Jurors & Judges

2019 Film Jurors

We’re proud to begin sharing our list of exciting jurors! Submit to the competition and have your films viewed by industry insiders. This year we have judges from FilmRise, New Form, POV on PBS, Seven Summits, and Writ Large and many others. We will begin announcing jurors in our newsletter so keep an eye out!

Juror Spotlights – Narrative Feature

Garineh Nazarian handles festival and non-theatrical screenings of titles at FilmRise, a major indie distribution company based in NY. Before joining FilmRise, she ran her own distribution company working with Iranian filmmakers to present Iranian cinema to North American audiences.

Ashley Edward Miller is a film and television writer best known for Thor and X-Men: First Class. Most recently in television, Ashley wrote and produced for the second season of Lore on Amazon Prime, and the critically acclaimed fourth season of Black Sails on Starz. He also worked as a writer-producer on Fringe and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Ashley is currently hard at work as Executive Producer on a new adult anime series for Netflix, as well as developing a number of feature projects at multiple studios.

Dark Matters Feature

Dave Kajganich is a screenwriter and producer in both television and features, having come to filmmaking from studying fiction writing at the University of Iowa Writers Workshop. He’s most recently written an adaptation of Tim Winton’s THE RIDERS for Ridley Scott, an adaptation of the YA novel BONES AND ALL for director Antonio Campos, and he will soon begin his third feature collaboration with director Luca Guadagnino. In previous lives, Dave has been a university professor, a professional wilderness guide, and, for one surreal year, an ethics officer at a Manhattan insurance company. He quit this last job after having been asked to do unethical things.

Documentary Short

Chloe Gbai serves as POV Shorts & Streaming Producer where she leads POV’s streaming strategy and, in 2018, launched POV Shorts, which earned POV it’s third documentary short Oscar nomination. Her work has appeared on Teen Vogue, HBO, VH1, Logo TV, and been chosen as a Vimeo staff pick. She is a New York native and proud to say that she grew up on channel 13, WNET.

Student Short

Kevin Hamedani began his filmmaking career with the feature ZMD: ZOMBIES OF MASS DESTRUCTION. Produced by Academy Award nominee John Sinno (IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS) the film went on to receive critical acclaim showing in film festivals worldwide.  ZMD was acquired by Lions Gate and premiered theatrically in January, 2010. In 2013 Hamedani’s second feature, JUNK won the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival and stars Brett Davern (MTV’s “Awkward”), Jake Johnson (“New Girl”), and James Hong (BLADE RUNNER) with music by OK GO. In June of 2015, Hamedani won is second audience award for his short film IN HER PLACE at the LA Film Festival. Starring Sheila Vand (A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT), the feature is currently in development. In 2016, Hamedani was chosen as one of “25 Screenwriters to Watch” by Moviemaker Magazine and the Austin Film Festival. Hamedani’s latest script, THE SAVIORS, was selected on the 2017 Black List. Ben Stiller and his production company, RED HOUR is producing with Hamedani directing. Finally, Hamedani is the producer/showrunner of a new television show currently executive produced by Donald De Line (Ready Player One).

Matt Dartnell is a California-bred literary manager with a deep love for film, television, podcasts, and the unique voices and strange perspectives that generate these stories. His specialty is helping creatives navigate the ups and downs of Hollywood while developing great material for a variety of mediums. When not at the office, you can find him watching genre films, eating burgers, or hanging out with his dog.

Narrative Short

Felicia D. Henderson is the award-winning creator of the Emmy-nominated hit Soul Food: the series, television’s first successful drama featuring African Americans.  Currently, Felicia co-executive produces the Netflix adaptation of Marvel’s The Punisher and has signed a multi-year deal at 20th Century Fox to write, produce and direct television dramas and comedies.  Under this deal, she is a consulting producer on Fox’s Empire.  She also co-created and executive produced The Quad, a one-hour drama for BET Networks, named one of the “Top 15 Shows to Watch” by The New York Times in 2017.

Mike Vanderhei is an LA based Literary Manager and Producer at Seven Summits Pictures & Management where he has been building a roster of young, diverse voices primarily for television working on staffing and developing their original materials. Mike’s clients have written on series such as LOVECRAFT COUNTRY, SMILF, MARVEL’S AGENTS OF SHIELD, CHARMED, THE NEVERS among others. In 2018, Mike set up original projects with multiple studios and networks while also being attached to produce two original pilots with one selling to Freeform with Co-Producer Jeremy Elice.
Originally from Chicago, Mike started his career in sports journalism during where he was a sideline reporter for The Chicago Bears at WONU Chicago. He then finished his Bachelors in Los Angeles that provided him an opportunity in scripted development at AMC Networks working on all of their outstanding original series while also producing the Award Winning short film THE INTERVIEW which was Academy Award eligible though the USA Film Fest. After spending a year at the network, Mike moved into representation where he worked at several companies before being upped to Manager, he joined veteran manager / producer John Ufland at Protocol Entertainment for several years before moving to Seven Summits where he currently resides.

Digital Series presented by Stage 13

Kathleen Grace is a Los Angeles based creative executive, producer, and writer. She is the CEO of New Form, a digital studio that creates premium series for the mobile first generation. Since launching New Form she has developed and produced 43 pilots, with 23 projects being sold into series to TBS, go90, Freeform, CW The Seed, Refinery29 and many more. Prior to New Form Grace was the driving force behind the concept, build out and development of the YouTube Spaces initiative, establishing studios in London, Tokyo, Los Angeles and New York. She has also created several notable web series as an independent producer and creator, including the critically acclaimed The Burg and Vuguru’s mockumentary, The All for Nots. Most recently, she co-wrote and produced Replay for go90 and created the Facebook Watch series, 365 Days of Love which is executive produced by and stars Sofia Vergara.

 

Stay tuned for more juror announcements and submit today to throw your hat into the ring!

2019 Screenplay & Teleplay Judges

2019 SCRIPT COMPETITION JUDGES

Austin Film Festival has assembled a panel of influential industry judges to read and determine the Semifinalists, Finalists, and winners of this year’s competition. We are proud to announce the following confirmed judges:

SCREENPLAY COMPETITION JUDGES

Tony Gil, Manager – Gotham Group

Amy Berg, Writer, Producer – Person of Interest, Shut Eye, Counterpart

Meta Velantic, AD, Producer – Castle, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Donors

Diana Williams, EVP of Content – Madison Wells Media Universe

Matt Dy – Manager, Lit Entertainment Group

More to be announced!

PLAYWRITING COMPETITION JUDGES

Judges to be announced!

SCRIPTED DIGITAL SERIES COMPETITION JUDGES

Ryan Hall – Head of Development, Rooster Teeth

Francesca Smith – Development Coordinator, New Form Digital

Stage 13

FICTION PODCAST COMPETITION JUDGES

Tim Street – Vice President, Influence & Production, Authentic

2018 Fiction Podcast Script Judges

2019 Judges to be announced soon!

• Chris Bannon, chief content officer for Stitcher and its growing network of original shows including hit podcasts HEAVEN’S GATE, KATIE COURIC, LEVAR BURTON READS and WOLVERINE: THE LONG NIGHT
• John Dryden, creator of the hit BBC podcast TUMANBAY and Peabody-winning writer/director of audio drama
• Jocelyn Gonzales, executive producer, STUDIO 360
• Lauren Shippen, writer/creator THE BRIGHT SESSIONS, Since its debut in November of 2015, the podcast has won numerous awards, and was named iTunes Best of 2016. Lauren was named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 in Media for 2018
• Tim Street, Vice President, Influence & Production, Authentic