Rebecca LEFFLER

Journaliste Festival

FESTIVAL DE TELEVISION DE MONTE CARLO

Rebecca Leffler is an American author and journalist based in Paris. The former France Correspondent of The Hollywood Reporter and film critic on Canal+ and France 24, Rebecca has published five books and currently works as the Editor in Chief of Le Dispatch by Ecran Total, an English-language publication focusing on the French film and audiovisual industry. In addition to her work as Editorial Lead, Brand Content at Publicis Luxe and as a Creative Consultant on Darren Star's recent hit series ‘Emily in Paris', she continues to write and produce content for media outlets and brands in France and the US.

Bradley P. BELL

President, Head Writer & Executive Producer

BELL-PHILLIP TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS, INC.

Bradley Bell is the President of Bell-Phillip Television Productions and Executive Producer and Head Writer of the daytime drama, The Bold and the Beautiful, which has aired for 35 years on the CBS Television Network. Additionally, The Bold and the Beautiful is the most-watched U.S. produced daytime drama in the world.

Bell has received 16 Emmy® Awards: "Outstanding Drama Series" in 2011, 2010, and 2009; "Outstanding Drama Series Writing" in 2020, 2016, 2015, 2013, and 2010; "Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition for a Drama Series" in 2018, 2015, 2013, 2011, and 2010; "Outstanding Original Song- Drama" in 2019, 2016 and 2015.

In addition to his work with The Bold and the Beautiful, Bell is also an owner of its sister soap, The Young and the Restless, which has aired on CBS for over 45 years.

Bell has been married for 28 years to fellow Chicagoan Colleen Bradley Bell, former United States Ambassador to Hungary and the current Executive Director of the California Film Commission and is the proud father of four children.

Casey KASPRZYK

Supervising Producer

BELL-PHILLIP TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS, INC.

A multiple-Emmy award winning producer and song writer for the most-watched daytime drama series in the world, "The Bold and the Beautiful," Casey Kasprzyk is a 17-year veteran of the show.

To gain an insider's working knowledge of a successful television series, Kasprzyk signed on to be an intern at "The Bold and the Beautiful" during his last year at Chapman University in 2001. By his final year of graduate school in 2003, he was hired full time and soon promoted from production office staff to production assistant in the control booth. His commitment to the series was noticed by Head Writer and Executive Producer, Brad Bell, who promoted him to production coordinator, then to associate producer, and in 2014, to supervising producer.

Kasprzyk has helped usher in a new era in soap opera history as one of the pivotal creative minds behind the show's innovative visual storytelling techniques. Kasprzyk holds the distinction of being the only person in the show's 31-year history credited as producer, director and writer on the same episode. He has also co-written more than 30 original songs featured on the soap opera.

Kasprzyk has been instrumental in producing location shoots around the world, including Aspen, Cabo San Lucas, Sydney, Paris, Amsterdam, Monte Carlo, Southern Italy, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Along with Bell, Kasprzyk has created and produced the series' Emmy nominated new media project - "The Clarence Update" and a two-part documentary special for PopTV titled, "Becoming Bold & Beautiful," which takes viewers behind the scenes to see how soap opera magic is created while in Monaco.

Since becoming a member of the producing team, Kasprzyk and his been nominated for a total of 21 Daytime Emmys and has won four. In 2011, he shared the show's "Outstanding Drama Series" win with fellow producers, and then in 2015 & 2016, he went back-to-back with Emmy wins in the "Outstanding Original Song" category by co-writing songs "Hand of Time" and "Lost in Time." A fourth song win happened in 2019 for co-writing, "You're the One" for the show.

Cynthia J. POPP

Producer & Director

BELL-PHILLIP TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS, INC.

Cynthia J. Popp, is a multiple Emmy award winning producer/director for the CBS daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful, and has worked with the show since its creation in 1987. As a director for the show she has shot on location with multiple crews in Aspen, Mexico, Paris, Monte Carlo, Dubai & Abu Dhabi. She was a producer for the film Maybe Someday (2North Entertainment), directed several episodes of Hollywood Heights (Nick at Nite), and produced music videos. Popp helped launch the daytime drama Passions (NBC), directing several episodes, and directed two episodes of the award-winning hit comedy Frasier (NBC).

