2026 | Professional Programme

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Stewart Clarke is SVP, Content, International at Deadline, representing the brand at Festivals and industry events, and writing news and features for the website. He joined Deadline in late 2023 after a four-year stint as Creative Director at the Edinburgh TV Festival, the largest event of its kind in the UK. Prior to that, Stewart was a London-based International Correspondent for Variety, reporting from events around the world for the trade publication. He started his career in film and TV journalism at Informa, where he was rose to the position of Editorial Director, Television Business International.

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Aldis Hodge is an award-winning actor who is best known for his roles in film and television series such as "Black Adam," "Underground," "One Night in Miami," and "Hidden Figures."
He starred in and executive produced the critically acclaimed Showtime series "City on a Hill" opposite Kevin Bacon. Most recently, he has begun production on the third season of the hit Prime Video #1 series, "Cross," on which he serves as Executive Producer and lead Actor.
In addition, Hodge has recently started a new production company with his brother Edwin Hodge, Hodge Brothers Productions, and they currently have an exciting slate of film and television projects in development. Hodge also, along with partners Phillip Boutté Jr. and Michael Uwandi, co-founded 9B Collective, the first black-owned concept design and visual development studio for film, tv, video games, graphic novels and more - their credits include the Academy Award Winning "Wicked" and "Blue Beetle" and the upcoming adaptation of "Children of Blood and Bone."

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Ben Watkins is a director, producer and writer, known for multiple television series including Cross (2024), Hand of God (2014), Burn Notice (2007) and Quest to Ref (2002).
In 2025, Watkins received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series and Outstanding
Drama Series for Cross and was also recognized by Variety that year as one of their Top 50 Producers of the Year.
The second season of Cross premiered in 2026 and has now been
renewed for a third season. In 2026, Watkins will deliver to screens the "The Greatest," an upcoming biographical drama series about Muhammad Ali. Alongside his wife, Kandi, Watkins is
the founder of Blue Monday Productions, which has a significant slate of upcoming projects in,development. Watkins is also active within the WGA, serving on several committees and as a core member of the Showrunner's Training Program.

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Michael Pickard is editor of C21 Media's Drama Quarterly magazine and website, which is focused on the creative side of international television drama, speaking to the people who make the shows we want to watch and finding out how they do it. He previously worked as a senior reporter for C21 Media, covering the international television drama business for C21Media.net and flagship magazine C21 International, and has experience as a reporter and editor working for local and national newspapers.

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Michael Hirst was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England in 1952. He attended Bradford Grammar School, the London School of Economics, the University of Nottingham and Trinity College, Oxford. He has been a professional writer since 1980. He and his wife, Deb, a painter, live in East Sussex. His introduction to the movie business came about as a result of an unexpected meeting with the film director, Nicolas Roeg. Roeg became Hirst's mentor, friend and inspiration. But Hirst has also collaborated with many of the most significant European and American directors of modern times.

His film scrips include:
"Fools of Fortune," starring Julie Christie, produced by Working Title, 1990.
"The Ballad of the Sad Cafe", starring Vanessa Redgrave and produced by Merchant-Ivory, 1992..
"Meeting Venus", directed by Istvan Szabo, starring Glen Close, 1993.

"Elizabeth", starring Cate Blanchett, produced by Working Title, nominated for six Academy Awards, including best actress and best film, 1996.

His television series include:

"The Tudors" for Showtime, 4 seasons, 37 episodes, 2006-2009.
"Vikings" for MGM and History. 6 Seasons, 89 episodes, 2012-2018, recipient of many awards.
"Billy the Kid" for Epix, 3 Seasons, 2020- 2022. Made stars of its principal actors.

"Bloodaxe". A new viking saga for MGM and Amazon. First season will air on Amazon this Fall, but other seasons will follow.

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Judy Lung is Vice President, Strategy, Communications & Stakeholder Relations at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where she advises the CEO and Board on enterprise strategy, reputation, stakeholder engagement, and global communications. With more than 20 years of experience across the screen entertainment industry, Judy brings a broad perspective on how stories, audiences, media, markets, and institutions shape one another.
Her career spans festivals, awards, exhibition, production, broadcasting, and agency-side public relations, including senior work with leading Canadian exhibitor Cineplex, acclaimed production company Shaftesbury, and major Canadian media companies including Corus and Shaw. This breadth gives her a rare end-to-end perspective on how stories are developed, positioned, amplified, and ultimately connect with audiences, critics, festivals, awards bodies, and the global marketplace.

