After completing payment, you will be sent the link to the video via email shortly after
Our 15th Annual International Film Finance Forum in Partnership with the Marché du Film will be taking place on Friday, May 16th on the Festival Main Stage.
Experience the cutting edge of global film financing at the 15th Annual International Film Finance Forum. This premier gathering unites visionary filmmakers and industry executives to explore groundbreaking trends in entertainment finance, innovative funding approaches, and cross-border collaborations.
Engage with thought leaders through dynamic panel discussions focused on the latest developments in sales, distribution, and content creation. Gain exclusive access to intimate fireside chats with industry luminaries who will share their personal journeys and candid insights.
In a year of unprecedented transformation for the entertainment industry, join us on May 16th as we navigate the future of film finance and explore the tools essential for success in today's evolving landscape.
All of our events are open to everyone with a Marche or Festival badge!
No further registration is required….seating is first come, first served!
(Program subject to change)
15th Annual International Film Finance Forum
Friday, May 16th
2:00pm - 6:00pm
Main Stage, Palais des Festivals
Part 1
2:00pm - 2:15pm
WELCOME ADDRESS
Amy Baker - CEO & Co-Founder, Winston Baker
Emilie Anthonis - President and Managing Director, Motion Picture Association EMEA
2:15pm – 3:00pm
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY; STATE OF FINANCE
The entertainment landscape is evolving fast. How do filmmakers, producers, and financiers keep up - and maybe more importantly, stay ahead?
This powerhouse panel dives into the shifting dynamics of Film & Television today, exploring the financing strategies, global partnerships, and market trends that are reshaping the industry.
Key discussion points include:
Film financing is no longer one-size fits all - what are the different financing options now? How can companies and creatives decide what type of financing is best for their specific needs? Discuss what kind of questions should they ask?
From a financing POV, in what condition is the production industry? What do you look for most when evaluating a project / company?
What factors have you seen play into the success of certain projects over others in recent years?
The State of Distribution: how does the distribution landscape factor in the conversation for Film and Television…we've been hearing that there's a need for more US distributors - is that the case?
Are investors and their money drying up or are there new companies consistently entering the space?
Shifting financial strategies – The growing synergy between U.S. private equity and European soft money.
Market saturation vs. market correction: Is it time to reset and refocus on quality over quantity?
Originals vs. franchises: is there a fatigue in franchises, paralleled with the success of films like Sinners and Longlegs?
What is broken in the traditional film financing model – and why are they no longer sufficient for today’s filmmakers?
What new funding avenues are emerging to help filmmakers access capital on their own terms?
Are we seeing a shift in the role of fans—from passive consumers to active financial participants and stakeholders in film projects?
MODERATOR:
Jeff Bazoian – Managing Director, Head of Media, Entertainment & Sport, Fifth Third Bank
PANELISTS:
Jon Gosier - Founder and CEO, FilmHedge
Christopher Woodrow - Founder and Chairman, Media Capital Technologies (MCT)
Sonia Mehandjiyska - Head of International Distribution, Electric Entertainment
Paula Paizes - Chief Operating Officer and President of Production, Pressman Film
Marc Iserlis - Head of Film, Republic
3:00pm – 3:30pm
NAVIGATING THE GLOBAL LANDSCAPE OF TAX CREDITS AND INCENTIVES IN FILM
Join us for an insightful discussion as industry experts explore the evolving global landscape of tax credits and incentives available to filmmakers. This session will delve into how different regions are leveraging these financial tools to stimulate film production and attract international projects and compare European and Middle Eastern incentive structures. Our panelists will share their experiences, highlight successful case studies, and provide actionable insights on how filmmakers can effectively navigate these opportunities to maximize their projects' potential.
PANELISTS:
Giammarco Cottani - Founder & Managing Partner, NOEMA Global
Jeaneane Davey, Tax and Production Incentives Professional
3:30pm – 4:15pm
INDEPENDENT GREENLIGHT: THE METHOD BEHIND THE MADNESS
In today’s evolving film economy, getting an independent film greenlit is more complex—and more creative—than ever. This panel brings together key decision makers across finance, sales, production, and creative to demystify what the greenlight process really looks like outside the studio system. We’ll unpack what a “greenlight” actually means for indie films, how it compares to traditional studio/streamer pathways, and how the current 2025 marketplace is reshaping timelines, financing, and strategic alignment. Panelists will share war stories, common missteps, and hard-won tactics that turn passion projects into productions.
In this panel we will speak with key decision makers who are an integral part of the decision to have an independent project get the official ‘greenlight’. This panel will discuss:
- What does ‘greenlight’ mean for an independent film?
- The benefits and burden of a greenlit picture in the studio/streamer system versus as an independent
- How financiers, sales agents, producers and creatives engage in the discussions around a greenlit project
- The mistakes and ways to better navigate an independent project as it gets to the point of being made
- How does the 2025 marketplace affect this?
MODERATOR:
Elsa Ramo – Founder and Managing Partner, Ramo Law
PANELISTS:
Jessamine Burgum – Founder and CEO, Pinky Promise
Yvette Zhuang - SVP of International Production and Distribution, Miramax
Grégoire Gensollen – COO, Tucker Tooley Entertainment
Rob Guillermo - Co-Founder, Indus Valley Media
Imani “Manny” Halley - Founder and CEO, Imani Media Group & Faith Media Distribution
4:15pm- 4:45pm
FIRESIDE CHAT WITH DANE DEHAAN
4:45pm – 5:15pm
FIRESIDE CHAT WITH ANNIE MURRAY (New Zealand Film Commission) AND DEIRDRE BRENNAN (Screen Australia)
MODERATOR:
Karen Robson – Partner, Pryor Cashman
PANELISTS:
Annie Murray (Te Arawa) - Chief Executive Officer (CEO), New Zealand Film Commission
Deirdre Brennan – Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Screen Australia
5:15pm – 6:00pm
THE POWER OF INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS & CO-PRODUCTIONS
International Co-Productions are more than just a financial strategy - they're the future of global storytelling. As audiences are demanding more bold and diverse content, cross-border partnerships coming into the spotlight…redefining how films and TV are made, funded, and distributed. Our Industry leaders will dive into:
Innovative producer deals & regulatory challenges
The rise of international co-productions: Why cross-border collaborations are the future of content creation
AI & Streaming’s role in global collaborations
Balancing creative ambition with commercial success
Maximizing distribution & audience engagement
With the industry evolving fast, staying ahead means embracing new models, new partners, and new opportunities.
MODERATOR:
Amy Baker - CEO & Co-Founder, Winston Baker
PANELISTS:
Mandy Ward – Producer, Akward Productions
Ainsley Gardiner - Head of Funding, New Zealand Film Commission
Allison Hironaka - Head of Film & TV, Caviar LA
Neerja Narayanan – Multi-Hyphenate Producer, Studio Executive, Writer
FORUM CONCLUDES
Part 2
Shifter(s) Series: Fireside Chat with Ari Aster & Lars Knudsen
Monday, May 19th | 11:30am - 12:30pm
Plage des Palmes
Joining us after the premiere of their latest film, Eddington, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Austin Butler, Deirdre O’Connell, Micheal Ward and Luke Grimes.
Co-Founders of Square Peg, Lars Knudsen and Ari Aster, are known for some of the most memorable and bold films in recent years, including HEREDITARY, MIDSOMMAR, and BEAU IS AFRAID, but also their work producing for other groundbreaking directors.
Join us for Part 2 of our International Film Finance Forum to hear them talk about their creative process at Square Peg, and what’s next for them in the world of cinema.
Ari Aster, Writer, Director, Producer
Lars Knudsen, Award-Winning Producer
Moderated by: Georg Szalai - Global Business Editor, The Hollywood Reporter London
SPEAKING FACULTY
Ari Aster - Writer, Director, Producer
Writer-director-producer Ari Aster’s debut feature Hereditary, starring Toni Collette, became a critical and box office success hit for A24 in 2018. Aster continued his genre-challenging work for A24 with his 2019 thriller Midsommar, starring Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor, and again in 2023 with Beau is Afraid, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Patti Lapone.
In addition to writing, directing and producing his feature films, Aster along with his producing partner Lars Knudsen, formed their production company Square peg in 2019 to collaborate with a host of fellow auteur filmmakers, including Robert Eggers (The Northman), Kristoffer Borgli (Dream Scenario, The Drama), Guy Maddin and Evan and Galen Johson (Rumours), and Yorgos Lanthimos (Bugonia).
Lars Knudsen - Award-Winning Producer
Lars Knudsen is an award-winning film producer of over 40 films, including Ari Aster’s Hereditary, Midsommar, and Beau is Afraid, Robert Eggers’ The Witch and The Northman, Andrea Arnold’s American Honey and Mike Mills’ Beginners. Collaborating with other auteur filmmakers such as Yorgos Lanthimos, Kristoffer Borgli, David Lowery, and Kelly Reichardt, Knudsen has been instrumental in bringing unique and ground-breaking stories to global audiences. As co-founder of Square Peg alongside Ari Aster, Knudsen’s commitment to nurturing bold and compelling storytelling, has established him at the forefront in shaping contemporary cinema.
Upcoming work includes Aster’s Eddington, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Austin Butler, Deirdre O’Connell, Micheal Ward and Lucas Grimes for A24, and Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia, starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons for Focus Features.
Emilie Anthonis - President and Managing Director, Motion Picture Association EMEA
Emilie Anthonis is the President and Managing Director of the region encompassing Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) for the Motion Picture Association (MPA), responsible for policy, operations, advocacy, and personnel across the territory. She was previously Senior Vice President, Government Affairs MPA EMEA, where she led the policy team and oversaw the EMEA government affairs portfolio and policy agenda. She has 20 years of experience in the audiovisual sector, in both legal and government affairs positions.
Prior to joining the MPA in 2017, Emilie was Director of Legal and Public Affairs at the Association of Commercial Television in Europe (ACT). Before ACT she served as inhouse counsel at Viacom. She began her career as an IP lawyer in a Brussels law firm (Altius) focusing on copyright and media law. She also held a research mandate at the Centre of Intellectual Property Law of the University of Leuven.
Emilie studied law at the Universities of Leuven (Master’s degree) and Antwerp (Bachelor’s degree) and received additional Master’s degrees in both European and Intellectual Property law at the University of Brussels.