Richard FEE

Executive Producer

QUAY STREET PRODUCTIONS

Richard Fee is a British television producer, who has successfully produced several hit-drama series.

Richard has worked with Quay Street Productions founder and producer Nicola Shindler for over 10 years, making drama for the BBC, ITV, Netflix, Amazon and Sky. Together with Shindler, he has worked with close collaborator bestselling US novelist Harlan Coben as executive producer on hit dramas "Stay Close", "The Stranger" and "Safe" for Netflix and as the story producer on "The Five for Sky".

He has worked closely with Danny Brocklehurst on these series and also, most recently, as an executive producer on the ITV mini-series "No Return", starring Sheridan Smith.

Richard was the script executive on BAFTA-nominated mini-series, "Prey", starring John Simm, and has script edited series written by Mick Ford, Bill Gallagher, Sue Perkins and Tony Marchant.

Richard is currently producing an adaptation of Neil Gaiman's epic fantasy novel, "Anansi Boys" for Amazon, starring Malachi Kirby and Delroy Lindo.

Michael HIRST

Writer & Executive Producer

MICHAEL HIRST

Michael Hirst was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England in 1952. He attended Bradford Grammar School, The London School of Economics, Nottingham University and Trinity College, Oxford. He has been a professional writer since 1980. Michael Hirst lives near Oxford. He and his wife, Deb, a painter, have 9 children between them.

Film scripts include:

"Fools of Fortune", starring Julie Christie, produced by Working Title, 1990.
"The Ballad of the Sad Café", starring Vanessa Redgrave and produced by Merchant-Ivory, 1992.
"Meeting Venus", directed by Istvan Szabo, starring Glen Close, 1993.
"Elizabeth", starring Cate Blanchette, produced by Working Title, 1996.

Television series include:

"The Tudors" for Showtime, 4 Seasons, 37 episodes, 2006-2009.
"Vikings" for MGM and History, 6 Seasons, 89 episodes, 2012-2018.
"Billy the Kid" for Epix, 3 Seasons.

Danna STERN

Founder

YES STUDIOS

As the founder of the Israeli based "yes Studios" Stern created a distribution and development content powerhouse, focused on delivering premium content for international platforms.

She has been credited with helping bring Israeli content to global audiences and is responsible for the successful launches of numerous titles including "Fauda", "Shtisel", "The Devil Next Door" and "On the Spectrum". In addition, Stern spearheaded the adaptation of Israeli formats in multiple territories including "Your Honor" (originally ‘Kvodo") which has become one the bestselling scripted global formats of recent years; the multiple award winning series "On the Spectrum" (as Amazon Prime Video "As We See It"), "68 Whiskey" (Paramount +), "The Good Cop" (Netflix), etc.

Stern is an international television veteran, having managed all aspects of programming, content acquisitions, channel creation and branding in her previous role at yesTV. Stern has been selected twice as one of Variety Magazine's "top 500 global media leaders".

She is a journalist by trade with extensive content development and production experience as well as acute business acumen. She holds a BA in English Literature from Tel-Aviv University and a MBA from Kellogg-Recanati.

Tristan CHYTROSCHEK

Director & Producer

A & O BUERO FILMPRODUKTION

International Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker and producer Tristan Chytroschek worked for the BBC and Channel 4 in Great Britain and for Discovery/TLC in the United States. He lived and worked in London, Los Angeles, Mexico City and Cordoba (Argentina), before he returned to his native Germany. Since 2004 he is co-owner of the documentary production company a&o buero.

Bernadette MCDAID

Global Head

RED BULL STUDIOS

Bernadette McDaid is Global Head of Red Bull Studios, a premium content label which develops, commissions, finances and distributes award-worthy content worldwide.

Based in Salzburg, Austria, with offices in LA and in London, Red Bull Studios partners with best-in-class filmmakers, broadcasters, and streamers, to tell globally relevant stories of inspiration and aspiration through premium documentary film and series.

