*in alphabetical order
FRANCESCA ACCINELLI
Director, Promotion and Communications at Telefilm Canada
LinkedIn | Company Website
Francesca Accinelli joined Telefilm in 2006 as Deputy Director, English Market for the Canadian Television Fund (now known as the Canada Media Fund), and was subsequently appointed director of the unit in 2008. Prior to joining Telefilm, Accinelli worked as a cultural administrator and theatre producer before moving on to television production, where she worked on big-budget TV series and TV movies produced by Alliance Atlantis and other production companies.
ILAN ARBOLEDA
Co-Founder of CreativeChaos vmg and Producer of Dean Martin: King of Cool
LinkedIn | IMDb
Ilan Arboleda is the producer and co-founder of CreativeChaos vmg. His latest film, At the company, he has been the primary producer on the award-winning films, Casting By (HBO, Netflix), Thank You for Your Service (GATHR, Hulu, Amazon), Bleed Out (HBO), and Davi’s Way. In addition, Ilan was also a producer on the breakout hit film, Kedi, one of the highest grossing foreign language documentaries of all time.
ENRICO BALLARIN
Director of Mestiere Cinema and Line Producer of Cyrano
IMDb
After working for many years in theatre production, Enrico Ballarin moved into the film & TV business working for many international productions as Location Manager, Production Manager, and then as Line Producer for feature films, TV movies, and advertising. He joined Mestiere Cinema, one of the leading Italian production service companies for foreign film and TV series productions, becoming one of the directors of the company.
ALAN BARILLARO
Director, animator, and writer
IMDb
Nicolas Alan Barillaro is a Canadian director, animator, and writer best known for his work on the animated short film “Piper”, which earned him widespread acclaim and an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. Barillaro is an extraordinary animator that has worked at some of Disney and Pixar’s most famous and beloved films; among them, “Soul”, “Incredibles 2, “Monsters University”, “Brave”, “WALL·E”, “The Incredibles”, “ Finding Nemo”, “Monsters, Inc.”, “A Bug’s Life”, and many others.
PAUL BERRY
Executive Producer of Dean Martin:King of Cool
Paul Barry has served as a senior corporate executive for a number of Fortune 500 companies with responsibility for capital raising and M&A has been involved in numerous media and entertainment transactions including for ViacomCBS. Paul turned his attention to filmmaking as an executive producer in feature films (BIG STONE GAP, a 2014 romantic comedy written and directed by Adriana Trigiani and starring Ashley Judd, Patrick Wilson, Jenna Elfman, and Whoopi Goldberg; ALBATROSS, a dark comedy currently in preproduction, written and directed by Grayson Moore and produced by MacLaren Productions Inc.) and various documentary films. He received his MBA from Harvard University and is currently based in New York City.
ANDREA BISCARO
Producer of Across the River and Into the Trees
Andrea Biscaro is the Co-Founder and Producer at Bmovie Italia and Borotalco TV, where he has worked on more than 200+ projects. His work includes successful films, TV shows, documentaries, and music videos produced and distributed in almost 30 different countries.
Throughout his 20+ years of career, Biscaro has worked with international filmmakers and studios to produce content distributed globally. His recent filmography, of both films and TV series, includes: “Across the River and Into the Trees”, “Niente di serio”, “Hagane no renkinjutsushi”, “The Girl from Nagasaki”, “War Games”, “Africanus”, “El Coraçon de l’impero”, among many others.
BOB CANAGLIA
Director of Sales Operations, Blackmagic Design
LinkedIn | Company Website
He began working in the film and television industry in 1985 as a part-time camera operator and editor on industrial videos. Bob finished school at night while working full time as a commercial producer/director at a local CBS affiliate. Eventually, Bob found himself in L.A. as an editor for The Disney Channel and 525 Post Production, later working on music videos for Prince, Madonna and Michael Jackson. Bob also helped Gore Verbinski with his director demo reel, telling him that he would be a feature film director someday. Leveraging his real-world industry experience, Bob made the transition to working with a variety of production and post production manufacturers, including Panasonic, Quantel, Snell, DaVinci Systems and Blackmagic Design.
CRISTIANO DE FLORENTIIS
Co-Founder and Artistic Director, ICFF
LinkedIn | Company Website
Cristiano de Florentiis is the Founder and Artistic Director of the ICFF. The film festival inaugurated in 2012 spans across 9 Canadian cities and has become one of the most influential showcases for contemporary cinema in North America. Along with his passion for cinema, de Florentiis has always cultivated his love for television and journalism. Since 1997 he has been working for the Italian state television RAI, providing weekly news coverage from Canada for different programs.