Dane DeHaan - Actor & Producer
Dane DeHaan stars and produces the independent feature WARDRIVER opposite Sasha Calle. He currently appears in Peter Berg's Netflix limited series AMERICAN PRIMEVAL and will next appear in Apple TV+’s NEUROMANCER. DeHaan recently was in Christopher Nolan's OPPENHEIMER, starring Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr, Matt Damon, and Emily Blunt as well as DUMB MONEY with Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Sebastian Stan, and Seth Rogen. Additionally, he recently appeared in Antonio Campos' HBO Max drama, THE STAIRCASE, alongside Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Juliette Binoche and Sophie Turner. He also starred in Stephen King’s LISEY’S STORY opposite Juliane Moore, Clive Owen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Joan Allen. The series was directed by Pablo Larrain for Apple TV+. He can also be seen in Amazon Studio’s international cocaine drama ZERO ZERO ZERO, from director Stefano Sollima. On the silver screen DeHaan has been seen as Billy the Kid in THE KID opposite Ethan Hawke and Chris Pratt and as Gore Verbinski’s leading man in A CURE FOR WELLNESS. Other film and television credits include THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2, THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES, CHRONICLE, KILL YOUR DARLINGS, VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS, LAWLESS, and IN TREATMENT.
Jon Gosier - Founder and CEO, FilmHedge
Jon Gosier has built a remarkable career as a serial entrepreneur, investor, and innovator. His company FilmHedge, is backed by more than $350 million in which it uses to finance Film and TV productions globally. FilmHedge is revolutionizing how financial institutions evaluate, monitor, and invest in Film/TV productions using artificial intelligence tools that assist banks and institutional partners with media underwriting, risk analysis and credit-rating. The company also recently launched a liquidity marketplace, creating the first ever secondary market for Film/TV investors to buy, sell and trade media investments.
Prior to FilmHedge, Jon built several tech companies as a serial entrepreneur. Gosier's entrepreneurial journey reached a significant milestone in 2024 when Experian acquired his company Audigent in a nine-figure deal. Prior to the acquisition, Audigent had been recognized as one of America's fastest-growing technology companies by INC5000, Financial Times, and Deloitte. He is also the founder of Southbox Capital (d/b/a Gosier Holdings), his family office, where he oversees a diverse $200M+ portfolio spanning technology, real estate, venture capital, and media.
Elsa Ramo – Founder and Managing Partner, Ramo Law
For 20 years, Elsa Ramo has been at the intersection of entertainment law and content innovation, architecting groundbreaking deals for industry disruptors and major studios alike. She guides her clients into innovative terms that optimize their reach and prevalence with reputable velocity. In an era where content comes in an increasing number of forms, Ramo’s ability to successfully monetize the deal for her clients sets her apart on this evolving frontier.
Ramo works with content-creating powerhouses Imagine Entertainment, Concordia Studio, Skydance TV, Skydance Sports, Lion Forge Entertainment, French Tuck, Campfire Pictures, The Wonder Project, Boardwalk Pictures, and Scout Productions. In 2024 alone, Ramo’s clients won nine Creative Emmy Awards.
She represents independent prolific producers such as Zackary Drucker (whose HBO documentary Enigma premiered at Sundance 2025), Unified Pictures Keith Kjarval (upcoming feature The Beast, featuring Samuel L. Jackson), Lee Broda (whose film The Apprentice received an Oscar nomination), and founder of Los Angeles Festival of Movies Sarah Winshall. Additionally, Ramo represents film financiers Bondit Media Capital, V42 Management, Head Gear Films Financing, and SSS Film Capital.
Beyond directly overseeing high level clients, Ramo is the founder and managing partner of her boutique firm with 23 attorneys spanning from Beverly Hills to New York City the firm has 22 attorneys across the country based in Beverly Hills and New York. Ramo is also a Forbes.com contributor, speaking on current issues and topics in the entertainment industry. She was recently recognized among Women, Influence & Power in Law Awards 2024, LA Times 2024 Entertainment Business Visionaries, Variety’s 2023 Legal Impact Report and 2022 Dealmakers Impact Report, Daily Journal’s Top 100 Women Lawyers; and her firm was featured by Los Angeles Business Journal as a 2024 Disruptor and Most Admired Law Firms. Whether through exploring new forms of content, such as AI, or investing in sports entertainment, Ramo Law is anticipating and shaping the future of content, delivering the power to turn creative ideas into reality.
Annie Murray (Te Arawa) - Chief Executive Officer (CEO), New Zealand Film Commission
As CEO Annie leads the operational delivery, guides the strategic policy and provides sector and staff leadership to the NZFC.
Prior to NZFC, Annie was the Head of Sky Originals for three years after starting at Sky TV in 2014 as a Senior Commissioner. Before this, she was Head of External Programming at Māori Television. Annie also served as Interim Co-Chair of the Toi Mai Workforce Development Council Board, a member of Te Kāhui Ahumahi, and as a member of the Bay of Plenty Regional Skills Leadership Group. She was also a Trustee of Ngā Taonga.
