SEPTEMBER 17-23, 2024
#SOHO15 #SIFFNYC
2022 MEMBERS OF THE JURY
RODNEY TO
Actor / Professor
VICTORIA CORDOVA
Writer / Producer l Director l Comedienne
ZENAIDA MENDEZ
Producer / Director
Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) El Barrio Firehouse Community Media
ERNABEL DEMILLO
Broadcaster l Journalism Professor
MARCI PHILLIPS
Executive Director of Casting
ABC TV Network & Disney+
#SOHO13 MEMBERS OF THE JURY - BIOS
MARCI PHILLIPS is the head of the New York office covering the entire East Coast talent pool for ABC Television Network and Disney+. For over twenty years she has cast for ABC and ABC Studio pilots, new series regulars, alternative series, recurring roles and numerous guest star roles. She previously worked as a Casting Assistant for Steven Bochco Productions and MGM Studios, and cast the independent film “Let It Snow”, which was featured at the Sundance Film Festival. She has also co-produced two off-off Broadway plays and is the author of the book “The Present Actor - A Practical and Spiritual Guideline to Help You Enjoy the Ride”.
ZENAIDA MENDEZ - is Director of Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) El Barrio Firehouse Community Media. Zenaida has an intensive career in public service, community activism, television production, and filmmaking. As a social justice activist she is an avid voice for tolerance, has many years of experience working as an advocate for women’s, & LGBTQI+ rights, as well as economic, racial and environmental justice. She first became involved in public access television as a member of Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) board of directors and as an independent television program producer. In 2006, she became MNN’s Director of External Affairs and as such was responsible for leading a successful outcome of the cable television re-franchising process. In 2015, Mendez became Director of MNN’s newest television studio in East Harlem/El Barrio, in New York City and is responsible for strategic and operational management of the Media Center. She also develops dynamic event-based programming initiatives, including developing partnerships with local nonprofits and community groups. She has also Co-produced several short films including: Coffee and a Donut & Clandestiny. Mendez earned a BA in Government and Public Administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a Masters degree in Public Administration from the City University of New York, Graduate School of Public Affairs.
ERNABEL DEMILLO is a veteran and Emmy-award winning New York City broadcaster and journalism educator. For 10 years, she worked as a reporter and anchor on the Emmy-award winning FOX morning news show, “Good Day New York.” Before coming to New York, she was a reporter for the Orange County News channel and the CBS-affiliate in Sacramento. She currently hosts and reports for CUNY-TV’s 7-time Emmy-nominated program “Asian American Life” http://www.cuny.tv/show/asianamericanlife, a magazine-style show focusing on the tri-state’s Asian American community. She is an award-winning journalist, cited by the Governor of New York for her service and contributions to the Asian American Community and was honored with a Folio Award for Best Environmental Reporting. She also made Buzzfeed’s list of 34 Epic Filipinos in the United States. Along, with her work as a journalist, Ernabel managed to find success in a second career. She is a tenured Journalism professor at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, N.J. and is faculty chair of the Department of Communication and Media Culture. Ernabel is active in the Asian American community. She has served on the boards of several organizations including: Vice President of Broadcast for AAJA, board member for Apex for Youth, an AAPI mentoring organization and board member for the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF). She currently serves on the board of Advancement for Rural Kids (ARK), a non-profit helping build schools and empowering communities in developing countries. Ernabel grew up in San Francisco and now calls herself a Jersey girl. She lives on the Jersey Shore with her husband, John Muller, an anchor for PIX11News and their 17-year-old daughter, and rescue dog, Stella. Follower her on Twitter @ErnabelD
DARYN SIMONS is a Producer, Talent Manager, Digital Strategist, Entrepreneur and past President of the Talent Managers Association. Daryn won The Heller Award for Talent Manager of the Year in 2015 and has produced the past three Heller Awards with Sharon Stone, Joan Rivers, Betty White and William Shatner. Prior to working in Management, she worked in development and production at Paramount Studios, Sony and Fox. Daryn recently produced Nelson Bixby Takes On The Whole Wide World for Disney, Locating Silver Lake with Finn Wittrock & Josh Peck and The Debt Collector, with Tony Todd, Louis Mandylor & Scott Adkins for Sony/Netflix. Daryn has also had the opportunity to cast features and a digital project and is prepping for the upcoming FnD Podcast. CEG is currently developing a major slate of film, television and digital projects. TMA MANAGER OF THE YEAR 2015
VICTORIA CORDOVA is an international award-winning writer, producer, director, and comedienne. She is known for Semi-Pro with Will Ferrell, What Just Happened with Robert De Niro, Encounters, and Moo Moo & The Three Witches. Her films have screened at Cannes, Sundance, and many other venues. Currently in development on multiple projects she is writing & producing with multiple deals working with an Oscar nominated actress and a two time Grammy singer/actress. Recently, sold her script to a film company whose last film was distributed by Lionsgate. Victoria received her Masters in Film & Television from Loyola Marymount University in LA. She is a member of the Producers Guild, WGA, Producers Guild’s International Committee, & Producers Without Borders.