DERRICK DE KERCKHOVE
Sociologist and Mass Media Expert
LinkedIn
He is one of most world-renowned scholars in the realms of Media Studies. He worked with the philosopher Marshall McLuhan for over ten years as assistant, and co-author and is considered his most representative successor. Derrick from Toronto moved to Italy in 2007, where he now teaches “Sociology of digital culture ” and “Marketing and new media” in the Faculty of Sociology at the University Federico II in Naples. Derrick’s books, articles, data gathering, design developments, work with students, organization of conferences, art exhibitions and research proposals carried out with the support of international multidisciplinary groups open new and exciting perspectives to the understanding of our society and our times.
DAVID DEXTER
Director, SIRT- Screen Industries Research and Training Centre at Sheridan College
LinkedIn | Company Website
As Director of SIRT, David Dexter, is responsible for creating a leading innovation player and a SmartStage for the film, television, interactive and gaming industry in Canada. Dexter has advanced the centre’s Virtual and Augmented Reality innovation capabilities, as well as developed Canada’s first Intelligent Digital Human Cluster. With over twenty-five years of experience, Dexter has worked at multiple innovative and cutting-edge companies in the mobile (Nokia), technology (IBM) and music industries.
TOM DONAHUE
Co-Founder of CreativeChaos vmg and Director of Dean Martin: King of Cool
IMDb
Tom Donahue is an American film director and producer of narrative and documentary features, and co-founder of CreativeChaos vmg, a production company located in New York City. Amongst his most famous work: This Changes Everything; Thank You For Your Service; Casting By; Guest of Cindy Sherman; and his latest work, Dean Martin: King of Cool.
FRANK FALCONE
President & Executive Creative Director, Guru Studio
LinkedIn | Company Website
Frank Falcone has been bringing film and television projects to life as an animator, director and executive producer for over 25 years. Under his creative vision, Guru Studio has become a leader in character-driven storytelling and high-quality animated entertainment for kids and families around the world. Guru’s roster of hit shows include: True and the Rainbow Kingdom, Justin Time, Abby Hatcher, Ever After High and the global preschool smash-hit PAW Patrol. Frank also served as an Executive Producer on the Academy Award nominated film, The Breadwinner, where, under his watchful eye, Guru’s team contributed visual development which brought the rich ‘story world’ sequences to life.
GEORGE GALLO
Director, Producer
IMDb
George Gallo is an award-winning American screenwriter, producer, and director. His first screenplay was the Brian De Palma-directed “Wise Guys” (1986). He went on to write the Golden Globe-nominated “Midnight Run” (1988), which starred Robert De Niro and the late Charles Grodin. Gallo went on to direct the acclaimed “29th Street” (1991), develop the story for Michael Bay’s Bad Boys, and maintain a decades-long career behind the camera. He teamed with Robert De Niro in “The Comeback Trail”, and has just finished directing his latest film, “Muti”, starring Morgan Freeman, and filmed in Rome.
PAUL GOLINI
Producer/ Chairman, ICFF
LinkedIn | Company Website
He is the Chairman of ICFF and he is well versed in the film industry. He has spent several years investing and producing films, and has also has had a significant career in real estate as the co-founder and Executive Vice President of Empire Communities. The multi-talented Paul Golini has also been the executive producer of a few major productions; Meadowland (2015), directed by Reed Morano, starring Olivia Wilde and Luke Wilson; Acquainted (2018), directed by Natty Zavitz, starring Giacomo Gianniotti, and Laysla De Olivera; and The Cuban (2019), directed by Sergio Navaretta, starring Louis Gosset Jr., and Ana Golja.
EZIO GREGGIO
Producer, Director, President of Monte-Carlo Film Festival “de la Comédie”
IMDb | Company Website
Ezio Greggio is an actor, screenwriter, director, and producer with over 30 years of experience in the film industry. Following his extraordinary success as a comedy actor and TV personality, in 2001 Greggio became the Director of the Monte-Carlo Film Festival “de la Comédie”, the only film festival in the world dedicated to comedy films. Throughout his career, Greggio has won countless awards for his work as a writer, director, actor, and producer of films such, as Silence of the Hams, The Good Bad Guy, Dracula: Dead and Loving It by Mel Brooks, 2001 – A Space Travesty by Allan Goldstein, amongst many others
VINCENZO GUZZO
CEO, Cinémas Guzzo
LinkedIn | Company Website
Vincenzo Guzzo is an entertainment mogul and TV personality who has disrupted the movie landscape by living and breathing ‘the Canadian dream. Guzzo is the president and CEO of Cinémas Guzzo, the largest independent operator in Quebec and the third largest movie exhibitor in Canada. Guzzo also expanded his operations, becoming a restaurateurand pivoting into the retail food space with Good Pantry, Giulietta @ Home, and Mr. Sunshine popcorn and chocolates.
