SEEfest 2026 - Save the Date! April 29th - May 6th

2026 SEEfest Industry

ACCELERATOR

INCUBATOR FOR FILMMAKERS AND STORYTELLERS

SEEfest Project Accelerator is an opportunity for filmmakers to present their projects in development. Up to twelve chosen artists are invited to virtual and in-person workshops hosted by industry experts. Some of the topics covered are perfecting the logline, marketing, pitching, target audience, streaming, technology, and entertainment law.

Chris Fink

Christopher Fink is a writer, director and producer, a member of the Writer’s Guild of America, having written films and television projects for companies including Disney Studios and Paramount Pictures. He has written, produced and directed two feature films, Moving August and None, as well as commercials, an award-winning political ad, and promotional trailers for film and tv projects.

While exploring Louisiana for a film production, Christopher discovered a need for infrastructure and co-founded Louisiana’s largest movie studio complex and first Hollywood-class motion picture studio, the $60 million, 23-acre Celtic Studios. In the process, he also gained valuable knowledge about the workings of tax credit programs both in the U.S. and internationally, worked with state and local officials in Louisiana including the Lieutenant Governor and the Mayor of Baton Rouge and one of his proposals was passed by the Louisiana state legislature in an update to Louisiana’s tax
credit law.

A regular attendee at major film festivals and markets including the Cannes Film Festival,
Christopher is very knowledgeable about film finance, sales and marketing of films and
international co-production.

He was selected as Mission Leader for an international film mission to Beijing, China to explore coproduction, serves annually as a mentor for a filmmaker’s workshop at SEEfest and worked on the WGA Constitutional committee, drafting a successful revision to enhance open elections.

He can be contacted by email at [email protected] and by phone at 818-501-7663.

Alexia Melocchi

Alexia Melocchi is an international film producer, distributor, author, and strategic consultant with over 30 years of hands-on experience in worldwide film distribution—on both sides of the table as a buyer and a seller.

She has acquired, sold, and positioned films across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, navigating the realities of global markets, cultural nuance, and commercial viability long before “global appeal” became a buzzword. As co-founder of Little Studio Films, one of the earliest women-owned international sales companies, Alexia helped bridge independent creators with major distributors, broadcasters, and platforms worldwide.

Fluent in six languages, Alexia is known for her rare ability to translate creative vision into market-ready positioning, tailoring pitches to resonate with buyers, financiers, and producers across different territories and business cultures. Her approach goes beyond theory—it is rooted in decades of real negotiations, market floors, and deal-making at the highest levels.

Through her Pitching & Global Producer Appeal Masterclasses, Alexia teaches filmmakers, producers, and entrepreneurs how to package, present, and communicate projects with clarity, confidence, and cross-border intelligence—aligning story, strategy, and commercial reality so ideas don’t just sound good, but actually sell.

She is also the author of An Insider’s Secret: Mastering the Hollywood Path and host of the top-rated podcast The Heart of Show Business, where she continues to mentor the next generation of global storytellers and deal-makers.

