Learn more about our festival jurors lending their expertise to our Official Selections in competition for juried awards:
JURY
Independent Pilot Competition: Comedy
Marco Calvani
Filmmaker / Actor (The Four Seasons)
Marco Calvani
Marco Calvani is an Italian writer, director, playwright, and actor whose work spans film, television, and theater. Last year, he made his U.S. acting debut as “Claude” in Netflix’s comedy series THE FOUR SEASONS created by Tina Fey. The series will return for its sophomore season May 28th, 2026. On the big screen, he will be seen this spring in Universal’s YOU, ME & TUSCANY, opposite Halle Bailey, releasing theatrically world-wide. He’s currently working on his second feature film, which he will write and direct. In 2024, his debut theatrical film HIGH TIDE, which he wrote, directed and produced, premiered at SXSW to critical acclaim. Shot and set in the queer mecca of Provincetown, the film stars Brazilian star Marco Pigossi as an adrift undocumented immigrant who sparks an unexpected romance with a tourist played by Emmy-nominee James Bland. Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei, Tony-winner Bill Irwin, and Spirit Award-winner Mya Taylor round out the cast. The film was nominated for “Outstanding Film Limited Theatrical Release” at the 2025 GLAAD Media Awards. His first short film THE VIEW FROM UP HERE stars Oscar-winner Melissa Leo and César-winner Leïla Bekhti. His second short film A BETTER HALF starring Darren Pettie and Chris Stack was named “Best Short of 2022” by the British Film Magazine Close-Up.
Jack Dolgen
Writer / Producer / Director / Songwriter
Jack Dolgen
Jack Dolgen is a writer, producer, director, and Emmy award winning songwriter. He served as Executive Producer, writer, director and songwriter on the critically acclaimed one-hour series CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND (CW) for which he earned an Emmy and four Emmy nominations.
Jack also served as a writer on the acclaimed Lord/Miller series, THE AFTERPARTY (Apple+), Consulting Producer on DIARY OF A FUTURE PRESIDENT (Disney+), and wrote and produced songs for the first ever musical episode of THE SIMPSONS (Fox). He was the co-creator and co-showrunner of PRETTY SMART for Netflix and most recently had an hour-long animated series in development at FOX in addition to serving as the number #2 on the CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY live action hour-long development for NETFLIX with 21 LAPS.
Jack currently has several projects in various stages of development and lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Sarah Adina, their daughter, and their dog, Millie. He is represented by 3 Arts and Verve.
Teri Weinberg
President, Yellow Brick Road / Executive Producer, The Office
Teri Weinberg
Teri Weinberg is a producer, executive, and founder of Yellow Brick Road with more than two decades of experience shaping culture through television, film, and storytelling. As former Executive Vice President of NBC Entertainment, she oversaw scripted development and primetime programming, helping bring some of the most iconic series of the modern era to life.
In 2010, she launched Yellow Brick Road with a first-look deal at NBC Universal, later expanding into independent producing and consulting across major networks including MTV and National Geographic. In 2016, Weinberg partnered with Golden Globe and Emmy-winning actor and producer America Ferrera under a four-year first-look deal with NBC Universal.
Her producing credits include The Office (Peabody, Golden Globe, and Emmy Award-winning), Ugly Betty (two Golden Globes, Peabody Award), and the critically acclaimed series The Tudors. She earned dual Emmy nominations in 2007 for The Office and Ugly Betty.
Additional projects span National Geographic’s Emmy-nominated Killing franchise, Netflix’s Peabody-nominated Gentefied, and the award-winning documentary Charged: The Eduardo Garcia Story and Case For Kindness for Amazon Prime.
Beyond producing, Weinberg is a sought-after keynote speaker and mentor. She serves on the Board of Trustees for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. A triathlete and adventurer, Weinberg enjoys cycling, surfing, hiking, and travel. She resides in Los Angeles.