A multi award-winning filmmaker and Commissioning Executive, previously, McDaid was Acting Head of Development and Programming for National Geographic, London, and prior, Head of Content for Discovery Science in Washington DC. McDaid is the recipient of a Cine Award for Excellence and four Emmy nominations for "Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman". She has also been nominated for an Outstanding Science and Technology Programming Emmy for "Creating Synthetic Life" and secured two Emmy wins with Stephen Spielberg for "Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero". In 2020, her work with filmmaker Tom Jennings on "Apollo: Missions to the Moon" saw the feature documentary succeed over "Black Mirror", "Deadwood" and "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie" to win the prestigious Producer Guild of America Award for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures.

Tonje Hessen SCHEI

Director

OSLO PICTURES

Tonje Hessen Schei is an award-winning Norwegian director who has been working on independent documentaries since 1996. Her films mainly focus on human rights, power structures in society, the changing relationship between man and machine, and the fusion of religion and politics.

Tonje is the director of "iHuman" (2019), "Drone" (2014), "Play Again" (2010) and "Independent Intervention" (2005). Her films have received international awards including Most Valuable Documentary of the Year at Cinema for Peace, the Golden Nymph, and the Norwegian equivalents for Oscar and Emmy for Best Documentary. Tonje's films have screened at the UN and EU, Netflix, major film festivals worldwide, and are used in educational systems globally. In 2020 "iHuman" qualified for the Oscar run.

Tonje directs films on international issues that are on the precipice of zeitgeist, and through telling strong human stories from the frontlines of these topics, she is lauded for giving complex issues a human face. Her work has been described as both visionary and revelatory, as well as deeply engaging and entertaining. Tonje has been featured in national and international media. Including national television broadcast and national newspapers. Internationally media includes BBC, CNN, The Guardian, Vice, Wired, Al Jazeera, Democracy Now! and many more.

Tonje is the recipient of The Chicken and Egg Award 2020. She is a co-founder and director at UpNorth Film.

Radomir SOFR

Development Manager

CZECH TELEVISION

Radomir graduated from the Czech Film Academy (FAMU) in 1991, majoring in Film and TV scriptwriting and dramaturgy. In the subsequent years after the Czech "velvet revolution" he was involved in transformation of culture policy in City of Prague. At the beginning of his professional career as a film maker he focused on edutainment projects. One of them was a project called "The Revealed" which was an intelligent parody on reality show, which evolved into a successful environmentalist enterprise for the support of saving Western gorillas in Cameroon and Central African Republic. In 2006, "The Revealed" was awarded a prestigious Golden Panda award at the Wildscreen Festival in Bristol, England, for outstanding multimedia and audio-visual work. His following multimedia project "A Date with Physics", focusing on teenagers, encountered a great success in Czech Republic.

Occasionally Radomír works on screenplays for film projects. Together with the Albanian film director Piro Milkani, he co-produced the feature film "The Sorrow of Mrs Schneider" (2009). The film received various awards at film festivals in Salermo, Valencia and Kraków. At the 25th film festival in Alexandria, Egypt, the film was awarded a prize for best scriptwriting.

Since 2015, Radomír works at the Czech TV as a development manager and Head of the Centre for Documentary, Education and Public Affairs. He concentrates on social and historical documentaries as a creative producer.

Leo BARRACLOUGH

International Features Editor

VARIETY

Leo Barraclough serves as international features editor at Variety, where he assigns articles about the international film and TV business, as well as writing numerous news and features stories himself. He also edits many of Variety's e-Show Dailies. He previously served as one of the magazine's international correspondents, covering the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, and Central and Eastern Europe. Prior to joining Variety, he was features editor, and then managing editor of Screen International. He started in film and TV trade journalism at Moving Pictures International, where he was news editor and then deputy editor. He is a member of BAFTA.

Graham BENSON

Chairman

GCB INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CONSULTANTS

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 opportinty for 1st 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 1987-1982 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.

Graham and Christine have for many years supported and attended The Monte Carlo International Television Festival and participated in the preselection of programme awards nominations.'