Andrei Zinca

Andrei Zincă studied Film and TV Photography in Romania, and Directing and Film Production at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. Before leaving Romania in 1982, Mr. Zincă worked as a Cameraman for eight feature films, produced at Buftea Film Studios, and produced, wrote and directed for Romanian Television “We, the people”, a travel documentary series, that brought him an award from the Union of Romanian Filmmakers (UCIN) for best documentary series. Outside Romania, his debut as a Director/Producer occurred in 1987, with “Rosa de America”, a six-hour period TV mini-series shot in Peru. In 1988, Mr. Zincă moved to the U.S., where he established himself as a leading Director/Producer for the TV Hispanic markets in the U.S. and Latin America, with more than 1500 hours of scripted television under his belt. In 1991, he was nominated for an Emmy Regional Award for “Conversaciones en el Vaticano”, a Special Program about Pope John-Paul II and the Vatican, which he directed and co-produced. In 2006, Mr. Zincă returned to Romania as a Line Producer for the feature film “Mirrors”, starring Keifer Southerland, directed by Alexandre Aja, a New Regency/20th Century Fox production. He also directed “La Urgență”, a local version of ER, winner of UCIN (the Romanian Association of Filmmakers) and APTR (the Romanian Association of TV Professionals) Awards for Best Series 2006. In 2013, he co-produced, directed, and co-wrote “Puzzle for a Blind Man”, his first theatrical feature, shot entirely in Romania and post-produced in the US. The US-Romania co-production was awarded for best picture, script, lead actors, and photography at various independent film festivals in the US, and was distributed by Netflix in Europe, and by various streamers in the US. The same co-production formula was applied to his second feature film, “So, What’s Freedom?”, inspired in a short novel by world-renowned Ana Blandiana. The film won the Audience Choice Award for Best Romanian movie at TIFF Cluj-Napoca 2020, as well as other Audience Choice Awards and Special Jury Mentions, at festivals in the US. The movie was distributed in Europe by HBO. In 2023, Mr. Zincă premiered his first production of a feature documentary, shot entirely in South Africa. After its World premiere at Thessaloniki Documentary Festival where it won three awards, “Who I Am Not” had its N. American premiere at SXSW, followed so far by selections in 67 international festivals, with 20 wins. The movie was shortlisted by The European Film Academy for Best Documentary, and in the US, was picked by the prestigious PBS/POV for its 2024-2025 slate. Mr. Zincă is the co-founder and CEO of Voxx Studios, a Los Angeles based audio post-production studio.

Carol Contes

Carol T. Contes is an experienced entertainment lawyer who assists clients with business and legal matters pertaining to the development, financing, and production of scripted and unscripted content for global distribution (i.e., independent films, television/streaming series, documentaries, etc.). She is also experienced with intellectual property licensing agreements and Broadway stage agreements and issues regarding celebrity estates. She is admitted to both the Arizona Bar and the California Bar. Carol was recently a Co-Producer of the international independent film, “The Bay of Silence.”

Jacques Thelemaque

J. Todd Harris is the president of Branded Pictures Entertainment in Los Angeles.
He has produced or executive produced over 60 films. These include the Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated The Trial of the Chicago 7 and The Kids Are All Right, as well as seven Sundance entries, including Bottle Shock and the recent Chasing Summer.  2025 releases included Lilly (starring Patricia Clarkson), On Fire (starring William H. Macy), Christmas Karma (from director Gurinder Chadha), Stone Cold Fox (starring Kiefer Sutherland and Kiernan Shipka), and Venice and TIFF selection, Gus Van Sant’s latest film Dead Man’s Wire.  His theatre credits include Heathers The Musical, Buena Vista Social Club (winner of 5 Tonys and a Grammy), Doctor Zhivago, American Psycho, Parents In Chains and That Bastard Puccini. Upcoming productions are Soul Train The Musical, an adaptation of the film Death At a Funeral, and Phenomenal Woman Maya Angelou directed by Debbie Allen.

He has been an adjunct professor at Chapman University’s MFA program and the Los Angeles campus of Syracuse University.  He also offers film financing and production seminars and consulting.  Harris is a 27-year member of the Motion Picture Academy, as well as the Producers Guild and Producers United, and the Broadway League (2015-2018). He is a founding board member of the Napa Valley Film Festival and recently joined the board of the Ojai Playwrights Conference. He earned his BA and MBA from Stanford University and lives in Los Angeles with his wife Amy Powers, a songwriter and health & wellness entrepreneur. They have two creative sons in their mid-20s.

Valentina Ganeva

Born in Bulgaria, Valentina B. Ganeva is a graduate of the National Academy for
Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia. She holds a BA degree in Film History and Theory
and established herself as a freelance journalist for major Bulgarian publications.
After relocating to Los Angeles, Valentina became an executive producer and co-
owner of Murex Films, Inc., a Santa Monica-based post-production house. During
her tenure, she also built an extensive resume as an editor.

Her lifelong interest in art, architecture and design merged with her expertise in
video production, culminated in her directorial debut, “Schindler Space Architect”.
This revelatory documentary – narrated by Meryl Streep and Udo Kier – features
renowned architects Frank Gehry, Steven Holl and Thom Mayne, among others.
The film explores the life and work of Austrian-born radical architect and bohemian
Rudolph M. Schindler, whose visionary designs shaped modern architecture, even
as his legacy remained in the shadows.

Since its premiere at the Architecture and Design Film Festival in New York, the film
has garnered global recognition and won several prestigious awards. The
documentary qualified for the Best Documentary Feature category at the 98th
Academy Awards in 2026 and had a limited theatrical release at Laemmle’s Monica
Film Center in Los Angeles. Valentina served as the film’s writer, producer, director,
editor, and lead researcher.
PROJECT TITLEGENRECOUNTRYAUTHOR
THE RINGS OF SATURNFeatureTurkeyTanju Ozdemir
LUCKY USDocumentaryKosovo / CroatiaAnita Morina
NO LAND PROMISEDDocumentaryU.S. / MNE / CyprusMarina Ratina
70 DEGREESFeatureBrazilCassio Tolpolar
FOR THE GOOD OF ALL OF USHybrid Feature / DocumentaryU.S.Jay Miracle
DADA A DEFIANT WITNESSPolitical FeatureU.S. / SerbiaElizabeta Betinski
THE LAST SOULDystopian FeatureGreeceCharalampos Kontopanagos
BOLLYWOOD BOYFRIENDDramedyU.S.Almanya Narula
DILEMMA*Teen DramaSlovakiaVeronika Pastekova
CAUSE & CURE: UNKNOWNDocumentaryU.S.Marvelous Miles
SENIORS & SENIORSTV SeriesU.S.UCLA Film Class

INDUSTRY PANELS

Lessons From Mainstream Movie Marketing That Indie Films Can Benefit From

The speakers will share marketing strategies and how data and technology are used to attract younger audiences with fragmented attention spans, multi-platform habits and new expectations for interactive experiences.

While data-driven approaches are increasingly prevalent, curated programming, nurturing curiosity and niche audiences can still drive thoughtful theatrical-first strategies, particularly for European independent content.

Panelists will share experiences with marketing their own, or their companies’ movies, what tools and approaches they use to identify the likely/ target audience, and what lessons they’ve learned in the process.

Other topics that will be explored: How-to streaming platforms; Financing and Selling Your Indie Movie; Legal Framework for U.S. – Europe Co-Productions; AI, IP, and Maintaining Integrity, and Ownership, of Indie Projects.

Matthew Carey

Moderator, DEADLINE

Matthew Carey joined Deadline fulltime in 2020, after a long association as a freelancer, to specialize in coverage of the nonfiction film landscape. Matthew is a writer and producer whose work has appeared on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español. He has written extensively about documentary film for CNN and CNN.com, Documentary magazine, NBCNews.com and TheWrap.

Marina Kosten

Marina Kosten is a senior research and strategy executive with an extensive background in media, entertainment, and consumer packaged goods.  She currently serves as a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg, where she advises on key trends in entertainment, data, technology, marketing and communication strategies. She is also an Adjunct Professor at USC Annenberg’s Graduate School for Communication and Journalism.

Previously, as Vice President of consumer research for 20th Century Fox International, she led consumer research for the studio’s annual theatrical portfolio in top 15 global markets. She worked on films and franchises such as Deadpool, X-Men, Planet of the Apes, Avatar, Die Hard, Bohemian Rhapsody, Titanic, Kingsman, The Greatest Showman, and Ice Age.

Before Fox, Kosten worked at Activision-Blizzard where she provided global consumer insights for Guitar Hero and Call of Duty video game franchises, as well as the company’s portfolio of licensed products.

Her background in psychology and early career as a consumer researcher at several Major Global Research Organizations drives Marina’s passion to understand human behavior and apply it to successful business outcomes.  Marina’s career has been focused on ensuring that the voice of the consumer is represented in operating today’s businesses and innovating for those of tomorrow.

Nika Agiashvili


Writer, director, and producer Nika Agiashvili’s Punch It Films production company launched at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival alongside former UFC Middleweight champion turned actor Michael Bisping and Storyman Pictures, the director’s joint outfit with George Finn and producer John Edward Lee.