Annie also worked in the public sector with the Broadcasting Commission (NZ On Air), Māori Television and had two stints at TVNZ. Academically she holds a Master of Education (First Class Hons) from Waikato University and a Diploma in Bicultural Journalism from Waiariki Institute of Technology
Giammarco Cottani - Founder & Managing Partner, NOEMA Global
Founder & Managing Partner of NOEMA Global, with 20+ years in tax policy, law, and tech across OECD, UN, WB, private practice, and in-house roles at Netflix and Agoda. Expert in transfer pricing, digital economy taxation, and VAT. Lecturer at WU Vienna, University of Amsterdam, and Tax Academy of Singapore.
Yvette Zhuang – SVP of International Production and Distribution, Miramax
Yvette is SVP of International Production and Distribution for Miramax, based out of Los Angeles. She joined the company in 2019 and over the last five years Miramax’s releases include The Gentlemen from Guy Ritchie, the Halloween franchise, Academy Award winner The Holdovers, Here from legendary filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, and the highest-grossing independent film of last year: The Beekeeper.
Prior to Miramax, Yvette was SVP of International Sales at STX, where she worked on the financing and distribution of over 20 films including Hustlers, Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World, Bad Moms, and Greenland.
Yvette began her career working for Melbourne International Film Festival and was an entertainment attorney at Holding Redlich before moving to Los Angeles to work for indie film financing and sales outfit Sierra/Affinity (now part of Lionsgate).
Marc Iserlis - Head of Film, Republic
Marc Iserlis is the Head of Film at Republic, an investment platform that lets everyone –both accredited and non-accredited investors–invest in private market opportunities like startups, films, sports, gaming, real estate, and beyond, and share in the financial upside. Republic boasts a community of nearly 3 million members and has deployed over $2.6 billion through its investment platforms, funds, and firms.
Marc leads Republic's newly launched film financing vertical, Republic Film, which enables fans to invest directly in their favorite filmmakers' new projects and share in their success. Success stories from Republic Film include Skybound Entertainment (The Walking Dead, Invincible), Pressman Film (American Psycho, Wall Street), and Robert Rodriguez's Brass Knuckle Films, which have raised tens of millions of dollars from their global fanbases.
Marc is also a film and TV producer whose credits include Hotel Mumbai (2019), Gone in the Night (2022), Late Bloomers (2023), Dalíland (2023), and About a Hero (2025).
Sonia Mehandjiyska - Head of International Distribution, Electric Entetertainment
Sonia Mehandjiyska has been in the entertainment industry for the past 26 years, being involved in film and television sales, acquisitions, financing and digital distributors.
Since Electric’s International division launch in 2013, Sonia has been instrumental in distributing international rights of the Electric-produced TV series, “The Librarians”, “Leverage: Redemption”, “Almost Paradise”, “The Ark” and “The Librarians: The Next Chapter”. She was instrumental in the financing of the series “The Outpost”, and involved in securing the in the acquisition of “Mercy Street,” the critically acclaimed PBS drama series, which was executive produced by Ridley Scott
Under her tenure, the division has added numerous films to its slate including “Blackway” starring Anthony Hopkins and Julia Stiles, “God’s Pocket” with Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Bad Samaritan” starring David Tennant and “An Ordinary Man” starring Ben Kingsley.
Prior Electric Entertainment she served as Head of Sales at Global Screen, a Bavaria-Telepool joint venture in Munich, Germany where she oversaw sales on the long-running and popular German television series, “Alarm for Cobra 11”, and was involved in licensing and distributing “Last Love” with Michael Caine, “A Thousand Times Goodnight” starring Juliette Binoche, and a host of successful animation projects including “The Flight Before Christmas,” which aired on CBS in the US.
Before that Sonia held executive sales positions with Gibraltar Entertainment, Lightning Entertainment and Echo Bridge Entertainment.
Paula Paizes - Chief Operating Officer and President of Production, Pressman Film
Paula Paizes serves as Chief Operating Officer and President of Production, at Pressman Film, the independent production company founded by legendary producer Edward R. Pressman. Paizes oversees finance, production, distribution, merchandising, strategy, and business affairs for the Los Angeles-based company behind such films as Wall Street, American Psycho, Badlands, Thank You for Smoking and The Crow. A seasoned media/entertainment senior executive, she has broad experience and deep relationships in Hollywood, Australia and internationally. Paula has produced and executive produced numerous films and TV series, including upcoming films BAD LIEUTENANT: TOKYO (Takashi Miike) and Gus Van Sant’s DEAD MAN’S WIRE (Al Pacino, Coleman Domingo), as well as THE CROW 2024 (Bill Skarsgard and FKA Twigs), DALILAND (Sir Ben Kingsley), WHERE ESKIMOS LIVE (Bob Hoskins), BLACK LIMOUSINE (David Arquette and Bijou Philips) and the VR experience EVOLVER, (Cate Blanchett) selected to compete in the Cannes Immersive Competition (2024). Paula is currently working across a slate of 20 film and TV projects and managing a library of over 100 titles.
Christopher Woodrow - Founder and Chairman, Media Capital Technologies (MCT)
Christopher Woodrow is the founder and chairman of Media Capital Technologies (MCT), a specialty finance company focused on strategic investments in premium content. The company provides capital to media and entertainment businesses, including major motion picture studios, significant independent production entities, and preeminent intellectual property rights-holders. He is responsible for guiding the strategic vision of MCT and oversees global corporate and business development for the company.