JURY
Independent Pilot Competition: Drama
Sean Charles
Development & Production Manager, ALLBLK
Sean Charles
SEAN CHARLES is an Executive Producer and Scripted/Unscripted Development & Production Manager at ALLBLK/WE tv an AMC Networks property. He is responsible for producing and developing original content for the streaming service and linear broadcaster, in addition to assisting in acquisitions and scheduling. Having worked on such titles as the 2025 Telly Award Winning unscripted series Deb’s House in the Television Game Show & Competition category that aired across, WE tv, ALLBLK and Peacock to scripted projects like Wicked City selected as a 2025 GLAAD Media Award nominee for Outstanding Drama Series he’s had a wide range of experiences. Sean also alongside filmmakers Gabriel Reis and Ahmad Muhammad, independently produced, the Award-Winning short film The Therapist, starring Trell Woodberry and Vanessa Simmons. He is also a 2024 Cynopsis Rising Star recipient. Formed and led the inaugural Black employee resource group, Vested Interest in Black Employees (V.I.B.E) from 2018 through 2021, as Co-Chair at AMC Networks. In addition to having received his B.A in Media Communications from Queens College, CUNY he also holds an M.B.A from Mercy College.
Adam Goldworm
Founder, Aperture Entertainment
Adam Goldworm
Adam Goldworm is the founder and CEO of Aperture Entertainment, a boutique management and production company representing many of the industry’s top writers, directors, and novelists.
Goldworm is currently producing HANNIBAL at Netflix, reteaming Denzel Washington with Antoine Fuqua, and ALPHA at Netflix, starring Taron Egerton. He is producing FINAL GIRLS SUPPORT GROUP at HBO, with Charlize Theron attached and Andy Muschietti directing, and PROOF, an adaptation of the Image Comics series, with Will Smith at Fox. Additional projects include multiple Grady Hendrix adaptations: HORRORSTOR (Searchlight), HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE (Legendary with Sam Raimi), and others in development.
Prior credits include BEST SELLER (Michael Caine, Aubrey Plaza), MONSTROUS (Christina Ricci), the 2017 Tribeca hit MY FRIEND DAHMER, THE LAST WITCH HUNTER (Vin Diesel), and the Robert De Niro crime film HEIST.
Earlier in his career, Goldworm served as EVP of Television at Industry Entertainment, where he produced Showtime’s Emmy-winning MASTERS OF HORROR, ABC’s Emmy-nominated MASTERS OF SCIENCE FICTION, and NBC’s FEAR ITSELF.
Goldworm grew up in Cherry Hill, NJ, graduated Cum Laude from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television, and holds an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, where he also taught film.
Katey Rich
Awards Editor, The Ankler
Katey Rich
Katey Rich, The Ankler’s awards editor, has been covering Hollywood for nearly 20 years. Her twice-weekly Prestige Junkie newsletter and weekly podcast of the same name cover the Oscar and Emmy races and feature interviews with the people behind the best shows and movies out there. She was previously the awards and audio editor at Vanity Fair, where she worked for more than a decade and founded the Little Gold Men podcast. She is a graduate of the Wesleyan University film studies department, and her favorite Oscar moment is Jane Fonda’s momentous pause before announcing Parasite had won best picture.
JURY
Independent Pilot Competition: Unscripted
John Horn
Entertainment Correspondent, NPR’s 1A
John Horn
John Horn is a veteran arts journalist and the entertainment correspondent for the National Public Radio show 1A, and is a contributor to NPR’s Here & Now. He previously covered entertainment, arts and culture for NPR’s KPCC/LAist 89.3, where he hosted the podcast “Retake” and the shows and podcasts “The Frame” and “Hollywood: The Sequel.” Before joining KPCC, Horn was a staff writer at the Los Angeles Times, where he covered the film business; a senior writer at Newsweek; a senior editor at Premiere magazine; and the entertainment reporter for The Associated Press. His volunteer work includes Pasadena’s Union Station Homeless Services and The Geffen Playhouse in Westwood.