NICK IANNELLI
Senior Vice President, Take 5 Productions
LinkedIn | IMDb | Company Website
With over thirty years experience, Nick Iannelli is a respected executive of the Toronto & international screen-based industries, and the Senior Vice President of Take 5 Productions, where he heads up all the post production and visual effects departments. Prior to joining Take 5 Productions, Iannelli was Senior VP at Deluxe Toronto, where he was responsible for the team which delivered Guillermo del Toro’s Academy Award-winning film Shape of Water and Pans Labyrinth, every SAW film installment from SAW 2 onwards, and Paul W.S. Anderson’s Resident Evil films.
ANDREA IERVOLINO
Animation and Film Producer
IMDb | Company Website
Iervolino is an Italian-Canadian producer who, since the age of 16, has produced, financed, and distributed over 60 films and has won several international awards and recognitions. In 2013, Iervolino co-launched AMBI Media Group that, since then, has been producing several award-winning films. He also produces animation with his company Iervolino Studios, amongst them the latest work, Puffin, a cartoon voiced by Johnny Depp. Iervolino was awarded Best Producer at the 71st edition of the Venice Film Festival and was named filmmaker of the year for his role as producer of In Dubious Battle at the Capri Hollywood Film Festival 2016.
SPENCER IDENOUYE
Virtual Production Lead, Screen Industries Research and Training Centre (SIRT)
LinkedIn | Company Website
Spencer Idenouye is the Virtual Production Lead at SIRT. As part of a collaborative team, Spencer is creating an integrated virtual production studio for training, applied research and commercial services. He provides leadership and expertise in applied research and technical research for the movie, television and gaming industries, and is focused on the application of VR technologies. Spencer’s education is extensive: A Masters in 3D animation, a BFA in Media Arts & Digital Technologies and two post-graduate diplomas in Directing and Editing in Advanced Television and Film and Computer Animation Digital Visual Effects. His expertise includes directing, editing, VFX artistry, cinematography, digital content production and motion capture.
VERONICA MANSON
Director, Istituto Italiano di Cultura Toronto
LinkedIn | Company Website
She has dedicate most of her career to the promotion of Italian culture and language around the world. After completing her law degree, she started as a junior lawyer with the Studio Legale Monti & Partners in Milan. After moving to San Francisco in 1991, she was appointed Director of International Projects with the National Center for Employee Ownership Foundation. In 1999 she started to work for the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in San Francisco as Project and Cultural Events Coordinator. In 2007, she was confirmed Cultural Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome and, since 2012, she has been directing the Istituto Italiano di Cultura first in Singapore, then Strasbourg, and now Toronto.
DEANA MARTIN
Executive Producer, Singer, Actress
IMDb | Website
Deana Martin is an influential American singer, actor and performer and the very proud daughter of iconic entertainer, Dean Martin. Deana achieved success early in her career in films, theatre and television, then quickly added to her repertoire – recording artist, best-selling author, nationally syndicated radio host, licensed pilot, and entrepreneur. As an internationally acclaimed entertainer, hit recording artist and an in-demand performer, playing to sold-out audiences worldwide, Deana Martin has become an instantly recognizable voice and figure in the pantheon of The Great American Songbook.
PETER NALLI
ILBE’s Head of Animation and Visual Effects
IMDb | LinkedIn | Website
Peter Nalli has worked on over 20 international feature films as a Visual Effects Supervisor including, Black Butterfly starring Antonio Banderas, In Dubious Battle starring James Franco, and Academy Award Winner, Robert Duvall and Finding Steve McQueen, directed by Mark Steven Johnson (Ghost Rider). Peter has also written and directed numerous episodes of the wildly successful animated spin-off series, Arctic Friends and Puffins starring Johnny Depp. He was also instrumental in the ideation and visual development of its predecessor the animated feature film, Arctic Dogs. Peter Nalli has spearheaded the creation and implementation of studios and productions internationally in Canada, Rome, Serbia, Bahrain, Mumbai, and Singapore.