Nika Agiashvili is a Georgian-American filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California. Named after his grandfather, a famous Georgian novelist, Nika Agiashvili grew up in a family of writers and filmmakers. At the age of five, he was cast as a lead in the feature film ‘Modi, vilaparakot’ (1986), where he developed a fascination with the magic of moviemaking. Spending time on sets and film productions alongside his father, David Agiashvili the youngest senior editor and editor-in-chief of the animated association of a film studio, Georgian Film, and the editor-in-chief of the main Georgian Television Film company, he played a pivotal role in nurturing Nika’s passion for filmmaking.

After relocating to Los Angeles, Nika wrote, produced, and directed his debut feature film, ‘The Harsh Life of Veronica Lambert,’ in 2009, which played at numerous film festivals. His subsequent project, ‘A Green Story,’ featured a cast including Ed O’Ross, George Finn, Billy Zane, Annabella Sciorra, Shannon Elizabeth, and Malcolm McDowell, which premiered at the prestigious Egyptian theater as the opening night film at the 6th Annual Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, before it was theatrically released worldwide in 2013. In 2014, Nika wrote, directed, and produced ‘Tbilisi, I Love You’ as part of Emmanuel Benbihy’s ‘Cities of Love’ franchise, following the success of ‘Paris, je t’aime’ and ‘New York, I Love You.’ The omnibus starred Ron Perlman, Malcolm McDowell, George Finn, Sarah Dumont, and numerous prominent Georgian actors and actresses. The film was released worldwide after having its North American premiere at the 10th Annual South East European Film Festival.

In 2018, Agiashvili wrote and executive-produced ‘Daughter of the Wolf,’ starring two-time Academy Award Winner Richard Dreyfuss, Gina Carano, and Brendan Fehr. The film received a worldwide release in 2019 and garnered three Canadian Screen Awards Nominations. Continuing his creative journey, Agiashvili wrote and directed the short film ‘Delilah’ in 2021, featuring Rainey Qualley, George Finn, and Timothy V. Murphy, which was shown at over sixty film festivals, winning over thirty awards in numerous categories.

In 2025, Nika wrote and directed the feature film ‘Atlas King,’ starring former UFC champion Michael Bisping, Cuba Gooding Jr., George Finn, Anne Winters, Sarah Waybe Callies, and Lara Wolf. Saban Films bought the US distribution rights at the European Film Market in 2026, with Highland Film Group selling worldwide rights to the film. 

Elizaveta Chalenko

Elizaveta Chalenko is an international film producer working across Europe and the
United States, with experience spanning auteur-driven projects and collaborations with
high-profile talent. Over the course of her career, she has collaborated with award-winning directors, including Kirill Serebrennikov, Zachary Wigon, Pietro Marcello, Vadim
Perelman, Mona Fastvold, Yury Bykov, Dito Montiel, among others.

Her films have premiered at the world’s leading A-class festivals, including Cannes Film
Festival, Venice Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, TIFF, and Tribeca. Elizaveta
produced and executive produced the most recent films by Kirill Serebrennikov – Leto,
Petrov’s Flu, Tchaikovsky’s Wife, and Limonov: The Ballad of Eddie – all of which were a
result of the European co-production with France, Switzerland and Italy and premiered in the Official Competition at Cannes, establishing one of the festival’s most consistent
contemporary auteur collaborations. Petrov’s Flu has been awarded the CST
Artist-Technician Prize at Cannes.

Among her executive producer credits is the New York-set thriller Sanctuary, starring
Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott (acquired by Neon, premiered at TIFF). She
also served as Head of Development on The World to Come, starring Vanessa Kirby,
Katherine Waterston, and Casey Affleck, which premiered In Competition at the Venice
Film Festival.

Her producing slate includes Persian Lessons (Berlin Film Festival, Gala Premiere), Yury
Bykov’s The Owner (Festival du Film de Genève), Lado Kvataniya’s debut feature The
Execution (Sitges Film Festival, Fantastic Fest), and The Cage Is Looking for a Bird
(Berlin Film Festival).

One of her most recent milestones is Limonov: The Ballad of Eddie, written by Paweł
Pawlikowski and starring Ben Whishaw, which premiered in the Official Competition at
the Cannes Film Festival. Elizaveta co-produced this title with Italy’s Wildside and
Fremantle and France’s Chapter 2 (Mediawan).

Elizaveta also participated in the production of the sci-fi thriller Sputnik (2020), directed by Egor Abramenko. Following its international success, the film attracted Hollywood attention, and an English-language remake is currently in development by Village Roadshow Pictures together with Matt Reeves’ production company 6th & Idaho.
Elizaveta recently wrapped production on Captivated, a thriller starring Al Pacino, directed by Dito Montiel, a contemporary reimagining of the Jean Paul Getty III kidnapping.

She is currently in pre-production on Baton, written and directed by Danny Ramirez, and
co-produced with David Beckham’s Studio 99, Oscar-nominated producer Victoria
Alonso (Argentina, 1985; former President of Production at Marvel Studios), alongside
Danny Ramirez and his producing partner Tom Culliver. The project brings together a
high-profile international ensemble, including Rosario Dawson, David Beckham, Edgar
Ramírez, and others.

She also served as executive producer on Icefall, a survival thriller starring Joel
Kinnaman, and on Deep Water, a $30 million large-scale action thriller directed by
Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, Clif hanger, Deep Blue Sea) starring Aaron Eckhart and Sir
Ben Kingsley.

Among her upcoming key projects is the film God of the Rodeo, produced by Elizaveta
Chalenko in collaboration with Ridley Scott and his company Scott Free Productions.
Another major project is the biographical film Casablancas, about John Casablancas, which she is producing together with Mark Wahlberg and his partner Stephen Levinson. Both projects are to be directed by Rosalind Ross (Father Stu).

In 2022, Elizaveta founded Actionfilm Group, an international production company
headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in London and Dubai.

In 2025, Elizaveta co-founded Sub Rosa Film Fund, a Los Angeles-Dubai-based film
financing platform focused on international film production and strategic investment
partnerships, together with her business partner Philipp Nesterenko.

Ioana Mischie

Ioana Mischie is a Romanian innovative artist, multi-awarded for film, virtual reality, and pioneering concepts. Her creative mission as a transmedia artist (writer/director) and futurist is blending meaningful concepts, groundbreaking technologies, and long-term social impact.

Daniel Schwartzl

Attorney Daniel Schwarzl LLM (WU) LLM (Stanford) is the managing partner of the law firm Fredricks, Schwarzl & von der Horst and is admitted to the bar in Austria, New York and California. He is also official trusted counsel (Vertrauensanwalt) of the Austrian Consulate General in Los Angeles. 
 
He studied business administration and business law at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration in Austria and subsequently completed a law degree at Stanford Law School. With years of experience across multiple jurisdictions, he has built a reputation for navigating complex legal challenges with confidence and care. 
 
He specializes in US market entry, venture capital, start-ups, and complex cases of immigration law, including dual citizenship and investment-based residence titles. His multilingual capabilities and deep understanding of both European and American legal systems enable him to serve a diverse clientele, from Silicon Valley start-ups seeking international expansion to European firms establishing a foothold in the U.S. market.

Daniel Druhora

Daniel Druhora is a Romanian-American Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, writer, and producer whose films inhabit the space where human struggle, hope, and history converge. His work often follows people navigating morally charged worlds shaped by crisis, faith, technology, and transformation.

His films include Lives Not Grades, his Emmy-winning documentary about education, purpose, and young people confronting the realities of the world beyond the classroom; Sean, about a Vietnamese-Irish rescue diver prosecuted after saving refugees from drowning in Greece; Cloudwalkers, a documentary exploring the pioneers and visionaries behind the internet and the age of AI; Frequency of Hope, a portrait of addiction recovery, motherhood, and redemption set against the stark landscape of Alaska; and Flowing Forward, a documentary series focused on water, infrastructure, and the innovators working to reshape the American future.

Druhora’s work has been distributed by PBS, Al Jazeera, RTE, Amazon, ARTE, and MUBI. He is a member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

CASTING WORKSHOP

New this year at SEEfest, our casting panel will offer insights, feedback on select reels, and provide live critiques (length, order, range, recommendations.)

