Jury 2025

Shehzad Hameed Ahmad is an investigative journalist, executive producer, and freelance documentary filmmaker with experience that spans over 20 years, directing over 100 documentary films. Ahmad’s work has advanced our understanding of the world by filming some of the most difficult-to-access stories, ranging from embedding with the III percenter white militia group in the backwaters of Alabama, uncovering Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed’s group Lashkar-e-Taiba, unmasking the Hindutva-RSS-backed fake news peddlers in Rajasthan, exposing the strategies of female ISIS recruiters in Marawi, covering Nepali child marriages and underage dowry deaths, exposing illegal gold miners in Brazil's protected Amazon rainforests, going underwater to reveal the coral bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef, and filming with the Taliban during the War against Terror in Afghanistan.

Shehzad’s award-winning work has been broadcast on Al Jazeera, TVF International, Toggle, Dawn News, VICE, National Geographic, TV Ontario, Deutsche Welle, CNA, Crime & Investigation Channel, and others. Ahmad was honored with the Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation from the King of Spain in 2014. Shehzad’s documentaries have also won a record 10 World Medals at New York Festivals, 3 Global Media Awards in Germany, a Green Image Award in Japan, 2 Silver Awards at the Handle Climate Change Film Festival in China, Singapore's Mediacorp News Award of the Year 2015, and the Gender Equality Impact Change-maker Award Singapore 2020, along with winning Pakistan’s Journalist of the Year award. Shehzad is a distinguished Fulbright scholar and holds a master’s in documentary filmmaking from New York University.

Michel Alraun has been a board member of the SWISSFILM ASSOCIATION for several years. The association represents Swiss companies in the film production industry that professionally produce corporate films and other audiovisual productions.

As a producer and CEO, he works at Maybaum Film – a company he co-founded in 2006, which has since established itself as one of the leading addresses for corporate film productions in Switzerland.

Adjani Arumpac is an independent Filipina documentary filmmaker, educator, and researcher. A recipient of the UK Government Chevening Scholarship, she earned her Master of Arts in Digital Media and Cultural Studies from Goldsmiths, University of London. As a tenured faculty member at the University of the Philippines Film Institute, she combines academic rigor with creative practice, fostering socially engaged storytelling through her teaching, research, and artistic works. Her works have been showcased in local and international festivals and biennales. Notable venues include the Gwangju Biennale, the Asia-Pacific Triennial, and film festivals such as the Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen, Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, DMZ International Documentary Film Festival, ChopShots Documentary Film Festival, Taiwan International Documentary Film Festival, Jocelyne Saab’s Cultural Resistance International Film Festival, DMZ International Documentary Film Festival, Taiwan International Documentary Film Festival, among others.

Franz-Josef Baldus is managing director of the Snack-Content Company (SCC) Deutschland. Since 2013, the beginning of the short video age, he has been creating and producing snack content for numerous brands, organizations, and companies, including Coca-Cola, Porsche, German Doctors, Vaillant, Volksbank Raiffeisenbank and many others.
Over the last ten years Franz-Josef has published numerous blog articles on topics like storytelling, short videos, smartphone videography, content production and so on, and has taught as a guest lecturer at the Jung von Matt Academy and the CBS International Business School.

May is a filmmaker and music enthusiast who believes documentaries can change the world. When she’s not crafting compelling narratives, you might find her hunting for rare vinyl records or analyzing the sonic landscapes of her favorite films. But beyond her artistic passions, May is a heavyweight in video production and creative media, with an award-winning career spanning film, television, and digital content. Her work has earned industry-wide recognition, leading to her role as a jury member for the prestigious 2024 and 2025 US International Awards in Los Angeles.

Currently, she leads as Head of Production at Gen Plus in Riyadh, KSA, shaping the region’s creative landscape. Before that, she commanded a 60+ member team as Senior Director and Head of Production at VICE Media KSA, overseeing bold, boundary-pushing content.

May’s ability to build media empires from the ground up was proven earlier in her career when she spearheaded the launch of CNN Business Arabic as Head of Creative & Visual, defining its entire visual and content identity. She’s also lent her expertise as a Production & Operations Consultant for Snap Inc. in Dubai, helping bring Snap Originals to the MENA market, and led digital innovation as Head of Video at Motivate Media Group (including their EXPO 2020 projects).

Whether composing the perfect scene, mentoring creative teams, or dissecting the symbiosis of sound and image, May thrives where artistry and strategy collide—always with an impeccable soundtrack guiding the way.

For nearly 45 years Peter Beck has been working in the department of film, storytelling and digital content creating.

Sophie Bell's career journey has been marked by a deep-seated passion for storytelling and a commitment to authenticity. Beginning her career in journalism and documentary filmmaking, Sophie honed her skills in uncovering compelling narratives and shedding light on social issues and human experiences with sensitivity and depth.
As the media landscape evolved, Sophie recognised the potential of branded content and commercial advertising as powerful platforms for storytelling. Embracing this shift, she integrated her expertise into the world of marketing, firstly producing work for the World Economic Forum and moving on to create captivating campaigns for renowned clients such as Google, Nokia, Brand USA, Hyundai, Wiley, and the National Trust.

In 2022, Sophie embarked on a new chapter in her career by joining creative agency Toast as managing director. Here, she brings her unique perspective to the table, leading the team in crafting innovative and bold solutions for clients who seek to go beyond the conventional boundaries of marketing. With her deep understanding of both commercial imperatives and the art of storytelling, Sophie is dedicated to delivering work that resonates with audiences, driving meaningful connections between brands and consumers. Leveraging Toast's strong heritage in TV commercial advertising, Sophie is excited to further enhance the agency's creative offerings and continue pushing the boundaries of storytelling in the ever-evolving media landscape.

Vinit Borrison is an award-winning director of photography who has worked internationally for over 15 years. Vinit continues to work alongside notable directors and crews who have fostered his extensive experience and expertise in the film industry. His body of work encompasses a variety of genres including music videos, commercials, documentaries, television series, and feature films. The rich diversity of this work affirms his versatility as a cinematographer and filmmaker. Vinit has a well-established reputation for leading innovation in camera technology. He is proud to be one of the first in the country to adopt 8K cameras, drone technology, lightweight gimbals, and virtual reality/augmented reality cameras, including proprietary systems which he created and designed. With every project, Vinit is constantly pushing boundaries with progressive technologies, and adopts innovative and creative techniques resulting in groundbreaking cinematography.

Nicky Bullard was the first creative woman to be named chairwoman of a UK marketing agency. Later becoming European Chair, as well as one of AdAge’s Leading Women in Europe. She has featured in the Financial Times HERoes list 3 times, is a multi-awarded writer across almost every discipline and medium and is a regular judge on international and local awards juries.

Nicky describes herself as a creative activist, having led and created work for some incredible organizations such as UN Women, the domestic violence organization NoMore and Women for Women International. And in February this year, she delivered her OutrAGE speech at the United Nations, calling out ageism in the industry and the work it puts into the world.

Stéphanie Caudron has over 15 years of experience in corporate communication and content production for major corporations and institutions, with deep expertise in video production.

Since 2022, she has been contributing to the growth of corporate communications at Maison Hennessy by conceiving and producing more luxurious and digital content tailored to both French and international audiences.

Jeremy, a Marseille native, moved from the south of France to Paris early on to attend film school, where he began his constant search for harmony and perfection in images.

Since then, Jeremy Charbit has traveled the globe extensively, directing and experimenting in beautiful film, leading him to develop his own unique sense of storytelling.

His body of work covers all aspects of beauty film and fashion advertising — vivid worlds with bold art direction, polished cinematic imagery, macro and staged product shots, and lifestyle-esque portrait pieces — and includes award-winning projects for prestigious brands like Sephora, Essie, Citroën, and Intimacy.

His multi-awarded Kusmi Tea campaign was a major breakthrough that won awards at prestigious festivals and industry prizes.

His campaign for Joon, the new millennial-focused sister airline from Air France, also got him extra recognition as he worked with the brand to help establish their visual identity through the vibrant, high-energy piece, which has been highlighted in publications including Forbes and Adweek.

Jeremy’s career-long focus on visual innovation often leads to a balance between both daring and elegant and always features beautifully composed shots. It is also inherent in his well-honed technique as a photographer and expertise working with CGI. Jeremy Charbit is renowned for storytelling that is visually driven and beautifully art directed and styled, particularly in the beauty and fashion categories.

