ADVISORY COMMITTEE
AND ESTEEMED JUDGES
JOE RUSSELL
PRODUCER | WRITER
Since 2011, Joe Russell has produced more than 100 projects including VR, Feature Films, Tv Pilots, Commercials, Music Videos, and other digital content.
Joe received multiple accolades with his film "Laboratory Conditions" starring an all-star cast of American cinema: Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler, Spiderman, My Cousin Vinny) and Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting, Will & Grace, Speechless), above all. The short was directed by Harvard alumn Jocelyn Stamat, writer and director of the series Turbo Dates, and written by Terry Rossio (Aladdin, Godzilla vs Kong, The Pirates of the Caribbean series, etc; nominated for the Academy Award for Shrek, and Annie Award - BAFTA winner).
Joe recently produced the Netflix Original film "XOXO" starring Sarah Hyland and Graham Phillips.
Currently producing the feature film "Dashboard Jesus and Hula Girl" written by Terry Rossio and directed by Jocelyn Stamat. Also producing the 10 original songs that will be featured in the film.
ZACH THOMSON
DIRECTOR | PRODUCER
For decades, Zach Thomson has directed and produced countless film and video productions. His career in film started as a PA on productions such as “Independence Day”, “Dumb and Dumber”, and “Touched by an Angel”, then later worked alongside James Cameron on the film “Avatar” and the WETA Workshop team in New Zealand.
Mr. Thomson now has a deep understanding of the film industry from initial development, finance, production, and on through to post-production, marketing, distribution, and merchandising.
Mr. Thomson has directed and produced hundreds of commercials and shows, edited thousands of videos and has raised millions in capital for many of his own feature film projects, and has a vast network in the film and finance arenas. Mr. Thomson worked in Marketing and Distribution for 20th Century Fox and has since structured distribution deals throughout North and South America, Europe, and China.
MAYK AZZATO
DIRECTOR | PRODUCER | PHOTOGRAPHER
Mayk Azzato, an Italian director and photo artist based in Frankfurt, Germany, has made a mark in the art and celebrity photography scene over the past 30 years. His impressive client list includes Jaguar, Land Rover, Audi, BMW, Lufthansa, and other renowned brands. A sought-after photographer, Mayk has contributed to Vanity Fair, Maxim, GQ, Vogue, and more, working with international celebrities like Kevin Costner, Seal, and Bill Clinton.
Mayk's "Nobody is perfect" project, featuring celebrities against a police bookings backdrop, garnered significant media attention. His exhibitions and film screenings, such as "The Key," have earned prestigious awards, including the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Award and the US International Film and Video Festival Award. As a brand ambassador for Nikon Lenses, Vertu, Maurice Lacroix, and Hensel performing Light, Mayk leverages his fame to promote these brands and occasionally contributes to campaign creation. His foray into movie and TV commercial making, including "The Arrival" and "The Lounge," further demonstrates his diverse artistic talents.
In the realm of modern pop-art, Mayk Azzato has been exploring his creative vein since 2012, using a mix of different materials. Most recently, his music video "Space Table Symphony" clinched the 100th international film award in Las Vegas at the Vegas Movie Awards™, bringing his total count to an outstanding 100 international film awards.
KENNY HOTZ
DIRECTOR | WRITER | PRODUCER | ACTOR
Kenny Hotz is a producer and entertainer, former South Park writer, "Kenny" of the Comedy Central television series Kenny vs. Spenny, creator of the FOX series Testees and Triumph of the Will.
He has received numerous awards for his film, television, and digital content.
Hotz is an award-winning Vice contributor; who began his career as a photojournalist and war correspondent.
Google Canada lists Hotz's channel - top ten on YouTube. He is the co-owner of The Hoxton and the Dog & Bear restaurants in Toronto. He is part of the Advisory Board for Vegas Movie Awards™, Chair of the Comedy Advisory Board for Banff World Media Festival, and an executive consultant at Just for Laughs festival in Montreal.
Hotz is the godson of folk singer Joni Mitchell.