MCT closed a multi-year film slate co-financing transaction with Lionsgate in 2023. The company is making a significant investment in Lionsgate's film slate over a multi-year period. MCT has provided Lionsgate co-financing for 18 films over the past two years, including "Saw X", "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare", "Flight Risk", and numerous other films. Upcoming titles include the "John Wick" film "Ballerina", "The Long Walk", and "Good Fortune".
MCT partnered with iconic filmmaker Eli Roth ("Cabin Fever" franchise, "Hostel" franchise, and "Thanksgiving") to launch The Horror Section (THS) in 2025. The 360 media company is focused on building a robust library of intellectual property and creating the world's premiere horror brand. THS has already completed its first film acquisition and will go into production on its first four films this year, two of which will be directed by Roth.
Woodrow was the founder and served as chairman and CEO of Worldview Entertainment and its successor, Vendian Entertainment, motion picture finance and production companies that produced over 30 notable feature films under his leadership. The films, including Fox Searchlight's critically acclaimed hit "Birdman", Warner Bros.' "Black Mass", and Lionsgate's "Hacksaw Ridge", grossed more than $700 million in worldwide box office revenue, were nominated for 16 Academy Awards, and won six Oscars, including Best Picture.
Prior to this, Woodrow was the managing director of Prospect Point Capital, an investment company focused on structured finance and venture capital opportunities in media and entertainment. He was previously a vice president at Citigroup Global Markets and worked in investment banking at Oppenheimer & Co. Woodrow began his career managing business development at Syrinex Communications, a pioneer in the manufacturing of the internet server appliance. He performed his undergraduate studies at the University of Alabama.
Deirdre Brennan – Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Screen Australia
As Chief Executive Officer of Screen Australia, Deirdre Brennan leads the federal agency’s strategic vision to drive the critical and commercial success of the Australian screen industry. Through close collaboration with the sector, Deirdre champions Australian stories and storytellers both locally and across the globe.
With over 30 years local and international experience, Deirdre has held leadership roles across major media companies, specialising in IP development, audience engagement and creative business strategies.
Before joining Screen Australia in 2024, she was the Chief Operating Officer of WildBrain, where she oversaw global content strategy, distribution, AVOD operations and the company’s Family-branded broadcast channels in Canada. Previously, Deirdre worked at BBC Worldwide Australia as the Director of Television, General Manager and Director of Content, where she managed BBC’s branded services and content across drama, entertainment, children’s and factual.
Her past roles also include Head of Children’s Television at ABC TV, General Manager of Universal Kids at NBCUniversal, Vice President of Content at Corus Entertainment, and Director of Programming at Nickelodeon Australia.
Deirdre is a Member of the International Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences and BAFTA.
Jessamine Burgum – Founder and CEO, Pinky Promise
Jessamine Burgum is the founder and CEO of Pinky Promise. Over the past four years, she has produced or executive produced over 14 films, starting with Pinky Promise's debut feature Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul., which premiered at Sundance in 2022 and was released by Focus Features. Subsequent features have earned Golden Globe, SAG and BAFTA nomination, as well as several awards at major festivals including Sundance, SXSW, Cannes, and TIFF.
Most recently she produced Scarlett Johansson's directorial debut Eleanor The Great alongside Sony Classic and TriStar, which is set to premiere in Fall of 2025. She also served as an executive producer on Gia Coppola’s The Last Showgirl starring Pamela Anderson, and Andrea Arnold’s Bird starring Barry Keoghan.
In her role as founder Jessamine has been recognized as part of Forbes’ 30 Under 30, Variety’s New Leaders, and Inc.’s Female Founders 500. She holds a BFA from the Guthrie Theatre Actor Training Program at the University of Minnesota, as well as a BFA from Shakespeare’s Globe Education Program in London. She grew up in the Great Plains of North Dakota, and currently resides in Venice, CA.
Ainsley Gardiner (Ngāti Awa, Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Ngāti Pikiao, Te Whakatōhea) - Head of Funding, New Zealand Film Commission
Ainsley is a seasoned producer and director of more than two dozen short and feature films, documentaries and television drama. She was one of nine wåhine Måori filmmakers to write and direct the acclaimed feature film Waru, selected for the Toronto Film Festival in 2017. She co-directed her second feature, Cousins, the top grossing NZ feature in 2020. Other projects include Taika Waititi's Eagle vs Shark in 2005 and his first No. 1 Box Office hit, Boy, in 2009, as well as The Breaker Upperers. Ainsley has hosted a short film programme on Māori Television, previously sat on the Māori development arm of the NZ Film Commission, Te Paepae Ataata, and as an Advisory Board member of Script-To-Screen’s Story Camp. In 2018 she was awarded the Mana Wåhine award at the Wairoa Film Festival and also made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to film.
Allison Hironaka - Head of Film & TV, Caviar LA
Allison Hironaka is an entertainment executive with over a decade of experience across film and television. She currently manages the Film & TV arm of Caviar LA, an Academy Award-winning production company known for successful projects like Sound of Metal, War Pony, and Bad Sisters. Committed to supporting the vision of artists and nurturing talent creating projects from 60 seconds to six hours, Caviar began in 2005 as a commercials outfit and has evolved into producing boundary-pushing scripted and unscripted film & TV projects, as well as world-class commercials.