Jeremy’s skills have been sought after for numerous projects involving celebrities such as Bruce Willis; Dmitriy Nagiev (one of the most prominent figures in Russian show business); French soccer player Olivier Giroud (2018 FIFA World Cup champion); music artists Valeriy Syutkin, Molly, and the rapper Face; as well as Asian superstars like Lay Zhang, Mr. Xiang Zuo, Ms. Guo Bi Ting, and Zhang Yixing.

Graduated in Social Psychology, Jasper learned the film craft at NYU’s Film School, before starting to work for MTV in Amsterdam. He started 1Camera, a Corporate Cinema Agency, in 2008 and currently serves as its creative director. Under Jasper’s leadership 1Camera has become an international, award-winning corporate film production company, being recognized for its storytelling by non-other than Hollywood storytelling guru, Robert McKee, in his recent book, Storynomics.

Karen Coetzee is the founder of Central Films, the UAE’s leading service production company for commercials and branded content.

With over 30 years’ experience, she has produced high-profile international campaigns across the Middle East.

Karen advises film commissions on production strategy and industry development in the GCC.

She is a passionate advocate for talent development and women’s representation in film.

Her clients include Porsche, Hermès, Apple, and Emirates Airlines.

Morgan Cole is a storyteller and creative strategist dedicated to crafting narratives that move people. With over a decade of experience in marketing and brand storytelling, he has worked with leading sports and outdoor brands like adidas Running to create innovative brand campaigns.

A former elite cyclist turned mountain biker, skier, and trail runner, Cole understands the power of authentic storytelling to drive engagement and emotion. His work blends creativity, strategy, and a deep love for storytelling to shape meaningful brand experiences.

As a jury member for the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards, he brings his expertise in narrative and emotional appeal to celebrate the industry’s most powerful films.

Jonny is an award-winning British director working across commercial, branded content and documentary. In documentaries his work has followed stories in the world of sport, climate change and social justice, while his most recent short-film about a UK free-diver is currently on the festival circuit and was nominated for Best Short Documentary at the 2024 British Short Film Awards.

Bastien is a director and cinematographer in Strasbourg, France. His projects have led him to create quality films, always with a unique aesthetic and creative approach. His passion for creating evocative images through authentic human interactions pushes him to constantly rediscover new ideas to explore.
He has produced regional promotional videos, commercials and personal projects. His references include: Stromae Belgium singer, Messika Paris, Velcorex 360 Lin, L'Odyssée de l'Alsace, Adidas and many more.

John Driedonks has created a multi-platform documentary storytelling course "CampusDoc" in cooperation with the City University of New York (CUNY). During this twenty-week crash course 20 students pitch, research, produce, crowdfund, film, edit and distribute their own documentary concepts. Distribution starts after the premiere of the short docs during the CampusDoc (International) Film Festival.

As a senior lecturer at the School of Journalism UUAS John Driedonks coordinated between 2006-2017 a real-life converged newsroom with a focus on broadcasting TV talkshows, and web. The student-run talkshows are still aired on the local TV station: RTV Utrecht

In addition to his regular activities for the School of Journalism, John Driedonks was a guest lecturer at several universities in Europe, Qatar, China and South Africa. Between 1982-2006 he was a journalist, finally as editor-in-chief of RTV Utrecht (radio-television + web).

Filiz Emre entered the industry as an account executive working for global advertising agencies. In a career spanning over 35 years, she has participated in many projects as a film producer and creative director. She is on the board of directors of IQ (International Quorum of Motion Picture Producers) as vice president. She has produced a dramatic miniseries and three documentaries, as well as many corporate and commercial projects / digital content for brands like Colgate, Nivea, Under Armour, Fanta, Siemens, Vodafone, Coca-Cola, Puma, Philips. Her social responsibility project Mardin for the Wish Tree Project won a Stevie Award.

Jo Marie Farwick is the founder, CEO, and the strategic and creative mind behind Überground – an independent agency where fearlessness is the method. She started her career at Jung von Matt, became co-founder and Executive Creative Director of Heimat Hamburg, and then launched Überground to rethink what advertising can and should be: bolder, braver, more relevant.

Jo Marie Farwick and her team develop ideas with cultural depth, social weight, and a talent for turning complex truths into clear creative direction. Their campaigns create friction – the good kind. Überground’s work for brands like AXPO, Eduscho, Lidl, Benediktiner, taz, and Audi combines strategic clarity with creative courage – always precise, never generic, and often awarded.

She’s the strategic head behind ideas, a concept-driven writer, film director, speaker, jury member, and occasional panelist – combining creative focus with cultural awareness. She supports the non-profit Smarter Start and created its initiatives #unphoneschools and #socialmediaab16, advocating for digital responsibility and stronger protection for children online. She is committed to female leadership, ethical creativity, and shaping a more conscious communications culture.

When she’s not thinking in storyboards or slogans, she’s out in nature with her son Parker – identifying trees by name, tracking oystercatchers on the mudflats, or just standing still for a minute, which she considers a form of sport.

Jo Marie Farwick stands for creative thinking with values, for strong stories – and for making space where others draw lines.

With a career of more than 27 years in which he worked in agencies such as JWT, Leo Burnett McCann, Mauricio is one of the most recognised creatives in the Peruvian market, with more than 1,000 awards and recognitions. In addition, he is one of the winners of the only Grand Prix in Cannes for the country and was also recognised as the Best Creative Director of Peru for 4 years in El Ojo de Iberoamérica.

Mauricio is a music lover, professional drummer and was teacher of creativity.

Originally from Athens, Eleftheria Fili is now based in Amsterdam, where she serves as Deputy Director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation’s BENELUX office, a role she took on in March 2025. Her work focuses on promoting Greece through cultural initiatives and creative campaigns that speak to international audiences.

Previously, she headed the Audiovisual Media & Productions Department at GNTO, contributing to several award-winning campaigns that highlighted Greece’s stories through visual media. Her approach brings together public communication, cultural heritage, and storytelling.

Her background includes roles in content creation, copywriting, and historical research. While living in Paris, she interviewed filmmakers and artists, and worked as a historical advisor on a documentary produced by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT).

She holds degrees in History and Archaeology (University of Athens, EKPA), Modern Cultural History (Paris I – Panthéon-Sorbonne), and Tourism Economics and Development, along with a diploma in Digital Marketing (BCA). Currently, she is collaborating with the Animasyros International Animation Festival, as Member of the pre-selection committee and Programme Advisor, continuing her engagement with creative industries, cinema, and cultural diplomacy.

Stephanie Frank is a seasoned brand marketing professional with over a decade of experience working for global organizations such as The Times & The Sunday Times and Booking.com. Originally from Germany, she’s lived and worked in four countries, bringing a diverse perspective to her work and a deep curiosity for understanding different cultures. Alongside her corporate expertise, Stephanie has a strong passion for art, film, and photography, pursuing these interests in her personal life as much as she can. She’s particularly excited about the evolution of B2B film, as it moves away from the conventional and embraces more creative, human-centered narratives. Stephanie is proud that her team’s work has been recognized at the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards for the past two years, and this year, she’s thrilled to join the jury, eager to see how the genre continues to develop and grow.

Felipe Gaucho is a creative leader with a strong track record at WPP agencies such as Geometry, DAVID, and Ogilvy. With award-winning projects recognized at international festivals like One Show, D&AD, Wave Festival, FIAP, and MMA Smarties, he has collaborated with major global brands including Coca-Cola, Unilever, Santander, SC Johnson, and ENGIE.

He is currently Head of Creative at Paim United Creators, the most traditional agency in southern Brazil and the brand-building arm of the United Creators group.

Ellen Goosenberg Kent is director, producer and founder of Golden Egg Entertainment is a New York based Academy Award winning filmmaker with over 25 years of experience making films that are intimate, provocative and impactful about the lived experiences of people whose voices are often marginalized.

Her work has premiered at film festivals here and abroad including Tribeca Film Festival, Hamptons International Film Festival, Woodstock Film Festival, Galway Film Fleadh, Valladolid International Film Festival, Savannah, Boulder, AFI/Meet the Press, and screened on HBO, PBS, A+E, Discovery+ and Paramount+. Three of Ellen’s films have had theatrical releases: the Oscar winning short: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1; One Nation Under Dog, and Torn Apart: Separated at the Border, about the wrenching personal struggles of two mothers from Central America whose children were taken to foster homes and institutions while they were incarcerated in immigration detention.