SIMON MERRELLS
ACTOR
Simon Merrells has recently been working on Amazon's new Lord of the Rings series, and before that played Templar Knight Tancrede on HISTORY’s drama series Knightfall. He began his career in theatre, performing in works from The Royal National Theatre and The Royal Shakespeare Company. He garnered attention for his work with Steven Berkoff, namely the title role in Oedipus and as washed up boxer Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront both for which he received a nomination for Acting Excellence from the Stage Awards. Recently, he won a Best Actor award for his role in Stephen King’s I Am the Doorway from the Vegas Movie Awards™. He also worked in films such as The Wolfman with Benicio del Toro, IndeX Zero, Take Down, Lorenzo di Medici in Firenze & the Uffizi gallery for Sky Arts 3D and recently played a recurring role in Neil Gaiman's Good Omens. Perhaps most notably, he played Marcus Licinius Crassus in Starz cult hit Spartacus. His other television roles include guesting on Syfy’s 12 MONKEY’s, DC Legends of Tomorrow, BBC's The Musketeers, as well as recurring roles on SyFy’s Dominion, The CW’s Tomorrow People. He is planning on shooting a new movie in Australia later in the year.
HASHEM AL-GHAILI
DIRECTOR | PRODUCER
Hashem Al-Ghaili is a filmmaker, video producer, and science communicator who was born in Yemen in 1990. He obtained his master’s degree in Molecular Biotechnology from Jacobs University Bremen in Germany and currently works as a full-time science communicator.
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He runs his own Facebook page “Science Nature Page” which has over 32 million followers and reaches around 400 million users per week. His videos on Facebook have garnered nearly 16 billion views. They cover a wide range of subjects: astronomy, physics, biology, medicine, nature, technology, and innovation. His science communication activities extend to YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Hashem also wrote, produced, and directed an award-winning short Sci-Fi film called Simulation, which he is currently writing as a full-length novel.
MICHAEL SCHILF
DIRECTOR | PRODUCER | WRITER
Michael is an award-winning filmmaker and co-founder of Lunar Door, an independent production company. His acclaimed crime thriller The Fixer, starring Jesse C. Boyd and Danny Trejo, has earned 90 international awards and 38 nominations, including 13 Best Director wins.
Michael is a producer on the indie drama The Fall. He is also directing and producing the social issue documentary Tears of the Field while producing the adventure, sports documentary Tracing the Divide. He is currently attached to direct three features: Ashes, Cane, and The Sins of My Father, based on his memoir.
SERGIO BARBASSO
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR - VEGAS MOVIE AWARDS™
Founder and Festival Director of Vegas Movie Awards™, Sergio Barbasso is an award-winning director, producer, writer, and animator, Emmys®, and Annie Awards® voting member.
After producing and directing an award-winning animated TV Series called "SuperHillCool™" and other projects he decided to devote himself to changing the Film Festivals industry and offering talented filmmakers a prestigious platform that would really make justice to their hard work.
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His entrepreneurial vision and stubbornness, combined with skillful teamwork, allowed him in just three years to make the Vegas Movie Awards™ the most popular Film Festival in Las Vegas and one of the most sought-after Film Festivals worldwide, regularly attended by Oscars®, Emmys®, Golden Globes®, and Bafta® awards.
RONNIE F. LEE
PRESIDENT - VEGAS MOVIE AWARDS™
Ronnie F. Lee is the founder, President, and CEO of several corporations operating within the field of entertainment, currently engaged in the growth and oversight of Vegas Movie Awards™.
After serving his country as a soldier in the US Army, Lee’s experience in the music industry flourished during his 10- year stint in Europe where he was entrenched in every aspect of the entertainment industry including production, publishing, manufacturing, distribution and sales.
He has 29 years of experience managing and promoting artists, as well as developing business strategies, corporate structuring, brand expansion/management, cost savings analysis, risk management strategies, and a host of other business development and management services.
Lee is a dynamic, out-of-the-box thinking business innovator with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of corporate structure, the strategic organization of business entities, and a broad understanding of the business side of art.