Judy also serves on the Membership Board of the Golden Globes, where her work supports engagement with international entertainment journalists and offers a broad view of how film and television are covered across regions and territories around the world.

As an executive working behind the scenes to shape narrative, reputation, audience engagement, and industry positioning, Judy brings a global perspective to conversations about women's leadership, influence, and the evolving power structures determining what gets made, who gets seen, and how stories travel.

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After studying Economics and Social Administration, complemented by a degree in Management, Cécile Menoni joined Monaco Mediax to manage the Imagina Awards competition, which recognized international 3D productions.

An experience in the event's marketing department quickly led her to the management of a subsidiary dedicated to 3D dentistry, Imagina Dental.

A passionate series enthusiast and avid binge-watcher, she spent several years in the press office of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, where she later took charge of VIP events.

This diverse professional experience and her comprehensive understanding of the event led her to become the Festival's Executive Director. For the past five years, Cécile Menoni has been in charge of the artistic direction, general programming of the Festival and its overall management. Her regular contacts within the American television industry have allowed her to develop a vast international network, with the ambition of establishing the event's reputation in production centers worldwide.

Her unwavering and structuring commitment to television creation is manifested through the Golden Nymphs competition which she proudly carries.

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Former Global head of Original Content for Youtube - USA

Susanne Daniels is an award-winning entertainment leader who has worked across broadcast, cable and digital networks.

As Global Head of Original Content for YouTube for seven years, she led the company's international content strategy, development, and production of original series and films featuring top creators and personalities. Under her leadership, YouTube Originals delivered innovative, critically acclaimed programming across music, lifestyle, education, and family verticals, including Emmy-winning projects and high-profile documentaries.
Daniels also oversaw international live-streamed specials, such as the tribute Dear Class of 2020 featuring President and Mrs. Obama, along with major music events featuring global superstars.
Before YouTube, Daniels held leadership roles as President of MTV Networks, Lifetime Television, and The CW (which she helped to launch), and Vice President of Comedy at Fox Television. She has overseen the creation of over 1,000 shows, including iconic series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gilmore Girls, and Project Runway.
She was inducted into the Variety Hall of Fame in 2019 and the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2022. Daniels serves on the boards of Common Sense Media, UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital, and the American Repertory Theater, and teaches The Radical Reinvention of Content Distribution as an Adjunct Professor at UCLA Anderson School of Business.

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Award winning director, writer and producer - United Kingdom

Luke Hyams is an award-winning director, writer and producer committed to crafting culturally resonant & timely documentaries that explore the relationship between young people and emerging technology.

His recent directorial credits include The Sidemen Story (Netflix, 2024), a record-breaking documentary following the UK's most influential digital collective, which debuted at #1 on the UK charts, and Now You Know with Julie Adenuga (BET UK/5, 2025), a dynamic interview / documentary hybrid produced under his indie label, Pangaea Group.

Before founding Pangaea, Luke was Head of Originals EMEA at YouTube Originals, conceptualising and overseeing groundbreaking documentary projects. He also held key content leadership roles at The Walt Disney Company and PAE Media in Beijing. As a writer his diverse scripted portfolio includes original series like Bitchcraft and The Hidden City, alongside the groundbreaking interactive drama Dubplate Drama.

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Marta Bałaga is a film journalist and moderator, and a regular contributor to Variety. She has moderated at Cannes and Berlinale, and collaborated with Helsinki Film Festival - Love & Anarchy, Finnish Film Affair, Flanders Film Days, New Horizons Film Festival and more. She has led MIOB's LAB of Cultural, Creative and Festival Journalism and Söderlångvik Masterclass. She's a member of FIPRESCI and the European Film Academy, and has served on many juries, including Venice International Film Critics' Week.

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Michael Hirst was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England in 1952. He attended Bradford Grammar School, the London School of Economics, the University of Nottingham and Trinity College, Oxford. He has been a professional writer since 1980. He and his wife, Deb, a painter, live in East Sussex. His introduction to the movie business came about as a result of an unexpected meeting with the film director, Nicolas Roeg. Roeg became Hirst's mentor, friend and inspiration. But Hirst has also collaborated with many of the most significant European and American directors of modern times.

His film scrips include:
"Fools of Fortune," starring Julie Christie, produced by Working Title, 1990.
"The Ballad of the Sad Cafe", starring Vanessa Redgrave and produced by Merchant-Ivory, 1992..
"Meeting Venus", directed by Istvan Szabo, starring Glen Close, 1993.