Ellen’s work has also won four Emmy Awards, two Television Academy Honors, a Peabody Award, and been nominated for a Director’s Guild Award, and a Humanitas Award, among many others. Wartorn: 1861-2010, directed with Jon Alpert, won The Television Academy Honors and the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award and Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq, executive produced and featuring James Gandolfini was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.

Ellen directed Rebuilding Hope: The Children of 911 on the 20^th anniversary of the tragedy. She executive produced Afghan Dreamers about the courageous and undaunted members of the all-girls robotics team that challenged a hostile culture to show the world and its own community how education and opportunity can uplift an entire nation and especially its women. The team continues to make headlines even as its members live in exile, forced to flee their homeland as the Taliban threatens their lives and the promising futures of Afghanistan’s girls and women. She is consulting producer on Fire Through Dry Grass, winner of best documentary at the Black Star film festival, which has its premiere on the PBS series POV.

Reshma Ghosh is an award-winning filmmaker and founder of Blue Petal Films, a boutique production house based in India.
Writer, director, and producer, her career spans over two decades of creating content for broadcasters like BBC, CNN, Star Plus, Sony Television, AXN, National Geographic, and Channel NewsAsia.
She has an extensive repertoire of work that includes travel, lifestyle, fashion, branded content, brand films, and all genres of documentaries.

Films produced by her company, Blue Petal Films, have won international recognition in several prestigious film festivals around the world, including Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards, New York Festivals TV & Film Awards, World Media Festivals, ContentAsia, and Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) Awards.

With her passion for humane storytelling, she loves to explore stories from around the world and in all domains.
Her recent works include deep dives into the terrifying world of AI cyber scams, the epidemic of unnecessary C-sections in India, and the illegal trade of sea cucumbers, which is stripping the oceans of their most prized possession.

She is on the jury of the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards, Jackson Wild Media Awards, and the Association for International Broadcasting in 2025

For over 15 years, Ben has been fortunate to work with great people in top-class agencies across the world in both the music and advertising industries. This journey has taken him from a small town in Wales to London, Dubai, New York City, and back to Dubai, where he works as the Executive Creative Director for Them Again.

His belief is that creativity has the power to change the world; many of the campaigns he has worked on are executed in the non-traditional space with the intention of raising awareness and promoting causes and initiatives that are close to my heart.

He has worked on a wide portfolio of clients, leading creative work for Google, Visa, Mondelez, Molson Coors, Intel, Unilever, and SC Johnson. My work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, D&AD, LIA, One Show, Clios, and many other international award shows.

In 2019 he helped Impact BBDO deliver the region's first Cannes Grand Prix, becoming the 8th most awarded agency in the world and the 8th most awarded creative director globally in The World Creative Rankings 2020.

Award-winning director Tim Hahne is renowned for his striking visual style and deeply emotional storytelling.

Since founding his agency STEREOSCREEN in 2001, he has continuously pushed creative boundaries, bringing powerful narratives to life. His projects blend technical mastery with captivating imagery, leaving a lasting impression on audiences and reshaping the perception of major companies.

His portfolio spans feature documentaries for the big screen, alongside internationally recognized campaigns for brands like BMW, Mastercard, and Porsche, as well as a Super Bowl spot for Cadillac.

Nicole Hálová is a documentary editor based in London. She studied film editing at FAMU in Prague. Her most recent work, How Deep is Your Love (dir. Eleanor Mortimer), premiered at the True/False Film Festival 2025. Other work includes The Islands and the Whales (2016) (dir: Mike Day), which was nominated for an Emmy and a BAFTA Award, Good Neighbours (2018) (dir: Stella Van Voorst) and Carrousel (2019) (dir: Marina Meijer), which won the Golden Calf award at the Netherlands FF. She was an additional editor on All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (2022) (dir: Laura Poitras), which was nominated for an Academy Award. Nicole also edited installation pieces such as TiChan by Philipp Ebeling and Olivia Arthur, MAGNUM PHOTOS, and in 2023 she worked at Forensic Architecture—The Grenfell Tower Fire: Situated Testimonies.

Conrad Heberling researches and teaches Media Economy and TV and Film Marketing at the German Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf and at the University of Popular Arts in Berlin He has over 30 years of experience in management positions with TV stations in Germany (RTLzwei Television, DAF Television), Austria (AUSTRIA 9 TV) as well as internationally. He holds a number of international advisory positions, including with Dori Media International, a leading producer of weekly and daily series, reality and entertainment formats like the popular real-life television series “Sommerhaus der Stars”, broadcast on RTL in Germany and countless countries in the world, known as “Power Couple”. Conrad Heberling has authored numerous scientific papers and newspaper columns in regards to topics such as the mother of all real-life formats “Big Brother”, music events such as “Popstars” “Digital Marketing Strategies for the TV and Film Industries” and many more.

Bracken Hollings is an Executive Producer at RE:TV, a multi-platform channel dedicated to showcasing solutions and innovations for our planet. With a career spanning major broadcasters and platforms, she has produced and directed content for National Geographic, BBC, Discovery, and Channel 4, delivering compelling factual programming that informs and inspires.

Previously Head of Partnership Content at WaterBear Network, Bracken has worked extensively on climate, sustainability, and social impact storytelling, collaborating with NGOs and brands to create powerful short films. Her portfolio includes a diverse range of projects, from science and natural history to social issues such as homelessness, AIDS, and education.

With a keen eye for storytelling and extensive experience in development and production, Bracken is passionate about crafting engaging narratives that drive positive change.

Simon Huber is a Swiss cameraman who has been shooting commercials for many years, feature films, series formats, documentaries and music clips.
Among other things, he is responsible for the visual design of the Swiss part of the Indian blockbuster Krrish3 (Rakesh and Hrithik Roshan, Filmkraft India).
In the course of his long career as a DOP, Simon has done numerous TV commercials for national and international brands (Coca-Cola, Samsung, Danone, FIFA, Emmental, Jack Wolfskin, FiVB, Virgin/Polkomtel, Greenpeace, etc.). He has also specialized in the production of social marketing and advertising films for large Swiss NGOs working in the field of development cooperation, social justice and sustainable climate policies. In those projects he develops concepts and is both director and cameraman.
Simon shoots all over the world. His projects have taken him to the most remote places in the world, like Nepal, India, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Mali, Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe, Niger, Chad, Lesotho, Egypt, Vietnam, Dubai, Lapland, the EU and the USA.
Furthermore, Simon is a visiting professor for camera at various universities and colleges in Switzerland and the USA.

Winner of 19 German National Corporate Film Awards and more than 150 international and national awards. President of the International Tourism Festival "The Golden City Gate" at the ITB Berlin.

Erin Judd has spent over two decades turning creative ambitions into fully realized productions, establishing herself as a trusted partner in both commercial and narrative filmmaking. A recipient of the 2024 International Women’s Entrepreneurship Award, she has worked on everything from theatrically distributed features to high-profile commercial campaigns.

Though much of her success is tied to the reputation of No Frames—her New York-based production company, recognized for immersive content and global reach—Erin’s creative passion transcends corporate labels. Colleagues frequently remark on her capacity to create a balance between professionalism and genuine human connection—a trait that fosters collaboration at every stage of production.

Behind each project she touches lies a belief that thoughtfully crafted stories can elevate both brands and audiences. It’s this unwavering commitment to meaningful storytelling that has positioned Erin as an influential figure in modern media. From launch meeting to final edit, she is dedicated to shaping narratives that leave a lasting impression, both on-screen and off.

MINA KESHAVARZ is an award-winning Iranian documentary filmmaker and producer. Her films exploring social issues using personal narratives — including Unwelcome in Tehran (2012), Profession: Documentarist (2014), Braving the Waves (2016), The Art of Living in Danger (2020), and Phobos (2023) — have premiered in CPH:Dox, IDFA, Thessaloniki, Busan International Film Festival, Sheffield, Tribeca, and London Film Festival. Among over ten international awards, The Art of Living in Danger was awarded Best Documentary Film at the Busan International Film Festival in 2020, and it was longlisted for the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary in 2021. Mina is an alumnus of Berlinale Talents, HotDocs Emerging Docs Accelerator Lab, EsoDoc, Tribeca Film Institute. She is a former fellow in the Nipkow Film Residency in Berlin, Berlin Air Film Residency, ADK Berlin, Cite Internationale des Arts, and Camargo Foundation. She is a member of DAE and EWA.