VALERIO ZANOLI
DIRECTOR | PRODUCER | WRITER
Valerio Zanoli is the producer and director of the film Not To Forget, with a cast that includes Karen Grassle and 5 Academy Award winners: Louis Gossett Jr., Olympia Dukakis, Cloris Leachman, Tatum O'Neal, and George Chakiris.
Valerio graduated from the prestigious School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California, with a Presidential Scholarship and a Dean’s Scholarship.
Valerio's first film was The Minis, starring NBA legend Dennis Rodman. The movie is available in over 18 countries, with an official videogame and several partnerships that span from Yahoo! to McDonald’s. Valerio later produced and directed the film Hopeful Notes, which was awarded the first prize at the International Social Commitment Awards and 5 out of 5 doves by The Dove Foundation. He is also the producer and director of the film All You Can Dream, starring international singer Anastacia. The movie had its world premiere at the Giffoni Film Festival and its U.S. premiere at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. It later received support letters from the Office of the First Lady and UNESCO "Education for Children in Need."
VIKAS KUMAR
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER | CEO of DIGITOONZ
Vikas Kumar is the Founder & CEO of Digitoonz, a world-class interactive entertainment and 2D/3D animation production studio with well over 450 animators and global presence from USA, UK, Australia, Japan, and India.
Mr. Kumar and Digitoonz have worked on award-winning animations for some of the most prestigious animation studios in the global industry. Some of their shows have even received Daytime Emmy Award Nominations.
During the initial days of establishment, he was aware that there were no major animation companies in North India. He knew his dream of establishing a leading company was not going to be easy due to the lack of resources. Today Vikas is the face of Digitoonz. He is moving forward very actively with many new business opportunities to grow his company worldwide and also in opening new ventures for Kids' Entertainment and education.
ALESSANDRO TAINI
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER | ANIMATION ARTIST
Alessandro Taini is an Italian artist known for his work in the field of digital art illustration and Art Direction He gained recognition for his intricate and imaginative creations, particularly in the realms of fantasy and science fiction. Taini has contributed his talents to various projects, including video games, book covers, and concept art for films.
Taini's talent caught the attention of the entertainment industry, leading to collaborations with renowned studios and franchises. In particular, he served as the Art Director at Ninja Theory from for many years, playing a pivotal role in shaping the visual identity of the studio's projects. Under his Art leadership, games such as Heavenly Sword, Enslaved and DmC Devil may Cry and the pre-production of the HellBlade achieved much success and critical acclaim.
In 2023, Taini's exceptional talent was recognized with an individual Emmy award for his outstanding production design contributions to the animated series "Star Trek: Prodigy."
JEFF PORTER
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER | DISTRIBUTOR
Jeff Porter has spent his years in Los Angeles furthering the ingenuity, creativity, and drive which guided him through his collegiate career at UNLV, during which he founded the non-profit Music and Film Development Center which teaches youth about music and film production, as well as the business behind it. His passion for film, in its myriad facets, has exposed him first hand to the blood sweat, and tears of running a set from the ground up as well as the countless hours spent as an editor for many projects. It is what led him to Los Angeles, working his way up from scouting films to selling them. It was there, in a kind of baptism by fire, which Jeff learned about the distribution and financing side of film, working his way up from film scout to president. In the process; finding distribution and or financing for over fifty-plus films, managing a team of film scouts, as well as a team of acquisitions executives, overseeing the logistics of several theatrical releases, in addition to cultivating relationships with all of the major domestic and international distributors.
Jeff’s drive and focus have been much fed by the unparalleled satisfaction of being able to help filmmakers and producers find distribution and audiences for their opuses.
NICOLA LUCCHI
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER | WRITER
Nicola Lucchi is an Italian author and screenwriter living in Los Angeles. Winner and finalist of numerous international awards, he has collaborated with both fiction and non-fiction Italian and American production companies. Writer of some docuseries for Discovery Channel including "The Great Popes", Nicola is also an author of adult’s and children’s books.
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A great lover of Hollywood history, he writes about cinema and the history of the entertainment industry in various specialized magazines. In Italy, he has edited books and essays on the Golden Age of Hollywood and classic American cinema, including an illustrated monograph entirely dedicated to Theda Bara.
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