Allison is currently producing several upcoming projects for Caviar, including Love Language from writer-director Joey Power, and Zach Woods’ The Accompanist, starring Susan Sarandon, Everly Carganilla, and Aubrey Plaza. She is also an executive producer for Jody Hill’s thriller Famous.
Allison began her entertainment career in the mailroom at Paradigm Talent Agency, where she became an agent trainee in the Motion Picture Talent group. She joined Creative Artists Agency in 2014 and spent nine years in the Media Finance group focused on film financing and sales, client company creation, and operations. During her tenure, Allison worked on precedent-setting deals for films with budgets ranging from <500k to over $100M.
Mandy Ward - Producer, Akward Productions
Mandy Ward is a seasoned producer with deep expertise in both physical production and development for feature films and television. Over the course of her career, she has worked on an impressive range of high-profile projects, including the Emmy Award-winning true crime series A Crime to Remember (ABC) and the hit docuseries The Food That Built America (History Channel).
In the world of unscripted television, Mandy produced The Bubble, a critically acclaimed documentary exploring the unique culture of the Florida retirement community, The Villages. Her narrative film credits are equally notable, including Almost Love, starring Michelle Buteau, Kate Walsh, Scott Evans, and Augustus Prew, directed by Mike Doyle, as well as If That Mockingbird Don’t Sing, which is currently making its way through the festival circuit.
Mandy’s recent work includes INFLUENCED (CAA Sales), a sharp comedy starring Justin Bartha, Jill Kargman, David Krumholtz, and Christina Taylor, directed by Rachel Israel. She also produced the Netflix Original The Sand Castle, directed by Matty Brown and starring Nadine Labaki and Ziad Bakri. The film quickly rose into the Global Top 10 on Netflix upon its release.
Beyond production, Mandy co-founded First Time Fest, an influential platform championing first-time filmmakers. The festival featured intimate conversations with cinematic icons such as Martin Scorsese, Sofia Coppola, and Darren Aronofsky about their directorial debuts.
With a career that spans across genres and formats, Mandy Ward continues to be a dynamic force in the film and television industries, dedicated to discovering bold voices and bringing compelling stories to the screen.
Neerja Narayanan – Multi-Hyphenate Producer, Studio Executive, Writer
Multi-hyphenate producer / studio executive / writer with track record for major studios in development, production, acquisition, having been based in London, Mumbai, New York, LA, having built & managed local content pipelines for vertically integrated studio divisions for commercially and critically successful multi-language content, including Fox International Productions (21st Century Fox), (now) Disney UTV Studios South Asia, Sony Pictures International Productions, producing cross border successes across formats with artists who are household names regionally and internationally, nominated for and won internationally recognised awards including BAFTA awards, Asia Pacific Awards, Indian National Awards, with festival premieres at Toronto, Busan, London, Shanghai, Tokyo among others. Also worked in production, development, international sales, programming, for Channel Four UK, the UK Film Council, Capitol Films UK, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Forest Whitaker's Spirit Dance Entertainment, and branded content for broadcast TV. Works with artist organizations like Gotham Film & Media Institute, Doha Film Institute, Sundance Film Institute, Portland Art Museum, Creative Hawaii, Hollywood Radio & TV Society, developing programs and mentoring talent for films/TV, and has been jury member and drama selection committee and panelist for the Sarajevo Film Festival CineLink and MIA Rome (Mercata Internazionale Audiovisivo.) She has been a speaker at the Toronto International Film Festival, a keynote speaker for Channel Four, a speaker for the European Producers Club, TiE NYC, Columbia University, Athena Film Festival, Gotham Film Week + written editorials for Filmmaker Magazine among others. Based in LA, is currently producing series / films with Sony TV, Sony Intl Prods, NordiskFilm, Netflix India + building cross-continental slates + creative funds across Asia, Europe, America, Australia, MENA/Africa.
Grégoire Gensollen - Chief Operating Officer, Tucker Tooley Entertainment
Grégoire Gensollen is the Chief Operating Officer of Tucker Tooley Entertainment where he oversees all aspects of film and television financing, strategic planning, business development and operations. He works hand in hand with CEO Tucker Tooley whose films have earned more than $2.61 billion at the worldwide box office.
As COO, Gregoire structures and oversees first look and co-production deals with financiers, manages foreign and domestic partner relationships, structures finance plans for the company’s film and television productions, and establishes partnerships with new media companies to produce and finance virtual reality, podcasts, and digital series.
Gregoire has served as an Executive Producer for several projects at the company including “Concrete Cowboy” starring Idris Elba which sold worldwide to Netflix after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, “The Deliverance” directed by Lee Daniels and starring Golden Globe winner Andra Day and Academy Award nominee Glenn Close, which opened No1 in the U.S. and in the top 10 in 92 territories on Netflix, “Den of Thieves 2” starring Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson, Jr, which debuted No1 at the U.S. Box Office on January 10, 2025, and the upcoming documentary “Finding Satoshi". Prior to Tooley Entertainment, Gregoire was SVP, International Distribution and Strategy at FilmNation Entertainment where he worked closely with founder/CEO Glen Basner and COO Milan Popelka. His responsibilities included managing film finance, distribution, and strategy.