Omar Khalifa is a British writer, director and former journalist who cut his teeth in international news and programmes. With over a decade directing commercials and drama, Omar has worked on creative campaigns with clients like FIFA, TikTok, Puma, Chevrolet, Aston Martin, Vodafone and Qatar Airways, gaining attention at festivals including Cannes, New York Festivals, CRESTA, EPICA, the Drum, Tellys and the Loeries. His short films, artwork and even children’s books have gone on to pick up international awards and acclaim, and he resides on creative juries including the PHNX AdForum and AutoVision Awards. A positive, collaborative director, Omar has an ability to combine bold creative with humanity, emotion, movement and visual effects.

Irina Khangoshvili is author, director and producer of documentary films and television programs. Since 2010 has worked for different television channels in Georgia, Russia and Europe. The participant and prize winner of several international documentary film festivals in Europe and Russia. The prize winner of TEFFI International Film Festival (Russia). The jury member of International Russian Film Festival (Spain, Marbella), ITFFA – International Tourism Film Festival in Africa. For the last 6 years has been collaborating with Currenttime TV (Radio Liberty’s American Russian speaking channel) with an international travel show “We welcome” with Zurab Dvali. The show “We Welcome” has received awards in Greece, Bulgaria, Latvia, Portugal.

Teruhiko Kimura is the CEO of IMAGE SCIENCE, INC., a video production company in Tokyo, Japan. He is an experienced producer who began his career in 1985 and has produced numerous corporate films, and various videos of many different fields as well.

He also started a web-related business in 1996, and his company currently handles a variety of corporate films and web productions. Since 2011, he has been a board member of JAAP, the Japan Association of Audiovisual Producers, and currently serves as vice president. Additionally, he serves as a councilor of JAVEA, the Japan Audiovisual Education Association. He has been striving for the development of the video industry in Japan.

Apart from his work, he loves cars, motorcycles, and music such as old-school rock, blues, and soul, and playing guitar as a hobby. He also loves history and geography.

Michael Kindermann discovered his passion for the magic of moving images as a teenager in Brussels. At the age of 13, he began exploring the world through the lens of his camera – a hobby that would later become his dream career.

He began his professional journey in Hamburg at leading commercial film production companies, working on projects for some of the most creative agencies in the industry. Further training at the New York Film Academy solidified his expertise in producing and directing.

In 2000, he moved to Switzerland to join the commercial production company Pumpkin Film. Three years later, he founded his own production company, Snap Film, where he worked until 2016. He then joined the agency Jung von Matt PLAY in Zurich, where he led the moving image division.

Starting in 2023, he worked as a freelance creative producer, consultant, and project manager, supporting companies in the conception, planning, and execution of moving image projects – from the initial idea to the finished film. Reliable project management, creative problem-solving, and efficient execution were always central to his approach.

What drives Michael is the power of visuals to bring stories to life. As a visual problem-solver, he helps brands – whether global or local – communicate their messages in an authentic and emotionally compelling way. He feels most at home on set and in post-production – where many moving parts come together to form a coherent story.

Since early 2025, Michael has been strengthening the team at Midpoint Film in Zurich as a Senior Producer.

Bill Kirstein is an award-winning cinematographer based in New York. His work is characterized by a considered, personal approach to framing and camera movement that seeks to dispel preconceptions of iconic subjects in order to portray the unexpected.

With more than a decade of experience lensing narrative, documentary, and commercial films all over the world, Bill has collaborated with some of the biggest artists, including Beyoncé, Paul McCartney, Tina Fey, Jon Hamm, Justin Timberlake, Rene Rapp, Maya Hawke, Zoe Saldana, Alicia Keys, Pharrell, Usher, John Legend, and Adele, and his work has competed and screened at all the top festivals, including Venice, Cannes, Tribeca, Locarno, Berlinale, SXSW, New York Film Festival, AFI, and Camerimage, among others.

He was selected as a Rising Star of Cinematography by American Cinematographer in August 2024. His latest narrative feature, Neo Sora’s Happyend, premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival and has since won multiple awards around the world.

Other recent credits include Mean Girls (2024) for Paramount, with directors Samantha Jayne & Arturo Perez Jr. and Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus with director Neo Sora, distributed by Janus Films.

Simon Kramers is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and the Head of Film at Deloitte. With a passion for storytelling, he began his career in broadcast news, collaborating with investigative journalists to create impactful stories. In his current role at Deloitte's in-house creative agency, 368, Simon spearheads innovative projects that push the boundaries of visual storytelling.

Marta is an award-winning content producer with a decade of experience creating engaging short and long-form content across Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States.

Now based in Saudi Arabia, she collaborates with leading brands across the Kingdom and the wider GCC, producing over 100 short-form content pieces per year. Alongside commercial work, she has contributed to critically acclaimed short and feature films, including projects that have earned international recognition—most notably, the 2021 Goya Award for Best Documentary.

Marta has led communication campaigns and audio-visual productions for global industry leaders, including Amazon Prime, National Geographic, NEOM, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the European Commission, A3Media, Eurocities, VISA, Sony-Ericsson, the Centre for Creative Leadership, and DirecTV. A passionate traveler and storyteller, Marta is always ready for her next adventure.

Lukas Gabriel Ledzki is an award-winning composer renowned for creating world-class original music for a diverse array of media, including trailers, commercials, films, documentaries, video games, corporate productions, and feature-length films. His distinctive sound, characterised by lush harmonies and memorable melodies, resonates globally across television, commercials, films, trailers, and documentaries. Lukas possesses the versatility to write for any instrument and collaborates with a network of world-class musicians.

His impressive portfolio includes collaborations with esteemed companies such as Beds&Beats, Dos Brains, Eon Sounds, Gothic Storm Music, Disney/Pixar, Google, Universal Music Group, and many others. Lukas Gabriel Ledzki's exceptional talent continues to leave an indelible mark on the world of music composition.

Yoo Lee is a Korean-American writer/director/animator residing in Los Angeles. She has written and directed 5 stop-motion animated shorts in a period of 4 years before obtaining her MFA at USC in animation and digital design.

She is a Film Independent Laika Animation Fellow, Fox Fellow, and her work is distributed through New Yorker Screening Room and Max (formerly HBO Max). Her current project is a documentary she is directing made possible by Proof of Concept incubated by Dirty Films, Netflix, and USC Annenberg.

Patrick Lehn has been working in corporate communications for over 20 years. One key aspect of his work is storytelling. He was project manager of a film series and PR campaign that won over 40 awards at international competitions. He joined the dormakaba Group in April 2022 as Senior Manager External Communications.

Tom is an award-winning TV documentary producer, creating shows primarily for US broadcasters, streamers and audiences.

His skills cross the creative process from idea development through to scripting, filming and editing, and he has produced an array of popular multi-part series and features in genres as varied as history, science, politics, and true crime.

Tom has recently brought his storytelling and production skills to brand video creation and is currently the Creative Development Manager for Shell’s Content Engine film team.

Simon Lundsgaard is an award-winning composer with a deep-rooted passion for storytelling. Beginning his career as a director and editor, he developed a strong sense of narrative, pacing, and emotional impact—skills that now shape his approach to film scoring.

He has composed for fiction, documentary, advertising, and games, with his work featured in the Emmy®-nominated TV show Bad Banks. In the world of advertising, he has collaborated with global brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Sephora, crafting scores that elevate storytelling and brand identity.

Blending orchestral and electronic elements, his compositions bring cinematic worlds to life—deepening character arcs, heightening tension, and guiding the audience’s emotions. Collaboration is central to his process, ensuring that every score aligns seamlessly with a project’s visual language and emotional core.

For Simon, composing isn’t just about writing music—it’s about shaping stories, creating immersive experiences, and making every note count.

Fiona Meenaghan is an experienced professional in corporate communications, currently leading as Head of Corporate Branding and Content Strategy at Ayvens. With a distinguished 20-year career, she has carved a niche in producing award-winning corporate films, a testament to her expertise and creative vision. Fiona's work has been globally recognized, earning her prestigious awards such as the Cannes Dolphins, AutoVision, and European Business Excellence Awards for LeasePlan, AkzoNobel and Randstad Holding. Her role at Ayvens capitalizes on her experience, where she not only steers corporate communications, but also champions the company's narrative through compelling visual storytelling. Fiona's ability to blend strategic insights with her passion for film has significantly elevated the corporate identities of the companies she has worked for.

Florian lives in Bonn with his wife and his two sons. His professional background lies in the world of ad agencies. Working for global networks as a Creative Director, Florian has created successful international campaigns for 12 years before jumping ship and becoming a film director. The 49-year-old shoots commercials, virals, documentaries and webisodes.

His Twitter project Tiny Tales was honoured with the Grimme Online Award, one of the most prestigious culture awards in Germany. The subsequent book was published in 2011 and became an instant success, selling tens of thousands of copies. In 2019 Flo turned four of the Tiny Tales into films for his short film project Micro Movies – The World's Shortest Feature Films. The films have won numerous international festival awards.

Florian is a member of the Art Directors Club of Germany and the German Commercial Film Academy.

Sally Miller has been Deputy Head of TV at Hogarth since April 2019. She has been responsible for the acclaimed Mayor of London campaigns, winning a Glass Cannes Lion Award & White D&AD Pencil. Plus, the very first TikTok campaignsv/ TikTok Lockdown work with Agile Films and Zac Ella. As well as Boots Darling with Academy Films, directed by Vince Squibb. Just to name a few, many more are available upon request.

Prior to this, Sally worked at WCRS as a Senior Producer with clients such as Churchill, XFM, Sky, the Sky Now TV Campaign, and Santander, where she worked with the comedy team behind People Just Do Nothing’s Kurupt FM.

From 2014 to 2015, Sally freelanced as a senior producer, where she was in demand working with VCCP for Asda on their Easter Brand Film and with McGarry Bowen for Fujitsu, with award-winning director Yuichi Kodama and Wieden+Kennedy for Honda Civic with revolutionary director Johnny Hardstaff.

Sally was a TV production assistant at Lowe Worldwide for three years, working with global brands Nestle, Diet Coke, Stella, and Rowntree’s before becoming a production assistant at Ogilvy in 2004. Sally became a producer at Ogilvy within a year; she spent 9 years here working on projects with Coca-Cola, Kodak, Hellmann’s, Dove, MTV, Ford, BP, and its 2012 Olympics commercial with Chris Hewitt.

It was at sound production studio The Tape Gallery in Soho, working with Oscar winner Johnnie Burns, where Sally began working as a bookings manager for five years before emigrating to Vancouver, Canada, in 1999, where she worked as a producer in postproduction for Airwaves Studios, home to the cult Japanese anime series Dragon Ball Z.

During her twenty-five years in the industry, Sally Miller has proved to be a sought-after producer based on her reputation. The non-profit organization VOW (The Voice of a Woman), which celebrates women working in film, asked Sally to present herself at their Made By Her awards ceremony.

The British portrait and fashion photographer and director, Rankin, took Sally’s portrait in 2018 as a part of a series of working women.

She has appeared in many interviews/podcasts, one being a YouTube channel, having a Gas invited Sally to be interviewed after being recognized for her TikTok Lockdown work, a major first for the industry.

Layal Moukahal is the founder and CEO of Film Pudding Productions, living and working in Dubai, since 2003. As a passionate production entrepreneur, she has grown the company to have branches in Riyadh and Beirut.

She has worked for clients like Netflix, Uber, Saudi Airlines, Coca-Cola, Infiniti, Spotify, PepsiCo, the Ministry of Tourism KSA, and the Government Media Office of the UAE, among many others. She has so far produced over 1000 commercial films. Besides being on all kinds of sets across the Middle East, Layal has produced films all over the globe, from Seattle to Brisbane to Tokyo to Helsinki to Marrakesh…

Her most recent venture was launching a content focused creative production company, Très Content, in Dubai in 2021 that has become a big player in the market with great work for TikTok, Saudi Tourism, Adidas, Dubai Tourism, Nissan, GMC, Chevrolet…

Prior to moving her life and career to the GCC, Layal was an agency producer at Grey Worldwide, and Saatchi & Saatchi in Lebanon.

When she isn’t globe-trotting with her directors and producers or waiting for the magic hour for the perfect shot, Layal is spending time with her husband and 3 children, at home or also mostly globe-trotting!

He currently works at RADIO TELEVISION ESPAÑOLA as a Director of Documentaries and Reports.

INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

• Premio Academia de Televisión Concha García Campoy, MALAIRE (MALARIA)
• Premio Francisco de Cossio Junta de Castilla y León, MI HISTORIA, ADOLFO SUÁREZ
• Premio Cuerpo Nacional de Policía de Periodismo, ACOSO EN LA SOMBRA
• Premio Internacional Junta de Extremadura, LA CAZA FOTOGRAFICA
• Premio Internacional Periodismo Rey Juan Carlos, DETRÁS DE LA ABAYA
• Premio Internacional Rey Juan Carlos, DETRÁS DE LA ABAYA
• Premio Especial Príncipe Rainiero Festival de Montecarlo, CAMBIO CLIMATICO
• Premio Roma Civis de la Televisión italiana, GITANOS, EUROPEOS SIN ESTADO
• Premio Manos Unidas Documental, MALI, LA RUTA CLANDESTINA
• Premio Internacional Periodismo Rey Juan Carlos, El PAPA QUE VINO DE POLONIA

Anthony Neale is a London-based Production Designer and Art Director. A graduate from Chelsea School of Art, Anthony has designed feature films, commercials, music promos, fashion, television, and social media content, both in the UK and internationally.

Among others, Anthony has worked with Ridley Scott (NFL Sunday), Pablo Larrain on Spencer (UK Art Director under Guy Hendrix Dyas), and Michael Haneke (UK Art Director for Happy End).

Anthony’s work in music videos for artists as diverse as David Guetta, The 1975, James Arthur, and Royal Blood has garnered just shy of one billion plays on YouTube.

Anthony was longlisted for a BIFA Award in 2017 for his Production Design on Retaliation, starring Orlando Bloom. Anthony was nominated as best Art Director at the Berlin Music Awards 2019. In 2023 the BUPA commercial "Healthy Planet, Healthy People", production designed by Anthony, was awarded Best Innovation at the APA IDEAS Awards. Anthony has recently worked with Tom Cruise on the impossible mission of winning Super Bowl 2025 for FOX.

Katinka Nowotny is managing editor at the weekly business- and finance television show ECO at Austrian Television. She has worked for more than two decades for the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation, ORF, reporting and producing documentaries for the foreign news magazine, the domestic news show and currently the economics department. For nearly 20 years she also did English-language reports on Austria for the international CNN show World View.

Katinka grew up in Cairo, New York and Vienna. In her professional career, she has repeatedly reported from crisis zones: North Korea, Sarajevo, Ground Zero and the Ukraine.
Now she manages the weekly business- and finance television show ECO. Making sure that a wide range of relevant topics is covered.

Katinka studied economics and sociology at the University of Vienna and then received a master’s degree in journalism at New York University. She has worked for ABC News and the German TV network ZDF. Since 1991 she has produced and reported for various news magazines at ORF. She has received numerous prizes and awards in Austria and abroad.

“Go beyond the obvious sound bite, really listen to what people say — and don’t say, she says, ‘How do you visualize low interest rates?’— These are some of the difficulties we television business reporters encounter.”

Katinka is married to a newspaper journalist and has two children. She loves rowing in her free time.

JP O'Rourke is an award-winning cinematographer based in Chicago, specializing in documentary, commercial, and branded content. His work has taken him across the U.S. and internationally, filming commercial and documentary projects. He has collaborated with major outlets such as HBO, BBC, and Discovery on documentary films, bringing stories to life through compelling visuals.

With a strong focus on collaboration, he works closely with directors and crews to craft engaging narratives. From intimate documentary shoots to large-scale commercial productions, he seamlessly adapts to any project, delivering a cinematic and storytelling-driven approach.

Darren’s career spans storytelling through music and film, with a growing passion for travel that has naturally led him into the world of tourism filmmaking. His work blends narrative depth with a keen visual sensitivity, often challenging the conventions of traditional travel content. This approach was most recently seen in his tourism film for St. Helena Island, where he intentionally broke from the usual montage-style format to craft an emotionally driven story. The result was a film that not only connected with audiences but also earned international recognition, winning awards at both the Japan World's Tourism Film Festival and the International Tourism Film Festival Africa. Darren is driven by the belief that film should stir curiosity rather than satisfy it, inviting viewers not just to see a place, but to long for it.

Pierre Pell is a French-American production designer on films, series, commercials, and music videos since 1993. He didn’t do any particular studies to get there. Before working in the film industry, he was designing record covers in London and Chicago. During all these years in the art department, he worked with some really great directors, as much on commercials as on other films. Some of them are famous worldwide.

There was a lot of creative thinking involved. The result being a bunch of great films. Some of them got some awards also, quite a few on commercials and music video and a European Academy Award for Science of Sleep directed by Michel Gondry.

Pierre loves everything that’s involved with production design. The conception and all the exchanges with the directors, the making of it and solutions that have to be found with the teams, the shooting of course where he can see everything lit and alive. He also likes working on all formats too. Music videos for the experiments and creativity in finding solutions, commercials for all its unusualness and craziness and movies for the attachment we have to keep towards a scenario.

Some of the directors Pierre worked with: Michel Gondry, JB Mondino, Gustav Johanson, The Megaforce, Olivier Babinet, Nalle Sjoblad, Martin Jalfen, Oh Yeah Wow, Angelin Preljocaj and many other.

After studying journalism and communication science and several years of experience in TV production and as a production manager at renowned advertising film productions, she founded her own production company, mel p filmproductions, in 2010 in Vienna and has realized campaigns for McDonald’s, Sky, Magenta, and many more.

Melanie Pfaffstaller is characterized by her strategic thinking and putting creativity always first, not only in terms of forming her team but also in regards to her cinematic approaches in developing concepts. As a chair member and two years as vice president of the Creative Club Austria, she has committed to these values beyond her own productions and has always kept tabs on young talents.

Kate Pfetsch combines her expertise in marketing strategy, entertainment, production, media, and branding to craft award-winning storytelling and amplify content across platforms, driving measurable impact.

Kate pioneered Marriott’s Content Studio, leading the company’s global entertainment strategy and developing award-winning video series, podcasts, and social content. Her work earned prestigious awards such as the Telly, Webby, Shorty Impact, Brand Film, NAACP Image Awards, and film festival official selections. She spearheaded Marriott’s debut on streaming platforms, launching two film series on Amazon Prime Video that broke audience engagement records. As Global Head of Content Strategy, Kate built Marriott’s first content Center of Excellence, leading strategy and ways of working for teams across 150 countries.

Prior to Marriott, Kate managed branded entertainment at Discovery, creating and launching custom multi-channel programs for high-profile brands including Toyota, Purina, Mobil1, American Express, E*TRADE, and Michelob Ultra.

Kate currently serves as alumni Board President for her alma mater, the Merrill College of Journalism at The University of Maryland.

With an unwavering passion for the creative industry, Nina Preuss professional journey has led her from global publishing to some of the world's leading creative agencies, including Scholz & Friends, DDB and Jung von Matt.

In 2010, she co-founded PREUSS und PREUSS, an agency with offices in Berlin and Stuttgart and internationally acclaimed clients such as ALDI and Mercedes-Benz Vans.

Apart from advertising, she also co-established the ultra-contemporary art gallery BETTER GO SOUTH in 2022 and Creative Residence in 2024, a cycle of seminars empowering women leaders in the creative industry.

Furthermore, she is a high-quality creative communication consultant who skillfully balances her career milestones.

Brais Revaldería is a distinguished filmmaker, storyteller, and entrepreneur based in New York, celebrated for his innovative approach to cinema over a prolific 20-year career. As a director and producer, Brais has crafted compelling content for major TV channels such as Telecinco, Globo TV Brazil and Al Jazeera.

Brais's cinematographic expertise was pivotal in the Emmy-winning Recipe for Change: Standing Up to Antisemitism, a 2023 YouTube Originals special executive produced by LeBron James. His work on HBO’s Game of Thrones: Bleed for the Throne earned three Grand Clio awards in 2019. He also significantly contributed to the Westworld Activation campaign, which won three Clio awards and a Gold Outdoor Lion at Cannes in 2018.

A co-founder of 100 Sutton Studios, Brais has created a premier 20,000-square-foot creative hub in Greenpoint, offering top-tier production and event spaces. His collaborations extend across notable entities such as HBO, TLC, Discovery Channel, and major brands like Adidas, Mastercard and Amazon, showcasing his versatility and commitment to storytelling across various platforms.

A respected member of the Producers Guild of America, Brais Revaldería continues to influence the visual storytelling landscape, transforming both the medium and the message through his cinematic vision.

Pelle Roskvist is a Swedish film producer who began producing short films and feature documentaries over 25 years ago. After about 10 successful years, with films featured at some of the largest festivals around the world and a Swedish film award – Guldbaggen – for Best Documentary, he changed direction and began producing commercials and corporate films.

The experience gained from his early years in narrative film has been successfully applied to many of his commercials and corporate productions, which have been well received and recognized by both clients and festival juries.

He currently develops and produces films at STARK Film in Gothenburg.

Flavien Rousé is a French executive producer and director based in Bangkok, Thailand. With a background in film, fine art photography, and video art, he has over 15 years of experience in the creative industry. He has collaborated with renowned brands such as LVMH, Sephora, Nissan, and Guinness. As co-founder of NKFR (No Kidding For Real), Flavien develops original films, documentaries, and branded content that challenge conventions and resonate across cultures. His work often explores themes of identity, perception, and human connection, pushing visual and narrative boundaries. Recognized in Campaign Asia’s 40 Under 40, he continues to shape the future of creative storytelling through innovative, thought-provoking projects.

Simon is freelance director, editor and author for Film, TV and Corporate TV projects. After having finished his studies in Austria and the USA, he carried out several national and international projects including documentaries, reports and journal articles for ORF broadcast, ServusTV or Red Bull Media House. Furthermore he developed Corporate films for various international companies. He affiliates a long-term working cooperation with DMG Film Wien. He has received numerous prizes for his films: a report named „Die letzten Fahrenden“ developed for the TV magazine „Am Schauplatz“ (ORF) won the P.Leopold-Ungar – Recognition price. The documentary „Das Schicksal fragt nicht“ received a prize at the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards.

Chris Schueler has created over 100 television programs in the past 25 years that have garnered 26 Regional Emmy® Awards and have been broadcast throughout the country and around the world. Focusing on educational and social issues, Mr. Schueler creates youth programming and documentaries that are “Television to Touch the Heart.” His innovative process of program creation was the focus of Mr. Schueler’s recent TED talk. That audience driven process has been integral in creating social change for his work with clients including the United Nations, the National Institute of Mental Health, the PBS network, the CBS Network Foundation as well as networks and governments worldwide.

Mr. Schueler has created projects in locations worldwide including Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Central America, Russia and Africa. His documentaries have raised public awareness and also impacted public policy nationally and internationally. His programs have ranged from global warming solutions to mental health stigma and included topics such as date and domestic violence, AIDS, alcohol, gambling addiction, opioid abuse and many others. As a director, Mr. Schueler has worked with Glenn Close, Bryan Cranston, Sam Donaldson, Montel Williams and others. The National Broadcast Association for Community Affairs named Chris Schueler national “Innovator of the Year” for his News 101 project.

Mr. Schueler has a BA in English and Theatre from the University of the Pacific and an MA in Playwriting and Directing from the University of New Mexico. UNM has honored him with its Lobo Award and UOP with the Distinguished Alumni Award for Public Service. In addition to being CEO of Christopher Productions, Mr. Schueler is the Executive Director of SafeTeen New Mexico which was named one of the six best Community Outreach Programs in the United States. Due to the quality of his work, Mr. Schueler has been honored to be on the Grand Jury for the New York Festivals the past 8 years. Mr. Schueler is the only three-time winner of the Board of Governors Award (Emmy© Award) from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Rocky Mountain Chapter.

Roberto Serrini is a celebrated commercial director who has lead award winning campaigns for such global brands as Nike, Apple and Honda, and is the recipient of multiple ADC Gold Cubes, One Show Silver Pencils, Platinum MarCom, Viddy, and Taste Awards for his contribution to the Advertising industry. Besides a prolific filmmaker he is a skilled drone pilot that has flown in all 7 continents and is a proud founding member of the NYC Drone Film Festival. While not at home in either LA or NYC, Serrini brings his filmmaking and drone passion on the road as a travel writer for Get Lost Magazine and National Geographic. He is a firm believer that where art, commerce and passion collide you will find great advertising and he is honored to be part of the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards.

Meghan Shea is an award-winning director and producer specializing in impactful non-fiction storytelling. Her visually compelling, research-driven films blend documentary and commercial styles. Co-founder of Persistent Productions and Pnxt Studios (Boston/Singapore), Meghan's work has screened at the United Nations General Assembly, Tribeca Film Festival, and the World Health Organization.

She specializes in harnessing the power of art and film to catalyze social and policy change. Her film, How I Live, in collaboration with the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, advocates for improved global pediatric cancer outcomes driving social and policy changes.

