Jury 2013
JURY FEATURE DRAMA / NARRATIVE
H.I.R.H. Prince Gharios of Ghassan Al-Nu’man VIII, born in exile in Brazil, is internationally recognized as the Sovereign Prince of the Christian Arab Dynasty of the Ghassanids. A classically trained Actor, he also an award-winning Director and Producer of both television and film.
Prince Gharios’ professional career started in 1994 when he co-directed the theater play “Women of Athens” (based on the classical Greek Lysistrata of Aristophanes). The following year, he directed “Bailei na curva” (Danced in the Curve), a political play about the years of military dictatorship in Brazil.
He began his acting career in 1999 appearing in the feature “Where The Poets Die First” produced and directed by the Schumann brothers. Following his debut, he appeared in numerous films, TV shows and commercials. In 2005 he directed the biggest comedy festival in Latin America, the “Risorama” second edition.
Having enjoyed a successful career in his native country, working under the stage name ‘Mauricio Guerios’, Prince Gharios was recognized by the Brazilian Government for his achievements. Following quickly on the heels of these accomplishments, he decided the next logical step would be to conquer Hollywood. Currently Prince Gharios divides his time between his residences in Brazil and in the United States. He is happily married and a proud member of SAG-AFTRA as well as member of SATED (SAG Equivalent) in Brazil.
www.princegharios.com
James Jeffery Caldwell is a Los Angeles born actor, director, producer, and musician. In 2011 he made his theatre directorial debut with the critically acclaimed modern staging of Sophocles Oedipus Rex—while also executive producing and co-starring in the feature film Innocent Blood (official selection of the Monaco Charity Film Festival 2012, NDU Beirut Film Festival 2012).
As an actor, some of his award-winning feature films and shorts include: The Cure (Special Screening at NDU Beirut Film Festival 2011, Jury Award Worldfest 2011); Forgotten (2010 Remi Award Winner Worldfest 2010); and Pie & Coffee (Audience Award Valley Film Festival 2009)..
He lives in Los Angeles’s Southbay with his gorgeous wife and two beautiful daughters.
Alison Minami is an actress and writer in Los Angeles. She has performed with both Pan Asian Repertory of New York and East West Players Theatre of L.A. Most recently, she performed in The Vampire Masquerade at the Next Stage Theatre and was selected to be on the Moth Radio Hour. As a writer, she was a finalist for fiction in the Meyerson Southwest Review and a 2012 finalist in California Exchange Award for Poets and Writers. Her play “Face to the Sun” has had two staged readings and is seeking production. She hails from Boston, MA.
is the representative of the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) in the United Sates. She works to promote Korean involvement in US film productions, introducing Korean films, Korean filmmakers, and Korean entertainment companies to leaders of the Hollywood film industry and facilitating interaction between American and Korean cultures.
Soo Jin earned a BA in Aesthetics from Seoul National University and an MFA in Film Production from Florida State University. Her thesis film, Tycho’s Nova, won the Student Emmy Award in 2006.
Soo Jin chose Los Angeles because of her love of Blade Runner and her favorite place is the Downtown LA theater district.
Soo Jin Hwang, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Konrad Tademar Wilk is an American Poet and Writer. He spent five years as a boy in Poland where he witnessed the rise of the anti-communist Solidarity labor union; he came back to the United States ten days before Martial Law was declared. He studied Philosophy and Literature and was president of the Poet’s Platform for two years, then went on to graduate from UCLA with a degree in E-Commerce and Business Management. He has made occasional appearances in coffee houses and has been writing poetry continuously now, for over twenty three years. A selection of his poems is available on line and in several anthologies. In 1991 Konrad founded the Witching Hour Poetry Gathering, an annual evening of poetry, and has been hosting it ever since. He is married with one child.
JURY FEATURE DOCUMENTARIES
Jules Bruff is a fast rising star. She co-wrote, produced and starred in indie sleeper hit Part Time Fabulous. The film has garnered 8 awards, 2 of which are Best Actress nods for her portrayal of the lead character, Mel. Part Time Fabulous is being distributed by Anderson Digital/Vanguard Cinema April 2013. Since moving to Hollywood, Ms. Bruff has acted in theater, TV, film, new media and over 40 national commercials. Her first break came when she landed the pivotal role of Catherine Allen in David Fincher’s highly acclaimed 2007 film Zodiac. She’s slated to star in two indie features in 2013 as well as is in development on a feature she is co-writing and starring in.
Dan Sutton was born in England in 1966 and trained as a musician and computer programmer. After a period spent pursuing music, he decided to devote his attention to computer programming full time. He moved to the United States in 1993 and lived in New York for twelve years, during which time he established his business and married the actress Caitlin Moreland. In 2005, they moved to Los Angeles, where he currently resides. In 2007, he produced the short movie “My Big Fat Shotgun Wedding”; he also writes science fiction and occasionally publishes short stories on the internet. His interests include physics, space travel, mechanical and electronic engineering, psychology, biotechnology and reptiles. He is currently working on a screenplay for his short science fiction story “The Hand of God.”
JURY SHORT
Frank Elaridi, born in Beirut, Lebanon and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Frank Elaridi was a child actor who went on to become editor-in-chief of the award-winning Collegian newspaper at Los Angeles City College and Senior Editor of the respected Campus Times at the University of La Verne.
He currently works on the assignment desk and as a freelance producer for ABC News, which includes World News with Diane Sawyer, Nightline, 20/20 and Good Morning America.
His website is: www.frankelaridi.com and he is also on Twitter @frankelaridi
Sasha Feldman is an actor in Los Angeles California. He does TV and film work and is currently working as an actor and creator of a television project for Fishbowl Digital media productions. He is excited to be part of the jury, and wants to thanks Georges for letting him be a part of it.d he is also on Twitter @frankelaridi
Ryan Turner is currently living in LA working as a freelance filmmaker. Last year his short film he wrote and directed, “Silent Heart”, picked up the Jury Prize in the Student Short Competition at MCFF. This year, he is honored to have been asked to be a part of the very same jury. In the Fall, he released a web series entitled “Fresh off the Plane” (youtube.com/fopwebseries) that focuses on people from all over the world living together in the same apartment. Most recently, he directed a comedy music video entitled “I’m Not Gay” which, as of writing this, has 55K views in the first week. He never stops creating and he is excited to be directing his first set of commercials in mid-April as well as releasing an all new web show that was picked up by Fishbowl Worldwide Media. You can see all of his work at his website:
