The Panel Speakers
 |
Chloe Traicos - Producer/Actress Chloe Traicos is most well known for her recurring role as Gloria Freeman on the hit HBO show “The Righteous Gemstones. ” She also stars in the hit new comedy" “Introducing Jodea” that’s been released by Myriad Pictures. Collider listed it as one of the top 25 Feel Good Movies of the 2020’s. It also ranked at number 2 on Apple TV in the US. The film won a total of 17 awards including “ Best Actress” and “ Best Comedy” and had amazing reviews with critics calling it the “ Feel Good Movie of the Year” and “This year’s answer to Pretty Woman.”In 2019 Chloe starred in “ Devil’s Cove” the controversial lesbian thriller where she scored a Best Actress nomination at the New York Film Festival and where her performance was praised by the Hollywood Reporter and the Los Angeles Times.Chloe has written, starred in and produced numerous award winning independentfilms including “ Next Door to the Velinskys” that opened the Shanghai Film Festival in 2013” and “ I Wish I Were Stephanie V” which won Indiefest the same year..
|
|
Joseph Lanius, Entertainment Attorney Joseph Lanius is an entertainment attorney who specializes in distribution, finance and production legal affairs, as well as a business strategist and financial consultant. He has been a part of bringing over 100 films to the “big screen” through his domestic and international financing sources, distribution connections and business and legal expertise in the entertainment industry. Joseph has also extended into executive producing services for film, television and other media ventures. One of Joseph’s recent Executive Producer contributions was for the Sundance success CALL JANE starring Elizabeth Banks, Sigourney Weaver and Kate Mara. Lanius has also executive produced ASSASSIN CLUB (Henry Golding, Noomi Rapace, Sam Neill) INHERITANCE (Simon Pegg, Lily Collins), TO THE BONE (Keanu Reeves, Lily Collins) and Paul Schrader’s film THE CARD COUNTER (Oscar Isaac, Tye Sheridan, Willem Dafoe)
|
 |
Leanne Melissa Bishop - Writer/Director/Producer/Actress Leanne is an American / Canadian award-winning writer / director / producer / actress and CPA, who trained at the prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in NYC. She has written, produced, directed, and starred in numerous award-winning films including, The Weight of Perfection (Best Actress), Tell Me Something (Best Actress and Screenwriting), Reservations For Three? (Best Short), Candice & Peter's Smokin' Hot Date (Best Short), and In Search Of (Best Short). Leanne has several other feature films in development including, WHAT IF, staring Lea Thompson and Kevin Pollak, the supernatural thriller CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE (top 10% of Academy Nicholl Fellowship, 2nd Round of Austin Film Festival), and the inspirational sports drama STRENGTH. Leanne is also developing numerous TV series, including a series starring NYC's own film icon Radioman, and the comedy, Possum, with showrunner Anthony Q. Farrell. She is the proud winner of the Mary Austin Award for Excellence in Producing.
|
 |
Noah A. Waters III, film maker, writer-director, producer Noah A. Waters III is an award-winning filmmaker, writer-director, and Line, Creative, and Development film producer originally from Jacksonville, Florida. A veteran of the U.S. Army and a former private military contractor, Noah brings a rare authenticity and depth to his work in cinema—infusing his story telling with severe and intense lived experience, psychological nuance, and an open minded yet global perspective.Noah has line produced and directed content across the U.S. and internationally, including projects in Romania, Colombia, South Africa, South America, Latin America, the Mediterranean , and Australia
|
|
Sara Hamilton; Producer Sara Hamilton is a development executive, producer, strategic consultant and industry advocate with 25+ years of experience in marketing and branding, film and media, technology, education, business development, and nonprofit and social impact work. She is the founder and CEO of the FilmFlock, where she shepherds engaging film, series and media projects for optimal purpose and profit by connecting filmmakers, production companies, studios, industry partners, film commissions, financiers and philanthropic groups around the world. She's currently in development or production on more than a dozen feature and series projects with both US and international filmmakers and studios. She's a frequent panelist and moderator in the Cannes Film Festival; at the Sundance Film Festival, and The Creativity Conference in New York.
|
 |
Ricardo Miranda - Producer/Actor Ricardo Miranda is a successful entrepreneur and emerging force in the film industry, known for blending strategic vision with creative storytelling. As the producer and a featured actor in the action-comedy Team of Two, Ricardo has already made his mark by securing wide distribution across major platforms including Amazon Prime, Tubi, Google Play, and YouTube Movies. The film is currently streaming in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. With longstanding ties in the entertainment world, Ricardo's deep connections across the industry played a key role in every aspect of production and distribution, helping him assemble a cast of iconic stars and navigate a highly competitive landscape with remarkable success. His on-screen appearance in the documentary Modern Warriors further reflects his early involvement in the martial arts and film communities Best known as the founder and CEO of a thriving biotech company focused on DNA-based health solutions, Ricardo brings a unique entrepreneurial edge to his creative projects — combining business acumen, global reach, and a passion for storytelling. Ricardo recently produced a commercial for one of Hollywood's top-ranked entertainment magazines, further expanding his footprint in the industry. Looking ahead, Ricardo has multiple film projects in development, including a short film slated for summer and a new feature film this fall. Whether it becomes the highly anticipated sequel to Team of Two or one of his other cinematic ventures, his next steps in the industry are already generating excitement.
|
 |
ZhuZha Akova - Actor/Writer/Director/Producer ZhuZha Akova is a Ukrainian-born actor, writer, director, and producer with over 15 years of professional experience. She began her career as a competitive rhythmic gymnast before being scouted by a local theater group. After moving to the U.S. as a teenager, she graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and went on to perform in numerous stage productions and independent films. She is best known for her role as Zarina, a tough ex-military operative-turned-thief, in Bring Him Back Dead, opposite Gary Daniels, Louis Mandylor, and Daniel Baldwin. ZhuZha recently wrote, directed, produced, and starred in her latest short film, A. Silverspoon, currently in post-production. Her award-winning short Klara's Box, which she also wrote, produced, and starred in, has screened at over a dozen festivals and earned nominations for Best Thriller, Best Experimental, Best Director, and Best Actress. ZhuZha has since expanded the story into a feature-length script, now in development and slated for pre-production early next year
|
 |
Evette Vargas, Writer/Director/Producer
Evette Vargas is an award-winning writer/director/producer and entrepreneur of film, television and immersive media, featured in Forbes and named by the New York Times as an "Artist to Watch." Vargas is the Co-Founder, Indigo Reign Films, a NextGen production company, producing elevated films, series, podcasts and more. Vargas wrote, directed, and produced her award-winning short, Confessions, which won the Audience Award in Cannes and is coming to television in 2026. Vargas sold her drama series, Muses, to TNT and developed series for MGM, eOne, Shout! Factory, among others. She served as the TV Development Executive at Hidden Empire Film Group, developing their television slate. Vargas has produced content for Amazon, MTV, Bravo, DirectTV, Vivendi, Fast And Furious, Lord Of The Rings trilogy, Madonna, Wu-Tang Clan, Activision, and EA, to name a few. Vargas executive produced, wrote, and directed her digital series, Dark Prophet, starring Henry Rollins, which was in contention for two Emmys. She served as the showrunner and writer for WorldOne, a narrative videogame. Vargas was born in the Bronx and learned to tell stories at the dinner table with her family, where imagination ruled. She collects action figures, typewriters, and shoes; has past lives as a DJ, a fashion designer; and is a recovering New York City advertising Art Director. Vargas earned her BFA in Film and Television from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and her MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA.
|
|