Nick WITKOWSKI

Independant Producer

BLUE SKY PICTURES

Nick Witkowski is an independent producer and consultant, specialising in the creation, international finance and distribution of high end drama.
He held senior executive positions at Central Television, TVS, SelecTV and Chrysalis Television before starting his own company in 1999.
In the last five years he has helped fund over $200m of TV production including ‘Copper' for BBC America and broadcasters worldwide and finalised a multi-million dollar pre-sale to Netflix for ITV series, ‘Marcella', which ran for three seasons'
Through his production company Blue Sky Pictures, Nick has an extensive and varied slate including several major projects in development and has also recently arranged the co-production and completed the international finance of a £30m adaptation of the Jules Verne classic ‘Around the World in 80 Days' from Slim Film and TV for France Televisions, BBC, ZDF, PBS, RAI and the 7 Network Australia.
In a 30 year career in international television, Nick has also helped finance and has overseen the exploitation of many critically acclaimed and successful productions including Shackleton (C4 and A&E), Henry VIII (ITV and PBS), Diamonds (CBC and Canal Plus), Coco Chanel ( RAI, France TV and Lifetime ), The Company (TNT), and Flashpoint (CTV and CBS).
Nick was also a co-founder of Alchemy which created over $250m of production.

Rémi TERESZKIEWICZ

CEO

BETASERIES LA RADIO

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.

Jan Luis CASTELLANOS

Actor

BREAKWATER (A SNAP ORIGINALS)

Dominican actor and model Jan Luis Castellanos portrays ‘Jax', the lead in the Snap Originals series "Breakwater", a futuristic young-adult (Gen Z) drama, shot in Mexico, that shines the light on climate change and crisis that's in the foreseeable future.

Jan Luis can be seen playing the regular role of ‘Diego Torres' in Netflix hit series "13 Reasons Why". He can also be found in "Don't Look Deeper", a sci-fi drama series that premiered on the short-form video platform Quiby. He portrayed ‘Topher' in Hulu's hit original series "Marvel's Runaways".
His most recent credits include "Get Lost", Epix' "Bridge and Tunnel", Netflix' features "Uglies" and "Tall Girl 2".

Jan Luis grew up in Santa Domingo with his grandmother until the age of nine before moving to New Jersey. Growing up with a natural talent for athletics, he balanced high school as a state champion wrestler while finding a passion in choir and theatre. After college he scored modeling campaigns with Adidas, Abercrombie & Fitch, and even a national network commercial for Coppertone USA.

Chris HANADA

Partner & Producer

RETROFIT FILMS

Chris Hanada is the co-founder of Retrofit Films LLC, an LA based production company specializing in premium scripted digital, mobile and streaming content.

Hanada graduated from Loyola Marymount University's film school, and for several years worked at Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner's C/W Productions on the Paramount lot. Hanada went on to work in feature film production he launched Retrofit Films in 2004, with partner Tanner Kling, to bridge the new media gap in digital content for audiences and advertisers.

Retrofit's productions have won Producers' Guild, Webby, and WGA awards as well as Emmy nominations. Most notably they developed and produced the kickoff episode for NBC's Heroes Reborn, two comedy pilots for ABC Digital, and the to-be-released action-comedy series Golden Revenge for Warner Bros. (Blue Ribbon Content) starring David Cross, Ice-T and Jon Lovitz.

Retrofit's original sci-fi action series Breakwater premieres on Snap in spring 2020, and feature film Dealing with Dad (produced by Tanner Kling along with Effie Brown) is currently in the film festival circuit. They are now in post-production on The Last Chimpanzee, a feature documentary about the retirement of the last performing primate in Hollywood.

Chris is a member of The Producer's Guild of America and the Television Academy.

Tanner KLING

Partner & Producer

RETROFIT FILMS

Tanner Kling is the co-founder of Retrofit Films LLC, an LA based production company specializing in premium scripted digital, mobile and streaming content.

