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JURORS
Liz Rosenthal
Curator of the Biennale's Venice International Film Festival’s Immersive Content Official Selection and Competition, Founder & CEO of Power to the Pixel and Executive Producer for CreativeXR
Market Juror
Liz is the Curator of Venice Biennale’s Venice VR, Executive Producer of CreativeXR, and CEO of Power to the Pixel. She launched Venice VR in 2017, the first immersive content competition at an A-list festival, and has supported over 60 XR projects through CreativeXR. At Power to the Pixel, she developed 100+ interactive works and pioneered funding models for immersive media.
Previously head of Next Wave Films UK, Liz supported early features like Christopher Nolan’s Following. A BAFTA member and RSA Fellow, she speaks at global events, serves on juries, and advises organizations like Immerse UK and The Space.
Jeanne Marchalot
Director of France TV Story Lab
Market Juror
Director of France TV Story Lab (France Télévisions) Jeanne Marchalot has an extensive background in TV production and post-production, with expertise in media innovation and storytelling. Following her thesis in 2006 on the differences between the language in films and series, she has closely followed technological advancements, particularly in digital media. Since 2020, she has focused on creative projects that blend traditional media with interactive and immersive experiences, investing in new content and generative AI. As Head of France TV Story Lab, Jeanne Marchalot has supported pioneering projects in digital storytelling, such as interactive content, VR, and transmedia narratives. Under her leadership, two StoryLab productions won Lions at La Mostra 80 and 81. Her dedication to innovation has established her as a key figure in France’s media landscape, positioning France Télévisions at the forefront of television’s evolution
TJ Sabo
Founder at SABO+
Market Juror
T.J. Sabo is a visionary at the crossroads of story-telling, technology, and industry innovation. With roots in both art and commerce, Sabo has directed music videos, shot major ad campaigns and has always focussed on short stories as a medium to communicate about anything he desires. On the commerce side he worked in the business affairs legal division of Polygram Entertainment after graduating from UM Law School and then went to become managing director of a global modeling agency where he shaped talent on a global stage and monetized client ideas. Now, as a futurist and advocate for talent rights in an AI-driven world, he’s poised to revolutionize the content business having successfully co-authored his first feature film, is launching a mobile streaming content distribution platform and will soon announce an awards show focussed only on short film and episodic content shot 9x16 for the new mobile world and beyond.
Leigh Tanner
Head of Global Partnerships at VIVE Arts
Best of Fest Juror
Leigh Tanner is Head of Global Partnerships at VIVE Arts, an arts initiative that supports artists and cultural institutions to experiment with new technologies. She previously served as the Deputy Director of Yuz Foundation, Shanghai as well as in the Research and Exhibitions Departments of the Shanghai Project, an interdisciplinary ideas platform launched at the Shanghai Himalayas Museum. She also founded Museum 2050, a platform and annual symposium for exploring the future of museums through the lens of China. She completed her BA in Art History from Stanford University and MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies from Columbia University.
Jan Asmus
Director at MOIN Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein GmbH
Best of Fest Juror
Dr. Jan Asmus has been active in media funding for many years. After working at university, where he completed his doctorate on the topic of media identity construction, he dedicated himself to advising and funding various media formats. He was a funding consultant for innovative formats in the area of XR and games, but also for theatrical movies and series. Today he is CFO and Head of Corporate Development at the MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein and focuses on the strategic planning in the area of innovative media formats.
Leah Hoyer
Founder & CEO of Level Headed Games
Best of Fest Juror
Leah Hoyer is the founder and CEO of Level Headed Games, where she and the team are setting a new bar for cooperative online video games. Prior to her new venture, Ms. Hoyer was GM and Vice President of Creative for Wizards of the Coast’s New IP Studio. She has developed and produced television series, video games, and interactive experiences for some of the world’s most beloved entertainment companies (Disney, Xbox, Telltale Games, Bungie) for over twenty years. She is a recognized expert in interactive storytelling and franchise development across various media. She is passionate about supporting diverse voices in entertainment and working to make everyone feel that gaming is for them.
Denise Mendez
Principal Software Engineer at Microsoft
Best of Tech Juror
Denise Mendez is a Principal Software Engineer at Microsoft, with 25 years of industry experience working with global tech organizations. At Microsoft she specializes in the convergence of Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and immersive technologies. Her engineering background spans the edge of technology, from building Mars prototypes at NASA, manufacturing systems at the edge of the global mobile computing movement at Motorola, bringing spatial computing into existence at Magic Leap. Denise is known for bringing order to chaos, solving complex engineering challenges and optimizing productivity and processes. She is avidly involved in innovation in education in the community, serving as a board member of BASE, South Florida’s STEM ecosystem, where she contributes to the advancement of STEM education.
Medet
Director, producer, and creative director, EDGLRD
Best of Tech Juror
Medet (@medet.pbc) is a prominent Kazakh director, producer, and creative director, renowned for his innovative work in music videos and film. Medet’s distinctive visual style seamlessly blends cutting-edge techniques with raw, culturally-rich narratives, often incorporating AI, capturing the attention of some of the music industry’s most innovative artists, including Kanye West, Chief Keef, Ken Carson, Mike Will Made-It, Rae Sremmurd, and Kali Uchis.
Beyond music, Medet’s visionary work has attracted major brands such as Nike, PgLang, Vans, Converse and Comme des Garçons. Currently part of Harmony Korine’s EDGLRD design collective, he solidifies his position at the intersection of music, fashion, and experimental filmmaking
Marc Aptakin
Founder & CEO of Mad
Best of Tech Juror
Marc Aptakin, Founder and CEO of Mad, is a dynamic leader who launched the creative agency in 2001 with a laptop and a vision. Over 20 years, he has grown Mad into a full-service powerhouse with branches spanning virtual production, design, tech, and arts. Based in a state-of-the-art Dania Beach headquarters, Mad features studios, an art gallery, and the Mad Arts Immersive Museum. Through MadLabs, the team pioneers advanced tech and collaborates on innovative NFT projects, while a nonprofit division promotes local artists and reinvests profits into future creative talent.
Geryel Osorio Godoy
Senior Manager, Collective Impact The Miami Foundation
Market Juror
Geryel serves as the Collective Impact Senior Manager at The Miami Foundation, where she collaborates with nonprofit leaders, educators, and community stakeholders to advance arts education in Miami-Dade County. An immigrant from Colombia and a proud graduate of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Geryel’s multidisciplinary journey fuels her commitment to strengthening communities through data-driven solutions and sustainable impact. She holds dual master’s degrees in Public Health and Urban Planning from Columbia University, alongside degrees from Florida International University and Miami Dade College.