"Elizabeth", starring Cate Blanchett, produced by Working Title, nominated for six Academy Awards, including best actress and best film, 1996.

His television series include:

"The Tudors" for Showtime, 4 seasons, 37 episodes, 2006-2009.
"Vikings" for MGM and History. 6 Seasons, 89 episodes, 2012-2018, recipient of many awards.
"Billy the Kid" for Epix, 3 Seasons, 2020- 2022. Made stars of its principal actors.

"Bloodaxe". A new viking saga for MGM and Amazon. First season will air on Amazon this Fall, but other seasons will follow.

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Michael Idato is the culture editor-at-large for Australia's two most prestigious daily newspapers, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Melbourne Age, based in Los Angeles. He has worked for both papers for 24 years and has previously served as a juror for the International Emmy Awards, Australia's Logie Awards, the New Zealand Television Awards and on the pre-selection committee for the Monte Carlo Television Festival. In 2023, Michael was named Journalist of the Year by the Los Angeles Press Club. Michael was series consultant on the Fremantle drama series Wentworth; the series was the highest rated scripted premiere in Australian cable TV history.

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Darren Boghosian is a partner and agent in the Talent Department of leading talent and literary
agency UTA, where he represents an impressive roster of both established and emerging
actors.

Boghosian's clients include: Harrison Ford, Kurt Russell, Dennis Quaid, Timothy Olyphant, Alec
Baldwin, Anthony Anderson, Antony Starr, Wyatt Russell, Christian Slater, Tom Selleck, Michael
Douglas, Skyler Gisondo, Matt Dillon, Michael Chiklis, Tatiana Maslany, Josh Duhamel and
more...

Boghosian joined UTA's talent department in 2009. Prior to joining UTA, he spent seven years
at Creative Artists Agency where he began in the mailroom and was soon promoted to agent.

Before joining CAA, Boghosian worked at Furst Films, and prior to that, was an assistant to the
successful filmmaker Amy Heckerling.
Another priority for Boghosian is his work with Conservation International, a nonprofit dedicated
to advancing renewable energy and protecting the environment.
Boghosian earned a bachelor's degree in business with a minor in film from the University of
Southern California.

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Barry Buren is a Television Talent Agent at Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Buren is based in the Los Angeles office, where he represents many of the world's top actors, including Eddie Redmayne, Hannah Waddingham, Pedro Pascal, Charlie Hunnam, Lena Headey, Matthew Rhys, Richard Madden, Justin Theroux, and Jason Clarke, among others.

Buren began his career at The Gersh Agency. He joined CAA in 2015, and was promoted to Agent in 2019.

Buren graduated from Rollins College with a degree in International Business.

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Roger is the Chief Executive Officer of The Partnership Group, a collective of talent, literary and below-the-line agencies and a tv/film development company and producer of live events and podcasts.

Roger began his career in the entertainment industry in the early 1990's, working across theatre, film and television before focusing on talent representation. In 1998 he joined Ken McReddie Associates, one of Britain's prominent boutique agencies, and quickly became a partner before being appointed as MD and then later acquiring the company and rebranding it as The Artists Partnership to reflect a collaborative ethos centred on close client relationships and bespoke career development.

The Partnership Group was formed in 2021 to bring together premium above and below the line talent agencies. This includes the leading UK talent agency The Artists Partnership, representing actors, writers, directors, and creative talent across film, television, theatre, voice-over and commercial work. As well as production company The Development Partnership, respected literary agency Sayle Screen, Sara Putt Associates and the Amsterdam based Henneman Agency.

Highly respected across the industry, Roger is known for shaping sustained careers for both established and emerging talent and for championing long term partnerships and creative collaboration at every level.

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Tom Jennings has earned the reputation as one of the most compelling storytellers of our time. An award-winning content creator, he blends creativity and mastery of the filmmaking craft with curiosity to find story angles in places not previously considered. Throughout his career, he has delivered hundreds of hours of premium content and truly unforgettable moments for audiences across platforms. His work has received numerous honors, including an Emmy Award and several nominations, a Peabody Award, a Producers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures, and Television Business International's "Excellence in TV" Award.

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Graham Benson is an international media and business consultant working across film. television, theatre and sport - particularly cricket. He was for many years a producer and executive producer of television drama and feature films. Blue Heaven Productions the independent company he ran with his wife, Christine, produced several series of the hugely successful Ruth Rendell Mysteries. Graham also spent several years at the BBC where he learned his trade and produced Premiere the BBC2 film opportunity for first time Directors as well as launching both Screen 1 and Screen 2 several years later on his return to the Corporation after spending time elsewhere. He was Controller of Drama at ITVs South of England franchise - TVS - from 1987-1992 where he was responsible for many international coproductions and has chaired both BAFTA and PACT. He lives on the Isle of Wight and in London and currently includes chairing Screen South and Wildfire Sport in his portfolio.

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Will Hanrahan is a leading British television executive, journalist and producer with a four-decade career across the BBC, ITV, Channel 5 and the global streaming market. He is co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of FirstLookTV, one of the UK's most prolific independent factual producers, delivering hundreds of hours of programming for major international broadcasters and platforms including Netflix, Paramount+, Hulu, CBS, A+E, Discovery, RTL, ZDF, Foxtel and Sky, with content seen in more than 70 countries.

An active programme-maker, Hanrahan continues to develop and produce premium factual series spanning true crime, history and documentary, creating distinctive, returnable formats that travel internationally and perform across both linear and streaming platforms. His recent work has helped shape contemporary true crime storytelling, combining journalistic rigour with cinematic scale.

Alongside his production work, Hanrahan has played a significant role in the wider industry. He is a former National Executive member of the UK Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television, representing the interests of independent producers, and has contributed to industry thinking on the application of AI within factual production. He has also been selected as a consultant during periods of strategic change at the BBC and advised the UK Government's Department for Culture on the future of Channel 4.

Earlier in his career, he was an on-screen reporter and presenter on BBC programmes including Watchdog, BBC National News, The Good Food Show, Good Morning, Where There's a Will and Verdict. He reported fpor the BBC during times of Civil War in Africa and South America and covered both the end of the Berlin Wall and release of Nelson Mandella.

A multiple Royal Television Society award winner, Hanrahan has also served as a judge for both the Royal Television Society and Grierson Awards, reflecting his standing as a senior and influential voice in British and international television.

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From 2000 until 2021, Vance served as the National Executive Director/COO of the Producers Guild of America.

Under the auspices of the PGA's Board of Directors, he oversaw the Guild's strategic initiatives on behalf of producers, including its institution of the "Producers Mark" certification process for theatrical motion pictures, as well as directing the PGA's member services and acting as principal executive liaison to studios, networks, guilds and other entertainment industry organizations. Under his stewardship, the Guild's membership grew from 350 to 8500 members.

Prior to the PGA, Vance was in charge of the business and legal affairs departments at Universal Television (1997-1999), Twentieth Television (1992-1997, launching the FX Cable Channel in 1994), and at Paramount Television (1983-1992). And before he worked at the studios, Vance was an associate at an entertainment law firm representing producers, writers and specializing in comics & comedy groups such as The Groundlings and Second City. In 1978, he received his J.D. and M.P.A. from the University of Southern California, and in 1975 he received his B.A. from UCLA.

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Rémi Tereszkiewicz is an expert of OTT services and TV series marketing. Having served since 1994 as VP or SVP in sales and marketing positions for various companies such as Warner Brothers (2016), Lagardère Studios (2014), Netgem (2004) or Eurosport (1994), he led the creation and launching of numerous TV services and xVOD offers.
He is currently CEO of Betaseries, a media platform running recommendation services for a community of 5 million monthly TV series fans and analysing TV series & OTT usages for the media industry. Rémi is a Member of the International Academy of the Television Arts & Sciences (International Emmy Awards).

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Tom Jennings has earned the reputation as one of the most compelling storytellers of our time. An award-winning content creator, he blends creativity and mastery of the filmmaking craft with curiosity to find story angles in places not previously considered. Throughout his career, he has delivered hundreds of hours of premium content and truly unforgettable moments for audiences across platforms. His work has received numerous honors, including an Emmy Award and several nominations, a Peabody Award, a Producers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures, and Television Business International's "Excellence in TV" Award.

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Gisella Marengo is an Italian producer with over 10+ years of experience. She produced several projects, including "The Humbling" starring Al Pacino and directed by Barry Levinson, and the American drama "Blackbird," featuring Susan Sarandon and Kate Winslet, directed by Roger Michell.

She also worked on action movies such as "Angel Has Fallen" with Gerald Butler and Morgan Freeman "Hunter Killer" starring Gerald Butler and Gary Oldman, and "Security" featuring Antonio Banderas.
Her recent productions include:
FRANCESCO
In 2020, Gisella Marengo produced the documentary Francesco, directed by Oscar-nominated Evgeny Afineevsky. The film premiered at the Rome Film Festival and was awarded with the 18th Kinéo Prize. The documentary follows Pope Francis through his work on climate change, immigration, religious tolerance, and other issues- the Pope has embodied the meaning of inspired leadership. Francesco continued its multiple award wins during its festival circuit, along with awards such as the 2022 Christopher award.

ENNIO
The following year, she was the producer behind the highly acclaimed and renowned documentary Ennio, which delved into the life of the famous Italian Oscar-winning film composer, Ennio Morricone. Directed by Oscar winning director Giuseppe Tornatore, the documentary features interviews with world-class artists, including Clint Eastwood, Quentin Tarantino, Hans Zimmer, and Bruce Springsteen. It made its debut at the 78th Venice International Film Festival and it was awarded with the prestigious David di Donatello Award for Best Documentary and the Starlight International Film Award. The documentary was also presented during the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia).

THE EXPENDABLES 4
In 2023, Marengo co-produced the action-packed The Expendables 4, featuring actors like Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham and directed by Scott Waugh. The Expendables 4 synopsis is: "Armed with every weapon they can get their hands on, the Expendables are the world's last line of defense and the team that gets called when all other options are off the table. The film then went on to receive 2 wins and 7 nominations.

CHILDREN IN THE FIRE
In 2025, Gisella produced Children in the Fire, directed by Academy Award-nominated Evgeny Afineevsky. The film tells the moving stories of Ukrainian children who have lived through the war- from bombings and displacement to profound personal loss. Partly animated, Children in the Fire is not a political statement but it aims to give voice and space to children who are going through these darkest moments.
The documentary received both the Jury Special Prize and the Amade Prize at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival.

ILEANA SONNABEND
Gisella is currently producing a documentary on Ileana Sonnabend, one of the most influential gallerists and collectors of the 20th century, a key figure in introducing and promoting contemporary art in both Europe and the United States. The project
features exclusive interviews with some of the most renowned international artists, curators, and collectors, including Gilbert & George, John Baldessari, Jeff Koons, Agnes Gund, Claes Oldenburg and Dominique Lévy.

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Joshua Seftel is an Academy Award®-winning filmmaker driven by the conviction that storytelling can promote empathy, connection and change. That thread can be seen throughout his work going back over 35 years.

His latest documentary, All The Empty Rooms (Netflix, December 2025), won a 2026 Oscar® and was executive produced by Adam McKay and NBA coach Steve Kerr. The film follows veteran CBS correspondent Steve Hartman on a secret project photographing the bedrooms left behind by children killed in school shootings. The result is a deeply emotional film that brings to life who these kids were and reframes gun violence from a political issue to a human issue.

Seftel received an Academy Award®-nomination for Stranger at the Gate (The New Yorker, 2022), executive produced by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, which tells the story of an US Marine who planned to blow up an Indiana mosque, and how the kindness of the Muslim worshipers transformed the direction of his life.

Over the years Seftel has been drawn to stories about ways we can better connect, understand, and ultimately help one another. In 1990 he made his first film, Lost and Found (PBS), which told the story of Romania's abandoned children. The film led to thousands of American adoptions of Romanian children and was nominated for a National Emmy Award. Since then, his documentary work has ranged from the political (Taking on the Kennedys, POV), to the intimate (his IDA Award-winning The Many Sad Fates of Mr. Toledano, NYT Op-Docs), to the empowering (his Peabody Award-nominated series Secret Life of Muslims), to the joyful (his Emmy-winning original Queer Eye for the Straight Guy), to the satirical (War, Inc. starring John Cusack, Marisa Tomei and Ben Kingsley). Seftel is also a contributor to the Peabody Award-winning podcast This American Life and to The New York Times.

For the past decade, Seftel has also produced a series of segments for CBS Sunday Morning featuring his 88-year-old mother, Pat. Their witty banter covers everything from Tinder to AI to trying cannabis for the first time, turning Pat into a celebrity. She regularly gets stopped by strangers on the street for selfies. The New York Times remarked, "the word 'droll' seems as if it were invented for these two."
Seftel lives in Brooklyn with his wife, filmmaker Erika Frankel, and their two young daughters.

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