Kling graduated from Loyola Marymount University's film school, and for several years worked at Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner's C/W Productions on the Paramount lot before working in post-production at Warner Bros. Television before he launched Retrofit Films in 2004 with partner Chris Hanada, to bridge the new media gap in digital content for audiences and advertisers.

Retrofit's productions have won Producers' Guild, Webby, and WGA awards as well as Emmy nominations. Most notably they developed and produced the kickoff episode for NBC's Heroes Reborn, two comedy pilots for ABC Digital, and the to-be-released action-comedy series Golden Revenge for Warner Bros. (Blue Ribbon Content) starring David Cross, Ice-T and Jon Lovitz.

Retrofit's original sci-fi action series Breakwater premieres on Snap in spring 2020, and feature film Dealing with Dad (produced by Tanner Kling along with Effie Brown) is currently in the film festival circuit. They are now in post-production on The Last Chimpanzee, a feature documentary about the retirement of the last performing primate in Hollywood.

Tanner is a member of The Producer's Guild of America.

Vance VAN PETTEN

Adjunct Professor Hollywood Campus

COLUMBIA COLLAGE CHICAGO

Vance is an Adjunct Professor at the film school, Columbia College-Chicago's Hollywood Campus.

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.

Matthew DEANER

CEO

SCREEN PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

Matthew Deaner is the Chief Executive Officer of Screen Producers Australia, a national organization that unites the screen industry to campaign for a healthy commercial environment. Screen Producer's Australia supports the interests of businesses, large and small, in their production of feature films, television programs, interactive content and games across all genres and formats.

Matthew oversees all aspects of Screen Producers Australia's advocacy work, industrial negotiations, events and operational issues. He also works closely with its Council to set the strategic direction of the organization as well as identify and execute new business development opportunities. Matthew brings a wealth of knowledge to Screen Producers Australia with his experience as a lawyer in both Sydney and London and in senior policy and strategy positions with Screen Australia and the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association.

Mathilde FIQUET

Secretary General

CEPI - EUROPEAN AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION

Since January 2021, Mathilde Fiquet is the Secretary General of CEPI, the European Audiovisual Production association, representing independent television and film producers. CEPI's role is to supports the activities of its film and television producers, helping them to inform and engage with European policy makers and promoting the importance of sustainable cultural and economic growth in the European Audiovisual sector. Before joining CEPI, Mathilde spend 10 years, at FEDMA, the Federation of European Data and marketing, dealing with privacy, data protection and digital advertising.

Leif HOLST JENSEN

CEO

OSLO FILMFOND

Born November 7th, 1965, Copenhagen Denmark. Norwegian Citizen, three kids. Education at University level in Media and communication, Law, Journalism, Directing and Production, and an MBA in Strategic Management.

Former Dean/Head of department at the Westerdals Institute of Film and Media, Kristiania University College Oslo, General Secretary at the Norwegian Film, TV and Games Producers Association, Head of Arts and Culture, Danish Broadcasting Company, DR, Program director, Metropol TV, Norway, and several positions in NRK, Norwegian Broadcasting Company, as Head of Youth department and regional office in Northern Norway. Experience as journalist, director, producer, and executive director/producer including more than 200 programs/productions.

Several positions as Chairman and Member of the board in the media, culture, and music industry in Norway and internationally. Several jury positions over the years both nationally and international. Member of preselection committee of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival since 2015.

Paloma A. URRUTIA

Co-Founder & Consultant Sustainable Productions

MRS GREENFIELD

Paloma is a psychologist, with 20 years of experience in the Sustainable Development and Sustainability sector as a strategic consultant in social and environmental projects for the private sector, NGOs, public institutions, and Multilateral Development Agencies. With an entrepreneurial passion, she is co-founder of various business and NGO projects, all of them with the aim of creating a more sustainable future.

In the audiovisual sector, Paloma works as a sustainability consultant for various projects and platforms, she is a trainer and promoter of awareness-raising actions and multisectoral processes. She is co-founder of "Fiction Changing the World", an initiative to spread the 2030 Agenda through cinema, and "Mrs. Greenfilm", a company that provides services to the audiovisual sector to reduce its environmental negative impacts.