Atlanta Spotlight Film Awards

Felipe is a writer and director with a bachelors degree in Communications from Florida International University. His passion for storytelling and film led him to his first project “They Prefer Richards” for which he won the Gold award for best first time director at the September 2022 Independent Shorts Awards. He is currently working on several short film projects, a pilot and a play. He resides in Miami Florida. 

Alex Lugo is a second-generation actor, filmmaker, and founder of Vitruvian Films. Raised in a family of artists in Miami, Alex is the son of Daniel Lugo, a prominent Puerto Rican film and television actor. He trained at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in NYC and is an alumnus of the American Theatre Wing’s SpringboardNYC program. In 2022, Alex won the Platinum Award for Best Actor at the Independent Shorts Awards for his portrayal of twin brothers Guy and Dre in the dark comedy short 'They Prefer Richards'. Aside from his creative pursuits, Alex graduated with a B.S. in Mathematics from Florida International University and is a Senior Software Engineer at Square, leading one of the company's Artificial Intelligence initiatives. In December 2023, he presented at the NYC AI Summit on the topic of Agentic AI, the next generation of Artificial Intelligence. His passion for acting and storytelling, coupled with his experience in tech culminated in his directorial debut, 'Project Penelope'. He currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia, and is represented by Atlanta Models & Talent (AMT).

Gloria Faron Podlecka is a film director based in Atlanta, born in Poland. Her work is marked by its unique aesthetic, inviting audiences to delve into narratives that transcend the superficial and touch upon the very essence of human existence. She has consistently sought to unearth the deeper layers of storytelling, drawing viewers into a world of introspection and contemplation.
Having received a solid education in New Media at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Art, further honed her film prowess at the Savannah College of Art and Design.   

Director Chris Darna grew up in the Cincinnati area and moved to Atlanta shortly before high school. Here he found and nurtured a passion and love for both filmmaking and films alike. Throughout college, Chris worked on many student short films and when the opportunity presented itself to direct his own, he directed "A Mile in Your Skin". Chris has aspirations to continue working as a director and writer into the future.

Alessio Pasqua was born in 1986 in Cosenza. At 17, he attended a training course for film directors at the Accademia del Cinema e della Televisione in Cosenza. At 19, he moved to Rome, where he started working on various TV and film sets. He collaborates with production companies in different roles: from video assistant to assistant director to production assistant, and works with famous directors such as Paolo Sorrentino, Michele Placido, Dario Argento, Robert Dornhelm, Alex Infascelli, Uberto Pasolini and many others. His real role is behind the camera. In 2009, he started producing and directing several short films with many famous actors such as Giorgio Tirabassi, Claudia Pandolfi, Peppino Mazzotta, Alessandro Sperduti, Federico Pacifici, Esther Elisha and received numerous awards from national and international film festivals. During that period, he produced the short film ‘Messages from Outside’ and won the ‘Genova film festival 2014’. He participates in the Best Italian Short 2014 and the ‘Short Film Corner’ at the Cannes Film Festival 2015. The Lavazza Film Festival chooses him for a tour in Australia and he is invited as a guest at ‘Kme Movie 2015’. In 2013 he works as a film teacher at the ‘Officina delle arti’ theatre and in various workshops in primary and high schools. In 2023 he founded ‘Yagi Media’ a film production and distribution company in Rome.

Wes Tian is a 15-year-old artist from Chicago, Illinois. From a very young age, Wes has had a passion for writing, directing, and acting. Tian has starred on Disney+ TV series “Doogie Kamealoha M.D.” (2021-2023) as "Brian Patrick Kamealoha", as well as creating his own award winning films. 

Donavan Richard, aka DonCartel, is a filmmaker fascinated by brutality in human relationships. Graduating in screenwriting from L'inis in 2015, he wrote two short films: Motel Paradise and Larry de la buanderie. Since then, he has founded his own digital content production company, "DonCartel inc.", where he puts his creativity to work on a variety of projects. Now equipped to tell stories, in 2023 he wrote, directed and produced his 1st independent short film, Le Chasseur, which was selected for 34 festivals around the world and won a few awards along the way. He is currently working on his 2nd short film, The Images Seller, which will have its world premiere at Fantasia in summer 2024, while preparing the production of his 3rd short film, Nightfall, which he will shoot in autumn 2024.

Christian Blaque Meier is a filmmaker based in Atlanta, Ga, with over a decade of experience in producing, writing, and acting. His career is defined by a commitment to delivering high-quality content and collaborating effectively with talented professionals. He has honed expertise in story development, creative producing, and production management.
His acting credits span stage productions, film, and television, including notable roles in Hulu’s "Single Drunk Female" and Peacock’s "Happiness Playbook". Christian has written and produced narrative works such as the feature film “Dementophobia” and made his directorial debut with "The Murder on Cape Melancholy", which garnered acclaim at the Atlanta Film Fest, earning an encore screening on the festival's final night. His narratives blend humor and depth, resonating across diverse genres and inviting audiences to explore the complexities of the human experience. Christian remains dedicated to crafting meaningful stories that connect with audiences, driven by his passion for the art of filmmaking. 

Dr. Shireen Rahimi is a marine scientist, visual media storyteller and the founder of Lightpalace Productions. She has traveled across the globe showcasing humanity’s impact on the planet’s rapidly changing waters—from the seas of the Caribbean to the Coral Triangle. Her work focuses on one of the earliest and most significant ecological casualties of global warming: tropical coral reefs. With her expertise in photography, underwater filming and science communication, Shireen has been featured as a contributor on National Geographic Sharkfest and ABC’s Localish, and was named a Nautica ocean conservation Wavemaker. She has created work for The Nature Conservancy, Parley for the Oceans, National Geographic Magazine, Oceana, Dell Technologies, ESPN, COP28 Dubai, Sierra Magazine, PBS, and film festivals around the world. Through every aspect of her practice, Shireen is dedicated to telling emotional, character-driven stories that encourage action around the current climate crisis.

Nicholas Markart is a writer, director and editor. His films have been featured in festivals such as Cannes International Film Festival, the Student BAFTA Awards, and Hollyshorts. He's worked for Warner Brothers Television and for companies such as Anheuser-Busch, Uhome and Thuma Mattresses.

His most recent directorial effort was a behind-the-scenes story of Bernie Mac's rise to fame while battling sarcoidosis, a deeply personal film inspired by his own family’s experience with sarcoidosis.

Marcello Ercole is a filmmaker based out of Italy, who is passionate about documentaries, cinema and photography. While co-owning Illusion Video Productions, he carries out visuals and documentaries.

Originally from Peguis First Nation, Pete Kolopenuk (Swampy Cree) is a talented and ambitious Indigenous Filmmaker, Producer, Director, Editor, Drone Pilot and Writer based in Treaty 4 and Treaty 6 Territory.  After lengthy careers in both the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Oilfields, Pete boasts a deep appreciation of the industry and a relentless work ethic.  Pete's Military Career consisted of two deployments to Europe '06 and Afghanistan '08 with the First Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery.