enroll at Full Sail University where I earned my MFA in Film Production. It was at Full Sail that I learned how to be a better writer and director. To me this means that I have learned who I am as an artist.
I try to keep my work honest which means that my films emulate reality regardless of genre. I find that people resonate better with characters if they see themselves in the character. This is what helps me to direct my actors, the camera, collaborate with my DP's and editor and sound. Over the years I have been blessed with the ability to follow my passions and improve as a filmmaker. I aim to continue growing as my journey has only begun.
Mauricio Reyes is a Mexican-American filmmaker based in the Washington, DC- Metro region. He recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Video Studies with a concentration in Directing from George Mason University.
Mauricio has had a passion for film from a young age. Coming from an immigrant family, Mauricio grew up in a household where his morals and beliefs revolved around his family. Because of this his work explores the themes of family, tragedy, and self-discovery.
Ethan is a documentary filmmaker based in Atlanta, Ga. His work has been featured in Pitchfork, Stereogum, Oxford American, ArtsATL, Southern Foodways Alliance, and The Bitter Southerner. His award-winning short documentaries have made international festival rounds and his first feature-length documentary "The Green Flash" is in post-production.
Claudio Mühle
Kat Wilson is an experimental artist based in Northwest Arkansas, where she received her MFA and co-founded the non-profit gallery Bottle Rocket. Wilson's work is theatrical, participatory, and humanistic and often involves collaboration with others, including, in many photography projects, the subjects of the photos themselves. Early in her career, Wilson gained national success with her Habitats series of digital photographs, which, like her current #SelfieThrones and Warrior Women series, uses centuries-old compositional devices to create a sense of transcendence. Wilson's work has been published in Communication Arts, the Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post, displayed at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and projected at The Louvre, among many others.
Megan A. Zebrowski grew up in several places between Pennsylvania and New York State in the US. She earned her associates degree in TV production at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, NY. Then earned her bachelors in TV and Film Production when she moved to Southern California. After living several years in the Kanto region of Japan, she moved to New York City. She has worked as a video editor on projects including corporate videos, documentaries and short films. Later, she formed a writing partnership with her fiancée Marie Incontrera and best friend Dianne Gebauer. She is currently living with Marie in Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan.
Anne RAFFIN
Sung Hoon Choi
From line to colour, Anne Raffin is a background supervisor in animation cinema for adults and teenagers. Her exacting ethos and her capacity to grasp the essence of a great variety of graphic universes have landed her jobs to compose backgrounds in internationally recognized projects. Ranging from the airy atmospheres of Swallows of Kabul, through the darker moods of Crisis Jung to the realism of Lastman and Love Death and Robots. Her involvement as an intesectional feminist and her photographic explorations encompassing Parisian nightlife snapshots or the plurality of bodies and identities have provided constant inspiration for her body of work, from music videos to feature films. Raw beauty and commitment as a vital experience are at the chore of her artistic guideline.
Grant Lee Bomar
Jim & Nick Zounis
XIANG CAO
Yashira McCray (G'Zlle) is an American Director, Producer, and Writer. She Obtains a Bachelors' Degree in Film Directing and Screenwriting from GCU and AA in Media Arts from Collins College School of Film, Media, and Technology. Interned with Lionel C. Martin at Studio One Media and Radio station 98.3 in Phoenix, AZ. She became VP of Treyead Entertainment in 2006. Born in Panama, Colon, and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Currently residing in Hollywood, CA.
Shawn has been a photographer in the new media industry for five years. During college. Shawn owned his media studio. After graduation, he was admitted to the director photography department of film in New York Film Academic. He still working on his master's degree.
AKISAI M
Júlia Deák
Harrison Lubel Is a screenwriter, actor, and producer from Atlanta, Georgia. He studied both theater and film at Columbia College Chicago and then furthered his acting training at Cap 21 Conservatory in New York City. After working in the industry in New York City for 11 years, Harrison has recently relocated to his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.