Emily Cook

Emily Cook
Casting Director | Producer
IMDb | Instgram


Emily Cook is a native Angeleno casting professional with more than 15 years of experience across film and television. Her credits include projects such as Netflix’s The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Paramount+’s Star Trek: Discovery, and Hulu’s Deli Boys. Additionally, Emily cast and produced Chasers, a pilot that premiered at Sundance. Having studied with The Lee Strasberg Theater Institute and the Steppenwolf Theater Company, Emily has cultivated a deep understanding of how to collaborate with actors to hone performances that elevate the material.

Shyree Mezick

Shyree Mezick, CSA
Casting Director | Creative Producer
IMDb | Instagram | Spotify


Born a story collector, Shyree is drawn to intimate, character-driven explorations of interior worlds. She builds with creatives for the soul purpose of illustrating the nuanced, lived experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community, AAPI stories, adoptees, and those navigating mental health.

Casting credits include Early Risers (filmed in Vietnam), Dealing with Dad (Humanitas), Lifeline (Dark Sky Films), Play Hard (Rising Voices), Dear Mama (New Yorker, NAACP Image Award), Very Still, Very Quiet, Anwar (Sci-Fi London), “Turntables ” by Janelle Monae, and “Hold Us Together” by H.E.R. Shyree has led global searches that resulted in casting youth leads for Searchlight’s Jojo Rabbit (Taika Waititi) and Antlers (Scott Cooper).

Zachary Spiegel

Zachary Spiegel, CSA
Casting Director
IMDb | Instagram | Website


ZACHARY SPIEGEL is an Artios and Emmy-nominated casting professional whose work spans Television, Film, and Theatre in both Los Angeles and New York. Select Associate Casting Director credits include: Granville Girls (Pilot Search/Netflix), SubVersion (Amazon/MGM), Backrooms (A24), Pretty Freekin Scary (Disney Channel/Disney +), Danger Force (Pilot/Nickelodeon), Side Hustle (Nickelodeon). Select Casting Director Credits include: Red Sky (IAMA Theatre Company), Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical, Fish in a Tree (Off-Broadway), Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead (LA Revival) and It’s All Your Fault, Tyler Price! at The Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles. He is a member of the Casting Society and Television Academy and was recently on the Teamsters Local 399 negotiating committee, helping to achieve a historic contract for a fully unionized casting department in LA/NY in Television and Film. 

Natalie Bellestros

Natalie Ballestros 
Casting Director | Producer 
IMDb | Instagram


Cuban American Casting Director and Producer Natalie Ballesteros is a partner
and founding member of Adams, Ballesteros, Luna Casting (ABL). This
partnership was launched with the intent of highlighting a variety of artists in the
entertainment industry, focusing on authentic and inclusive representation in
both film and television. The trio has worked on various projects for Netflix,
Prime Video, Disney Branded Television, Max, and also cast the inaugural
presentation of the Warner Bros. Discovery Access Talent Spotlight. ABL Casting
worked on features The Long Game, the Jenni Rivera Biopic, Jenni, and the
horror/thriller feature Rosario. They most recently worked on the U.S. casting of
the Netflix series One Hundred Years of Solitude: Part II, the feature film 52nd
State, and the independent feature, Pedro Pan.

As the former Director of Talent and Casting for CBS Network TV, Natalie covered
series NCIS, NCIS LA, NCIS New Orleans, Blue Bloods, Bull, The Equalizer, Bob
Hearts Abishola, United States of Al, B Positive, and Mom, among several other
pilots and projects. Prior to CBS, Natalie worked on several notable projects,
including the Academy Award-winning Coco for Walt Disney Films/Pixar, Narcos:
Mexico for Netflix, East Los High – The Movie and the series for Hulu, and Los
Espookys and Icebox, both for HBO. Additionally, she cast the Amazon series
Soldados o Zombies series for Amazon International.

Natalie holds a BFA in Performance from the University of Miami and worked as a
professional singer/actress in New York before moving to Los Angeles to pursue
a career in the film industry. Her performing background is instrumental in her
approach as a casting director.