Clients include YoYo Ma, BBC Storyworks, SONY Music. and Condé Nast. Meghan holds an MFA from The George Washington University and serves on the Steering Committee of New Day Films and the Pediatric Patient Family Advisory Council at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Andrea is an award-winning documentary filmmaker with a background as a former tv journalist, spokesperson and communicator in the humanitarian realm, she believes that films have the power to create empathy and thus promote real change.

Born and raised in Switzerland, she has worked extensively in post-conflict areas where she has witnessed the long-term effects of armed conflict first-hand. The topics of war and its consequences on civilians have always been at the heart of her work. Her desire to shed a light on forgotten conflicts and the human cost of geopolitical decisions continues to inform her documentary projects.

Andrea holds a Master's degree in International Conflict Journalism, a CAS in Press Relations from the Swiss School of Journalism MAZ and a certificate in Documentary Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy. Productions of hers have won gold awards at both the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards and the Internationale Wirtschaftsfilmtage and selected by prestigious film festivals in the US such as Hot Springs, Big Sky, DOC NYC and SCAD Savannah.

She speaks 6 languages fluently: German, Swiss-German, English, French, Italian, and Spanish.

After studying Communication Design at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Prof. Dipl.-Des. Stan Skolnik worked at renowned agencies such as Springer & Jacoby and KNSK. He then worked at the Gruner + Jahr publishing house, where he developed title concepts and the design of Stern magazine. This was followed by the founding of his own design agency, where he is currently active as CCO.

Stan has been teaching Media & Design at IU International University in Hamburg for many years.

He has received numerous national and international awards, including prizes from the Art Directors Club Germany and the Clio Award. Additionally, he is a Senior Expert by the German Founding Award and member of the D&AD—Design & Art Direction London.

He is also an EU evaluator for the German Academic Exchange Service and the European Institute for Innovation & Sustainability in the field of Creation & Culture.

Julian Stranzky is a career changer in marketing but has already designed and implemented several award-winning campaigns. Among others, he won the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards Grand Prix in 2021 with the campaign film made for the CSR campaign Pflegestufe ROT. For him, factors of success are an unbiased concept and mean the courage to take unconventional paths. And no other medium can convey this as well as the moving image. Julian has been working as chief operating officer of the personnel marketing agency Eisenwerk1 GmbH since 2021.

Austria-born Markus Stummer started his filmmaking journey in postproduction.

Editing TV shows, feature films, hundreds of music videos and movie trailers taught him the skills of good storytelling, timing and humor.

After training as a drama teacher and working as a copywriter, he moved into directing and created music videos for European pop culture.

Over the past 20 years Markus has worked with some of the biggest brands and artists such as Mercedes-Benz, Guinness, Ikea, McDonald’s and Lady Gaga amongst many others, giving him extensive experience in all aspects of filmmaking.

He has mastered a wide range of genres, from comedy and lifestyle to automotive and cinematic work, all the while holding authentic character performance in the highest regard. His obsessive commitment, his cinematic sensibility, and his deep appreciation for the actor-director relationship are his signature.

Reinout Swinnen studied animation at LUCA School of Arts in Brussels, earning his Master’s Degree in 2002. He later obtained an additional diploma in Advanced Studies in Character Animation from Animation Mentor. In 2006, he founded the animation studio Plan78 with his friend and former classmate Bram Van Rompaey. The studio was renamed Rabbit Hole in 2018. They shared the vision that an animation studio should focus on believable character animation, ensuring that whether it’s a simple cube or a mythical dragon, the characters come alive and don't "just move". In 2007 and 2008, Swinnen was part of the animation team at Larian Studios, working on the critically acclaimed RPG Divinity 2. Since then, Bram and Reinout have focused on building their studio's portfolio, producing commercial work for brands like Aldi and DHL, while always keeping a personal project on the side. Their short film Lunch Break won multiple international awards, and their new project Rabbit Hole, A Life Wasted is gaining attention on the festival circuit. Swinnen is also a musician, playing keyboards in the touring band K’s Choice. He never leaves home without his laptop, ensuring that not a day goes by without some animation work.

After leading strategic and creatively driven small, medium, and large global agencies in the UK and MENA, Colin has successfully mobilized teams for growth for both agencies and brands by ensuring his teams constantly push the boundaries of what is possible in an ever-changing media landscape.

A culture- and creatively focused agency leader, Colin has almost 2 decades of experience delivering integrated brand, social, and digital. ATL and BTL campaigns for companies across tourism and hospitality, retail, entertainment, tech, FMCG, financial services, and pharma/healthcare. With exceptional knowledge of the latest insights, trends, and technologies, Colin strategically positions clients with a competitive advantage by developing fearless ideas and engaging digital content that integrate these insights and inspire audiences across paid, owned, and earned media.

He has successfully led a team in delivering integrated digital campaigns and strategies for local, regional, and global luxury, hospitality, and tourism brands, including Dubai Tourism, One&Only Hotels & Resorts, Saudi Tourism, NEOM & Emirates Airlines, as well as commercial brands such as Sony, Warner Brothers, Huawei, Siemens, and Aldi, among others.

Initially a speechwriter, crisis spokesperson, and then an expert in Editorial Strategy and messaging, Grégoire Teriltzian is now a recognized professional, with over twenty years of experience in the corporate communication world. He has held key positions at Air France-KLM, Thales, and currently at Michelin, where he leads the Social Room and content strategy for the Group.

Combining a passion for imagery with a strategic vision, he has built a solid reputation and strong convictions in audiovisual production. His films, known for their narrative strength and high standards, have been awarded at numerous corporate communication and business film festivals, both in France and internationally, including at the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards.

Convinced that companies today have an essential educational role to play, he advocates for communication that can decipher the paradoxes and complexities of the world, in order to better respond to the challenges of our time.

Carina Thomas is a BAFTA award-winning Producer and Director with fifteen years’ experience in reality formats, live OBs, and specialist factual production. Working on acclaimed series for the BBC, Apple TV+, Netflix, and National Geographic, including EarthSounds, David Attenborough’s Life in Colour, and BAFTA-winning Big Blue Live.

In 2018, she joined Offspring Films, progressing from Assistant Producer on Earth at Night in Colour to Producer Director on EarthSounds for Apple TV+. As Development Lead, she secured factual commissions and supported emerging talent.

As a Creative Producer at Gold Circle Media, she crafts bespoke visual podcasts for the television and film industry, merging storytelling with innovative audio-visual formats.

Qualified in communication planning, he got into film production in 2006 and co-founded Maybaum Film. Since then, he has made countless films in the field of corporate and advertising films as director and later as director of photography. He worked on diverse international documentaries and his works on corporate films have been awarded many times. His company employs 25 people and is one of the leading production companies for corporate films in Switzerland.

Emmy and Artios Nominee Lana Veenker is a member of the Television Academy, the Casting Society, and the International Casting Directors Association, headquartered in Berlin, for which she serves on the Executive Board.

She began her career in London and, upon returning to the U.S. in 1999, founded one of the top commercial and location casting companies in the country: Cast Iron Studios. She maintains strong partnerships worldwide, with a focus on international co-productions.

Over the past 25 years, she has cast 350+ episodes of television, scores of feature films, and countless award-winning commercials for brands such as Nike, Apple, Peloton, Siemens, Heineken, Autodesk, and Google, including international campaigns from Shanghai to Santiago de Chile.

Hailed as a “must-know” by the Hollywood Reporter, she is also the recipient of the OMPA Award of Excellence, its most prestigious honour, for having reached “the highest level of excellence, craftsmanship and integrity, setting the bar for professionalism in the film and television industry”.

A former expert columnist for Backstage, Lana is a frequent lecturer in the U.S. and abroad, most recently at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in Germany, as a part of their International Screen Acting Workshop. She speaks English, French, Spanish, some German, and a smattering of other languages.

Ivan is an award-winning freelance multi-genre filmmaker. He began his career as cinematographer in the mid-nineties shooting music videos, tv films and documentaries across Europe.
Over the years, he turned to commercial-filmmaking and has been shooting ads for brands like Bayer, Coca-Cola, Douwe Egberts, Gösser, Henkell and Söhnlein, LG, McDonald’s, Molson-Coors, Nestlé, Römerquelle, Samsung, Telekom and Unilever.
For the past ten years, he has also been directing his own films.
As a specialist for super slow-motion, food and liquid beauty filming he earned a serious reputation.
Furthermore, he is passionate about shooting sport-event promos.

