Hagatna, GUAM USA - The Guam International Film Festival (GIFF) is proud to announce Tom Brislin, Ph.D. as Head Juror of the 2013 GIFF Grand Jury panel. Professor Brislin has played a vital role in the diligence of materializing the Festival's community and educational outreach via his highly-attended industry workshops of past GIFF Festivals. Festival organizers are also excited to announce that the original Grand Jury members are returning for the 2013 season. "We're very pleased to have the stellar panel back for year three", says Festival Programmer Kel Muna. He adds, "Tom, Gabrielle, Dan and Bal have been very keen on awarding independent gems".

A number of notable independent films have earned their first U.S. awards here at GIFF and have subsequently gone on to win major awards at other film festivals across the globe. Films such as "Boundary" (PHILIPPINES) by director Benito Bautista, "Night Market Hero" (TAIWAN) by director Yeh Tien-Lun which was one of the most anticipated films in Taiwan, and "Jesus Hospital" (KOREA) by directors Sang-Cheol Lee and Ah-Ga Shin have all won top honors from the GIFF Grand Jury members.

Films awarded in their respective categories will be announced during the 2013 GIFF Festival Award Ceremonies (date and time TBD).

Here's a look at the 2013 GIFF Grand Jury panel:

TOM BRILSIN, Ph.D
Head Juror

Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at University of Hawai'i, Professor Brislin's broad media career began on Guam. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree and Ph.D in Mass Communications and film at Ohio State University. His specialty areas include indigenous Film, Media Ethics, international and intercultural Journalism and Mass Communication.

He was twice a Fulbright Scholar in Germany, and has led teaching and research projects at three major universities in Japan. Brislin administers the programs, including ethics and film at the Hawai’i International Film Festival, of the Carol Burnett Fund for Responsible Journalism and is on the board of the Journal of Mass Media Ethics.

GABRIELLE KELLY
Juror

Gabrielle Kelly is an Associate Arts Professor for New York University, Tisch Asia School of the Arts and is on the Board of Directors for the British Academy of Film and Television, Women in Film and Co-Founder of the International Alliance of Women Cinematographers.

She is a Fulbright Scholar Senior Specialist/Media & Communications, screenwriter & producer of feature and indie films, with extensive international indsutry experience including projects with Paramount Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros., Dreamworks, Marvel Comics, HBO, CBS Film & Television, Cannes Film Festival and USC School of Cinematic Arts.

DANIEL FERRANTI
Juror

DW Ferranti studied film at New York University and Theater at UMass, Boston. Active in the underground theater scene in Boston and later New York, he co-founded Boston's Acme Theatre and was a frequent collaborator with The House of Borax. While working with House of Borax he started working in New Media when it was actually new producing live netcasts of theater, sketches, and a live rock and roll interview show long before the era of live blogs, podcasts, and YouTube.

Much to his surprise, he found himself living in Los Angeles where he has worked on a wide array of projects uniting theater, film and the digital realm, such as state of the art interactive theatrical campaigns, DVD special features, original comedy shorts, viral marketing campaigns and independent feature films including "This Film Is Not Yet Rated" for Academy Award nominated director, Kirby Dick, and "Satan Hates You" for James Felix McKenney. He currently works as a consultant in Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, primarily working for the Warner Archive Collection.

He is beyond honored to participate in GIFF - Guam is his favorite place he has never visited!

BALTAZAR AGUON
Juror

Baltazar Aguon is an active educator and producer/writer/director. Baltazar received a Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute’s Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Guam.

Aguon is also the author of I Dos Amantes, a short story based on the Guam legend of the Two Lovers, and was awarded Best Editorial in the 3rd Guam Annual Media Awards for his entry “Why Celebrate Discovery Day?” He scripted, stage-managed, designed and constructed sets for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the XI South Pacific Games, and the Guam leg of the 2000 Sidney Olympic Torch Relay & Lighting Ceremony. Aguon currently teaches Communications at the University of Guam, and is a producer for PBS Guam.