Havva Eisenbaum
Unscripted Television Development Executive, Reality of Change
Havva Eisenbaum
Havva Eisenbaum is an award-winning Television Producer and Media Executive who specializes in Non-Fiction, Reality TV and Documentary Development.
She most recently served as Vice President of Development & Programming for OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network (where she still operates as a programming consultant) and was responsible for developing OWN’s slate of non-fiction programming for linear and for the HBO MAX and Discovery+ streamers under OWN’s banner. Prior to OWN, Eisenbaum was Head of Unscripted Television at Monami Productions, the prodco behind Love & Hip Hop.
Eisenbaum also serves a number of nonprofit organizations, including as the Senior Director or Outcomes at Reality of Change (a climate-focused advocacy group), as the Lead Programmer of the Ladyface Mountain Documentary Film Festival and and as an elected member of the Board of Governors of the Television Academy (the organization behind the Emmy Awards).
Eisenbaum earned her B.S. degree in Radio-Television-Film from the University of Texas at Austin and her M.A. from the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her “recovering New Yorker” DP/Camera Op partner and their dog, Mushu.
JURY
Digital Short Series & Late Night Competition
Ben Travers
Head TV Critic, IndieWire
Ben Travers
Ben Travers is the New York-based TV Critic at IndieWire, where he’s been writing reviews, analyzing industry trends, and interviewing key figures since 2014. He is the 2021 winner for Best Entertainment Commentary at the Southern California Journalism Awards, and a 2020 finalist for Best TV Critic at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards. Ben helped launch IndieWire’s Consider This series, which advocates for each year’s most deserving awards contenders, and he was on set for “Veep’s” final day of filming. (Seeing Julia Louis-Dreyfus eviscerate another human being live, in person, changed him forever.) He’s also an experienced moderator, having led conversations for the Television Academy, Screen Actors Guild, PaleyFest, SXSW, ATX TV Festival, and San Diego Comic-Con (Hall H!). Prior to joining IndieWire, Ben served as an editor and critic at PopMatters, as well as a production assistant. He holds degrees in journalism and cinema from the University of Iowa. He loves puns, baseball, black coffee, and soft sweatshirts.
Ryann Werner
Writer, Nobody Wants This
Ryann Werner
Ryann Werner is a TV writer on the Emmy-nominated show Nobody Wants This.
Dana Jackson
Manager / Producer, Echo Lake Entertainment
Dana Jackson
Dana Jackson is a seasoned manager and producer at Echo Lake Entertainment, where she represents a dynamic roster of film and television writers and directors. Known for spotting distinctive voices and building lasting careers, she works closely with storytellers to develop, package, and bring projects to market across features and television. A graduate of New York University Tisch School of the Arts and Playwrights Horizons Theater School, Jackson began her career at William Morris Agency before rising to Director of Development at Castle Rock Entertainment, where she worked on dozens of releases and helped secure distribution for The Spitfire Grill and Palmetto. She later served as Senior Vice President of Hunt/Tavel Productions, founded by Academy Award winner Helen Hunt and producer Connie Tavel, where she developed and co-produced Hunt’s directorial debut Then She Found Me starring Hunt, Bette Midler and Colin Firth. She also produced and self distributed the indie feature Park, which premiered at the CineVegas Film Festival and won the Audience Award.
Nelson Moses Lassiter
Creative Executive, DramaBox
Nelson Moses Lassiter
Emmy-nominated creative executive with experience across development and production at leading streaming platforms. At Netflix, he worked in physical production supporting major series including Sweet Tooth, The Sandman, and Wednesday. At Tubi, he developed and oversaw original films such as Married to A Balla and Guess Who as a creative executive. He now serves as a creative executive at DramaBox, focusing on high-impact vertical series and mobile-first storytelling.