He oversaw all releases worldwide for more than 60 titles that earned $1.3 billion at the box office and numerous Academy Award nominations; titles include “The King’s Speech”, “The Imitation Game”, “Nebraska”, “Room”, “Mud”, “Looper”, and “Magic Mike”. He closed loans and helped structure the financing for Denis Villeneuve’s “Arrival” and John Lee Hancock’s “The Founder.” Prior to joining FilmNation, Gregoire was VP of International Strategic and Sales Planning at Lionsgate. For both Film and TV, he was in charge of international deal structuring for Sales as well as Motion Picture Acquisitions & Co-Productions, on projects such as “The Hunger Games” or Paul Haggis’ “Next Three Days”.
During his tenure, he handled international pricing and distribution strategy of more than 50 feature film releases including the “Saw” franchise, “Kick-Ass”, “Immortals”, “Limitless”, “Drag Me to Hell” and “310 To Yuma”.
Gregoire has been featured in “Variety’s” 2019’s ‘10 Producers to Watch’ and 2012’s ‘New Leaders’ issues. He won a Best First Film Cesar Award for his film PAPICHA, which was Algeria’s official entry for the Best International Feature Academy Award in 2020. He earned his MS from the University of Wisconsin Madison and his MBA from UCLA Anderson. He is a member of theCesar (Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma) and BAFTA.
Jeaneane Davey, Tax and Production Incentives Professional
Jeaneane Davey is a seasoned Tax and Production Incentives professional with 15 years of experience in the Media & Entertainment industry, having held key roles at PwC, 20th Century Fox, and Netflix. She recently launched her own advisory practice, specializing in tailored tax planning solutions for media industry professionals.
Rob Guillermo - Co-Founder, Indus Valley Media
Rob Guillermo is a seasoned entertainment executive with over 25 years of experience shaping premium content across film and television. He is the co-founder of Indus Valley Media, an independent studio dedicated to financing, developing, and producing high-quality scripted and nonfiction projects for global audiences.
Prior to launching Indus Valley Media, Rob spent nearly a decade at Netflix, where he last served as VP, Head of Nonfiction, Business & Legal Affairs. He was instrumental in scaling the platform’s documentary and stand-up comedy initiatives, helping grow the subscriber base from 38 million to over 220 million globally. Rob led groundbreaking negotiations on many of the streamer’s most acclaimed nonfiction titles, including Academy Award winning documentary, American Factory (in collaboration with the Obama's Higher Ground Productions), Grammy winning film, Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé, Making a Murderer, and exclusive stand-up specials from comedy giants like Dave Chappelle, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and Ali Wong.
Before joining Netflix, Rob held senior legal and business affairs roles at MTV Networks/Comedy Central, where he worked on legacy properties such as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, South Park, and Broad City. He began his career at IMG, where he led a research team focused on monetizing decades of archived programming.
Known for his collaborative leadership and strategic deal-making, Rob is passionate about bringing bold, culturally resonant stories to life. He lives in West Hollywood, CA with his wife and son—and holds a lifelong love for New York City, where he began his career and met his wife.
Imani “Manny” Halley - Founder and CEO, Imani Media Group & Faith Media Distribution
Imani “Manny” Halley is an American film and television producer, talent manager, and prominent entertainment executive. As the Founder and CEO of Imani Media Group and Faith Media Distribution, Halley has established himself as a driving force in urban cinema and content distribution. Based in Los Angeles and Atlanta, his strategic leadership has built a robust catalogue of over 14 successful titles. His companies have collaborated with major platforms such as Netflix, Tubi, BET, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video to produce and distribute a diverse slate of acclaimed film and television projects.
Jeff Bazoian – Managing Director, Head of Media, Entertainment & Sport, Fifth Third Bank
Karen Robson - Partner, Pryor Cashman
LA lawyer, Karen Robson is a self-described “multicultural aficionado” who closely follows the entertainment industry’s emerging markets around the globe and the business, financial and technical innovations that are shaping its future. A native of Australia, Karen had a brief career as an actress in her homeland, including a major role in the Peter Weir cult favorite “Picnic at Hanging Rock” and also practiced as a media lawyer in Sydney. Then, she moved to the United States, becoming the first female partner in her U.S law firm Pryor Cashman, where she still practices. At Pryor Cashman she has acted as a dealmaker in the Media and Entertainment law transactional space, first, in New York City and then as founder of the firm’s Los Angeles office.
A seasoned professional, Karen has represented domestic and foreign motion picture and television financiers, banks, equity investors, hedge funds, studios, broadcast and SVOD networks and production and distribution companies. She also advises individual content creators, including writers, directors and producers, particularly female creators. Clients rely on Karen to effectively negotiate and close financial arrangements and distribution deals and she assists international co-production entities identify and obtain U.S. and international tax incentives. She helps lenders and producers structure film financings, including senior and mezzanine debt and equity.
Karen additionally advises on intellectual property transactions, including complex rights deals, and new ways to optimize and monetize audio-visual content multi-platform collaborations. Karen has also represented numerous entertainment companies in corporate investment in the media landscape in the US (and sometimes, regrettably, in US bankruptcy situations). She also executive produces dramatic and documentary feature films with her Iranian American filmmaker husband and their cinematographer daughter.