Wolfgang Weigel edited his first films in the projection room of the local cinema, where he operated the projector for several years. He then made a name for himself as an assistant editor to Wim Wenders’s editor Peter Przygodda. Since 2001 he has worked as a freelance film editor on numerous feature and documentary films, including the international Netflix production The Coldest Game with Bill Pullman, or Anne Frank’s Diary by Hans Steinbichler. He has also edited award-winning commercials and music videos. His work has been honoured with the German Camera Award, the Editing Award at film+, the Best Editing Award at the Polish Film Festival and the Swiss Advertising Award, among others. In addition to editing, he also makes his own films. He graduated from Werner Herzog’s Rogue Film School in London. In 2009 he directed his first feature film, Blindlings, which was nominated for the New German Cinema Award in 4 categories at the Munich Film Festival. He is a member of the German Federal Association of Film Editors and the German Film Academy. He lives and works in Berlin and Winterthur.

Jonathan Wells is a producer / director who has made both corporate videos and journalistic features throughout his career. He is currently in charge of video content at the EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development). Before that he was a producer/director at the BBC for 10 years working mainly on foreign features. He is also a former Cannes Dolphin winner!

Milly is a multi-award-winning production designer for film, TV, and commercials from South Yorkshire, UK.

Having designed over twenty-four short films across live action, animation, and documentary. Her work has won numerous awards, including Best Production Design at the Royal Television Society Awards for Night of the Living Dread, plus a BAFTA nomination for the same film. Other work of Milly’s has received wins, nominations, and selections at prestigious festivals including BAFTA, Cannes, LFF, BIFA, the Annie Awards, and more. She has worked with leading production companies such as Disney Imagine, BBC, Sky, and Amazon Studios.

Commercial work of Milly’s includes the recent Bronze British Arrows-winning ad ‘World of Our Own’ for Shelter UK. Other credits include work with global and local brands such as LEGO, the McLaren Formula One team, and Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

Milly’s career began in major motion pictures and high-end TV, working as a draughtsperson and assistant art director. Milly’s credits include Joseph Kosinski’s ‘F1,’ Bong Joon Ho's ‘Mickey 17,’ Sam Mendes' ‘Empire of Light,’ and Apple TV’s ‘Slow Horses.’

With experience in multiple capacities, within art departments producing multi-million-pound set builds for major studios, as well as designing and set decorating short films and commercials, Milly is passionate about telling stories through design, right down to the most minute of details.

Alexander Whittenberg is an Atlanta-based designer working in film, television, theater, and immersive experiences. His film and TV credits include “Popular Theory,” “The Archetypes,” “Bear With Us,” “Headless: A Sleepy Hollow Story,” upcoming films “Bridged” and “A Watchful Eye,” and numerous commercials. As an art director/assistant art director, he’s worked on “Rise” for Disney, “Them (S2)” for Amazon/Sony, Billboard Music Awards, and more. Alexander recently designed a series of holiday windows for Amazon in New York City and continues to regularly design for regional theater. His portfolio also includes projects for Disney Parks Live Entertainment and Livesight Creative. His forthcoming podcast “Apotheosis” will explore the unseen world of film design. He holds a degree in Scenography from the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at SUNY Purchase. Alexander is a member of the Art Directors Guild and sits on the board of advisors for Production Designers Collective.

Henry Wilks works at Shoot the Company, an award-winning video production agency he founded with Tom Hiller in 2006.

His passion is to produce films that tell unscripted stories featuring people making a difference in the business world. He loves telling important stories around sustainability, with a particular interest in human and environmental issues. By putting people at the heart of the narrative he understands how to make intelligent films that bring out complex and critical issues, creating films that engage, entertain and educate audiences.

Shoot the Company produces films for clients across the corporate, sports, food and brand space, with a portfolio that includes McDonald’s, UEFA, MSC Cruises, Lipton, FIFA, The FA, Barclays and Red Bull. Shoot the Company has a global network of trusted freelance crews across the world. This is very important to how they operate, as it allows them to minimize their travel footprint, which is their biggest source of emissions by far.

Henry is interested in how technology is driving change in the filming industry and AI in particular, as this is already creating change in how content is made. He started his career in broadcast TV and has seen how changes in technology have always shaped how talented filmmakers tell their stories, especially in the documentary space.

After his studies at the School of Arts in Utrecht (Bachelor) and the Portsmouth University (European Media Masters of Arts) he started working as an independent producer.

The last twenty years he produced more than 500 different corporate, documentary and fiction productions.

As a company they produce daily content for different online platforms up to large (corporate) films for events, experience projects, corporate channels or television.

They work exclusively for the Dutch Government and different national and international corporate clients like Heineken, KPN, Dutch national railway, ABNAMRO and ProRail.

Their goal is to tell beautiful stories in a special way. They do this with a big dedicated team in Amsterdam and The Hague.

Robin Wuchter develops innovative informational and educational formats for TV and the internet. His portfolio includes travel documentaries like A Man, A River, An Adventure, pre-school programs like Adventure Dad, and animation series like Bestor BW films about choosing a university. Robin taught for several years at the Munich University of Television and Cinema (HFF) before moving to Sydney with his family, where he is currently involved in internationalizing several TV series.

Hana Wuerker is a New York-based documentary editor. She has edited features that have played at the Telluride Film Festival Sundance Film Festival, DOC-NYC, and IDFA. Her TV editing credits include the Sports Emmy-nominated series The Money Game for Amazon, HBO’s The Vow: Part II, and Netflix’s We Are: The Brooklyn Saints, among others. Hana is a 2024 Dart Center Documentary Fellow and a member of the Alliance of Documentary Editors.

Johnny is a multi-instrumentalist composer for film, television, commercials, and production music. He has an unhealthy obsession with writing music to create great storytelling. His wide range of compositional repertoire, music semiotic approach, and blending of tonal instruments with unconventional audio manipulation immerse audiences into new territories of emotion or worldly sounds.

He's been lucky enough to have worked on a host of television series, commercials, and film scores. Including award-winning BBC wildlife film 'Silverback', Sky Showtime Original Series 'A Recipe For Murder', ITV crime series 'The Playboy Bunny Murder', Disney+ & Hulu factual series 'Fur Babies', C4 & Netflix 'Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist', Netflix '11M: Terror In Madrid' and Disney+ 'Masters of Love', including with a number of prestigious clients: C4 Formula 1 Grand Prix, Apple TV, Virgin TV, Confused.com, SailGP, Amazon Prime, Canal+, Google, Santander, ITV, Sky, Movistar, Bentley Motors, McLaren, HSBC, 2015 James Bond 'Spectre' TV Spot, Disneynature, American Express, Rapha, SEGA, Decathlon, Lamborghini, NHS, Waze, and more.

Silverback has recently been nominated for a BAFTA TV Craft Award, a Royal Television Society Award and won the Grierson Trust Award 2024 for Best Natural History or Environmental Documentary. It was also awarded three awards at the Jackson Wild Film Festival for Best Film, including an award for Best Film at the New York Wild Film Festival.

He has recently been nominated for a Music & Sound Award for Best Original Composition in a feature-length documentary and been awarded the People's Choice Award at the Creativepool Awards for his work on Silverback. He attended the esteemed Creative Music Technology [course/program] at Surrey University where he graduated with a postgraduate master's degree in 'M.Mus: Master of Music’, achieving a distinction in his specialized pathway 'Composition'. He's a member of the Help Musicians scheme as a mentor to support upcoming talented musicians, composers and artists to reach their potential in the music industry.

Filiz Zengin was appointed Editor-in-Chief to tv4 in January 2022. Prior to this appointment, Zengin was an Executive Producer at 24 TV for 10 years. She was part of many TV Documentaries and shows as a producer. After graduating from the University of Istanbul, she worked for NTV, and interviewed many worldwide musicians, artists, and directors. She moved to London and then to New York. She lived 5 years in New York. She studied Media Arts and Technology in New York. While she was living there, she worked as an Assistant Producer at WABC TV / Eye Witness News. She also has made educational videos for kids with Autism in a volunteering job. Now, she lives in Istanbul.

Max Zilker is an award-winning editor for commercials, fictional movies and corporate films. After having graduated from university with the highest distinction, he entered the world of commercials and corporate films. His commercial Schwitzender Klaus, for which he was in charge not only of the montage but also of the visuals effects, he was awarded the Porsche Award, two times gold and one time silver. In the masterclasses given by Patrick Tucker in London as well as in the classes of Mark Travis, he reinforced his interest in the direction of films. At present, he is developing his own materials and lives with his wife and his daughter in Munich.

Zbigniew Żmudzki graduated in Economics and Film and Television Production Management in Lodz, Poland.

He is an Oscar-winner with Peter and the Wolf.