VINCENZO NISCO
Art Director, Rainbow
LinkedIn | IMDb | Company Website
He began his career as a comic strip artist working or the most popular European publishers. In the ’90, he moved to Australia at the Disney Animation Studios to work on movies such as, Peter Pan 2, Tarzan 2, Lilo & Stitch 2, The Lion King 3, Brother Bear 2, The Three Musketeers, among others. From 2007 he has joined Rainbow as the Art Director for the CGI part for films and series. Amongst his achievements, Nisco is nominated for the David di Donatello Award for the visual effects of the Winx film “The Secret of The Lost Kingdom”, becoming permanent member of the Italian Movie Academy.
MARCO SALADINI
Trade Commissioner at Italian Trade Agency – Ice-Agenzia
LinkedIn | Company Website
Marco Saladini manages the Toronto and Montréal offices of the Italian Trade Agency, tasked with developing trade and investment relations between Canada and Italy in a wide range of industries, ranging from industrial machinery to food and wine. Marco has extensive overseas experience and holds a Master’s degree in Political Sciences and a Certificate in Emerging Markets.
DON SHAW
Senior Director of Cinema Sales, Christie Digital
LinkedIn | Company Website
Don Shaw works for Christie Digital®, the world’s leading manufacturer of digital cinema projectors, as Senior Director of Cinema Sales. Don earned a PhD in Computer Engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada and has published numerous technical papers in fields of electronics and semi-conductor technology. Past employment incudes several years in the semi-conductor industry, where he was a Video ASIC Architect and in Product Management for Gennum’s VXP line of ultra-high-end image processing chips.
ALAN VELE
CEO, Founder and Producer, AL-ONE
LinkedIn | IMDb | Company Website
Alan Vele began his career working for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. In 2011 he founded Al One Srl, a production company that was established by positioning itself in the international market of audiovisual content for many noteworthy brands including Fox International Channels USA, National Geographic, Nike and A + E Networks, among others. In the TV landscape, Vele has won several international awards, including the silver medal at the Young Director Award in Cannes, the gold medal at the New York Film and Television Festival and the gold medal at the Los Angeles Promax. As executive film producer, he made several acclaimed films and documentaries, and produced the first animated feature film by Al One Srl, Trash.
TONY TARANTINI
Professor of the Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design, Sheridan College
Company Website
Tony Tarantini has been teaching at Sheridan College since the year 2000 and is currently the third year Layout and Art Direction teacher, Student Advisor, and Mentor to four production teams. Tarantini is a veteran of the animation industry with more than 20 years of creative and management experience. He has contributed to features and animated TV series such as Magi-Nation, Redwall, Timothy , Ewoks, Beetlejuice, American Tail, Dog City, Rupert, Tales From The Cryptkeeper, Eek the Cat, Neverending Story, Blazing Dragons, Sam and Max, Ace Ventura, Pippi Longstocking, Care Bears , Little Bear, Babar, George shrinks, The Magic School Bus, Franklin, as well as the award winning short film, Tomboy.
SARA TIMLICK
Director of Sales Distribution & Development, Elevation Pictures
LinkedIn | Company Website
Sarah Timlick has been in the film business for over a decade. She is currently the head of sales, Director of Distribution & Development for Elevation Pictures. Elevation is one of the largest independent distribution companies in Canada, with titles such as The Imitation Game the 2014 TIFF People’s Choice Award and Academy Award for Best Screenplay, ROOM the 2015 TIFF People’s Choice Award and Academy Award for Best Actress, Moonlight 2017 Academy Award Best Picture and most recently this summer, Paw Patrol: The Movie now the highest grossing Cancon film of 2021.
MARIA GIUSEPPINA TROCCOLI
Head of Film and Audiovisual Department, DG Cinema and Audiovisual, MiBACT
Company Website
Maria Giuseppina Troccoli has been heading the Cinema and Audiovisual Department of the Italian Ministry of Culture for fourteen years. Recently, she has carried out all the activities related to the implementation of the new state aid supports. She is member of the evaluation committee of all the existing bilateral co-development funds, she is the Italian representative in the IBERMEDIA Board, and she has led many international delegations abroad. In the framework of her international activities, Maria Giuseppina Troccoli deals with her foreign counterparts for the purpose of creating and renewing coproduction agreements.