Georg Szalai - Global Business Editor, The Hollywood Reporter, London
Georg Szalai joined The Hollywood Reporter in 2001 as a business reporter in New York, was named business editor in 2003 and also became New York bureau chief in 2005. He has been based in London since 2012, working with THR's global team as international business editor and, since 2023, as global business editor.
Georg has covered such film festivals from Cannes, Berlin and Locarno to Toronto, Jeddah, Beijing and Tokyo. He has also written about such major Hollywood deals as Disney's acquisition of large parts of Fox, the merger that created Warner Bros. Discovery, and Comcast's takeover of Sky. He further enjoys following such industry topics as film financing, the evolving streaming business, original content strategies, and new business models.
Despite being THR’s resident Austrian, he has still never met Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Amy Baker – CEO and Co-Founder, Winston Baker
As CEO of WINSTON | BAKER, Amy Baker oversees the company’s global strategic planning, business development and vendor relationships. Amy Co-Founded the FILM FINANCE FORUM® in 2008, which provides the leading series of events dedicated to bringing seasoned finance and entertainment executives together from around the globe. Winston Baker is a renowned leader in the entertainment industry, known for curating content and organizing Forums worldwide. Amy has successfully organized sold out conferences, film festival programming and private events across the United States, Europe, Saudi Arabia, China, Pacific Asia and Latin America, along with a lineup of exciting virtual programs.
Prior to establishing Winston/Baker, she was at SRI which was acquired by ALM. At ALM, as Vice President of Business Development, Amy provided finance executives and marketers with targeted channels for reaching decision-makers within the legal, entertainment, healthcare, sports and tech sectors. In her previous position, Director of Business Development at RPMC, she worked with entertainment, music, and sports companies, creating event marketing programs, travel incentive services, sweepstakes, and media promotions.
Amy lived for many years in Europe, while working as a professional Model before receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with Honors from New York University. Amy proudly sits on the National Board of Advisors for the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida since 2018. She has recently started producing and developing projects for Film and Television.
Thank you to our Partners
Gold Partners
Founded in 2020, FilmHedge is one of the fastest growing lenders in media finance. As a senior lender, FilmHedge provides private credit and financing solutions to qualified TV and Film producers, offering up to $25 million per production. In addition to financing, the company collects financial data that assists other financiers (banks, hedge funds, family offices, etc) in determining the creditworthiness and risk of media borrowers.To date the team behind FilmHedge have underwritten more than 60 feature films. For more information on FilmHedge visit: https://www.filmhedge.com.
Supporting Partners
The Motion Picture Association, Inc. (MPA) serves as the global voice and advocate of the motion picture, home video, and television industries. It works in every corner of the globe to advance the creative industry, protect its members’ content across all screens, defend the creative and artistic freedoms of storytellers, and support innovative distribution models that bring an expansion of viewing choices to audiences around the world.
Its member studios are: Netflix Studios, LLC; Paramount Pictures Corporation; Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.; Universal City Studios LLC; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Charles Rivkin is Chairman and CEO.
Where Creativity Meets Counsel
Ramo provides full-service entertainment legal counsel – from development to delivery and beyond. Our end-to-end legal expertise and in-house packaging and sales team allows us to customize every contract to our client’s needs and power the full potential of every project.
NOEMA Global is a boutique tax and public policy advisory firm. With headquarters in Abu Dhabi and Amsterdam, the firm delivers tailored solutions in a rapidly evolving global regulatory environment.
The firm specializes in international tax policy, transfer pricing, indirect tax and customs, UAE tax structuring, and strategic advisory on public affairs. NOEMA Global possesses niche expertise in the entertainment industry, particularly around tax credits and tax incentives for the film industry. The name, derived from the Greek word for “depth of understanding,” reflects a commitment to deep expertise and insight.
The firm advises multinational enterprises, international institutions, and high-net-worth individuals across a range of sectors. It operates through a global network of independent, top-tier tax and law firms, with strong capabilities in the APAC region, the EU, the Middle East, and Washington D.C.
In a sector with unlimited growth potential that’s tempered with significant and evolving risk, your financial solutions team needs an eye on the horizon and feet on the ground. The Fifth Third Technology, Media & Telecommunications Group understands the challenges—and opportunities—inherent in an evolving landscape and can provide comprehensive financial solutions to help meet them head-on. Founded in 1858, Fifth Third Bank has had the singular purpose of helping to improve the lives of our customers through sound banking principles and superior service. Visit 53.com/TMT.
The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) is a crown entity which helps grow and support our country’s vibrant screen industry. It invests in original and culturally significant New Zealand films, helps talented New Zealand filmmakers develop their careers, works to build connections internationally and to grow audiences for New Zealand films, here and overseas. The NZFC markets New Zealand’s screen production industry overseas, attracts international screen productions to New Zealand, provides a specialist enquiry service and is the first point of contact for incoming international production. It helps negotiate co-production treaties, administers the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate (NZSPR), the Post, Digital and Visual Effects Grant (PDV) and the 5% Uplift, and certifies official co-productions and New Zealand films for tax purposes. The NZFC also works to make sure New Zealand screen sector businesses are sustainable and internationally competitive.
Thank you to our Media Partners
We are always supporting the fight against cancer through amazing organizations such as Moffitt Cancer Center whose mission is to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. Learn more by visiting their webiste: www.moffitt.org