MEET OUR INDUSTRY PANELISTS
The 2nd Annual International Project Discovery Forum offers a variety of programs to the visiting filmmakers whose preselected projects are presented to a panel of prestigious professionals. Included are free industry events, open to the public, offering incredible educational and networking opportunities. Our way of giving back to the community and bolstering the next generation of filmmakers!
PARTICIPANTS
Joseph Beyer (Digital Initiatives, Director, Sundance Institute) currently works as Director of Digital Initiatives for Sundance Institute where he managed the development team and launch of the Sundance Institute #ArtistServices Initiative under the direction of Executive Director Keri Putnam and the Board of Trustees. #ArtistServices provides exclusive creative funding, distribution, marketing and theatrical support to 6,000+ Sundance Institute alumni artists.
Bobette Buster (Screenwriter, Busterfilms), Group Presentation, is the author of DO STORY: How To Tell Your Story So The World Listens (Do Book Co., 2013), and is currently producing the feature documentary SOUND! THE MOVIE. She is a regular story consultant for major studios including Disney, Cattleya (Rome) and Lazennac Prods (Paris). Buster is both a graduate of and Adjunct Professor in the USC Peter Stark Producing Program, where she created the first MFA curriculum for Feature Film and Television Development, "The Art and Craft of Cinematic Storytelling."
Paul Federbush (International Director, Feature Film Program, Sundance Institute) joined the Sundance Institute last year with 17 years experience as an acquisitions and distribution executive, spanning both the independent and studio film communities. Federbush worked hands-on with exhibitors and media outlets to market and distribute nine independent documentary and feature films while partnered in distribution company Red Flag Releasing, as well as serving as Senior Vice President of Production and Acquisitions at Warner Bros' specialized division, Warner Independent Pictures (WIP).
Susanna Fogel is a Los Angeles-based writer-director who currently serves as co-creator and executive producer of Chasing Life, an hour-long television series for Lionsgate and ABC Family that will premiere on June 10th, 2014. Previously, Fogel and writing partner Joni Lefkowitz coauthored several scripts for film and television including the HBO pilot The Washingtonienne (2008) and an original webseries for Warner Brothers entitled Joni and Susanna, which she also directed. Fogel recently directed her first feature film, LIFE PARTNERS.
Anna Germanidi (Festival Director, Slamdance Film Festival) grew up in Athens, Greece, where her early love for film got her involved with the Athens International Film Festival. Now the Festival Director of Slamdance Film Festival in Los Angeles, Anna also programs for the festival and screens for the Los Angeles Film Festival.
Steak House (Producer), IPDF One-on-One, produced the indie favorite BY HOOK OR BY CROOK (2002), a Sundance premiere and five-time Best Feature winner. Her films have long enjoyed success on the festival circuit, including at the Los Angeles Film Festival, Tribeca, Outfest and four films at Sundance. House runs the LA based Steakhaus Productions with Dominic Ottersbach and Bryan T. Donovan. Their indie romantic comedy, WEATHER GIRL, premiered at Slamdance 2009 and sold to Screen Media, Regent & Lifetime. Their current film HALF TRUTH is a semi-finalist in the Netflix FIND Your Voice competition.
Athena Kalkopoulou (San Francisco Film Society), IPDF Panelist/Film development Roundtable, oversees the Film Society's Project Development and Documentary program providing consultation and support to hundreds of filmmakers throughout all stages in the production of their projects - from conception of an idea to the development and execution of effective fundraising and audience engagement strategies. She is a part of the San Francisco Film Society's Filmmaker360 team that has recently funded SHORT TERM 12 (2013), FRUITVALE STATION (2013), BEAST OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (2012) and CUTIE AND THE BOXER (2013) among others.
Currently a talent manager at Thruline Entertainment, Christina Karakasidis, One-on-One, has been working in talent representation for more than seven years. Upon moving to Los Angeles in 2008, she assisted JJ Harris and Graciella Sanchez at One Talent Management. In 2009, she began working under Ron West, a partner and founder of Thruline Entertainment. After being promoted to manager, she developed a client list including Christian Serratos (The Walking Dead),Valorie Curry (The Following), Laz Alonso (FAST AND FURIOUS), Annabeth Gish (The Bridge), Liza Lapira (Super Fun Night), AJ Buckley (Justified), Scott Haze (CHILD OF GOD) and Jordan Hayes (Helix.)
Stelana Kliris introduces in a case study her film COMMITTED, that will be presented at the 8th Los Angeles Greek Film Festival. Kliris is a South African Cypriot writer/director with a background in editing and production on international films and commercial productions. COMMITTED (2014) is her first feature film.
Ana Kokourina (VP of Production/Fox International), IPDF Panelist, is the Vice President of Fox International Productions. Fox International Productions is a division of 20th century Fox that develops, produces and distributes local language films worldwide.
Missy Laney (#ArtistServices, Sundance Institute) has guided over 100 artists through successful Kickstarter campaigns totaling $4.5 million dollars since joining Sundance Institute in 2012, including Sean and Andrea Fine's Oscar-winner INNOCENTE, Jehane Noujaim's THE SQUARE and Chloe Zhao's LEE. She began her career at Sundance in the esteemed Feature Film Program and was later recruited to join the Institute's #ArtistServices, a creative distribution initiative working with iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and other partners.
Eddie Richey (Screenwriter), Screenplay Feedback, has worked 21 years as a screenwriter, including a stint in TV. Currently, he has two feature scripts and two TV pilots "in play." He blogs about neglected writers, films, and musicians for Jill Cutler's Hollywood Journal.
After earning an MFA in Film Producing, Srdjan Stakic (Producer), IPDF Panelist, joined YOMYOMF, a Justin Lin company, where he served as the in-house line producer/producer, overseeing production on 40 web series each year. Stakic also executive produced YELLOW FACE (2013), a feature film based on a Pulitzer Prize-nominated play by Tony Award®-winning playwright David Henry Hwang. Most recently, Stakic started his own production company with filmmaker Kai Barry, and they just wrapped on a feature film called NEWCOMER starring award-winning Anthony LaPaglia.
Matthew Takata (Manager, Feature Film Program, International, Sundance Institute), One-on-One, is the Manager for the Feature Film Program's international work at Sundance Institute. His focus is on international outreach and selection for the Institute's Screenwriters and Directors Labs, and the annual Sundance Institute | Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award.
Kelly Thomas (Producer/VP, Incubator Initiative), IPDF Panelist/Film Development Roundtable, has more than 10 years of experience producing independent features and is VP of JuntoBox Films' Incubator Initiative. Prior to JuntoBox, she was the Producer in Residence for Film Independent's Artist Development programs and in that capacity managed and curated labs for writers, directors, producers, and documentary filmmakers. Kelly has worked with acclaimed directors Rodrigo Garcia, Phedon Papamichael, Robin Swicord, and Brad Silberling.
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