RODNEY TO is an actor, professor and multi-hyphenate originally from Chicago, IL. As an actor, Rodney currently co-stars in Universal/Amblin’s feature film Easter Sunday starring Jo Koy as well as the upcoming Netflix action series The Brothers Sun, starring Michelle Yeoh. Rodney is best known for playing the role of ‘Typhoon’ on NBC’s Parks and Recreation. He has recurred on NBC’s Good Girls, HBO’s Barry, FOX’s Rosewood, all four seasons of Wilfred on FX. Select TV/Film credits include The Conners, The Shrink Next Door, Nocturne, You’re the Worst, The Goldbergs, Modern Family, New Girl, Magnum P.I., and NCIS. He has worked with theaters across the country including Victory Gardens, Steppenwolf, Ojai Playwrights Conference, La Jolla Playhouse, Northlight, Mark Taper, South Coast Rep, Hartford Stage, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, East West Players and Ma-Yi among others. Awards include an LA Ovation Award Nomination for EDITH CAN SHOOT THINGS AND HIT THEM with Artists at Play, Chicago’s Jeff Award Nomination for THE ROMANCE OF MAGNO RUBIO and winner of the NY International Fringe Festival for the show he co-penned, SIDES…THE FEAR IS REAL. Rodney is a professor at USC in the School of Dramatic Arts and was awarded the Bill White Faculty Recognition Award. Rodney also currently serves as the Associate Artistic Director of IAMA Theatre, an award-winning theatre in Los Angeles committed to creating new work and plays. Rodney was inducted into Chicago's Filipino-American Hall of Fame for his work.
FABIO GOLOMBEK is a veteran producer and director with over 30 years experience in the entertainment industry. As president of F.J.Productions, Inc. since 2002, he has created and supervised a number of shows including: The Hollywood News Report (HBO), 5 Looks (Discovery), TNT Buzz (TNT), Hollywood News 3D (SKY-Italy, Orange-France), APH and Sonywood News (Sony), Hollywood Uncut (Syndicated), Planeta Brasil (Globo TV), Less is More (Discovery) and many more. His films have participated and received awards in most major film and TV festivals: A Dangerous Place (2020), In Vino (2019), Saving Flora (2018), In Vino (2019), Abe (2018), Experimenter (2015), Breaking Through (2016), Like Sunday Like Rain (2014) to name a few. Fabio Golombek started his career as an assistant director at Bandeirantes TV Network in Brazil. He moved on to direct several documentaries including "The Making of Kiss of Spider Woman" (Babenco’s Academy Award winning film), "Morocco, A New Africa" and "80 Years of Japanese Immigration" (Winner of The Japan Foundation Award) among others. Fabio is a member of the PGA, NALIP and IDA.
DAVID JOHN CHUA is a Chinese-German actor, director, and producer based in Manila, Philippines. From his formative years as a commercial model, the 33-year-old achiever started his showbiz career as part of ABS-CBN’s stable of budding talents. With over 30 TV shows and movie projects to his name, including some of the top-rating primetime shows such as Imortal, My Binondo Girl, My Only Hope, Aryana, Dyesebel, Somebody To Love and Love Thy Woman, David bagged Best Supporting Actor award in the 2013 Cinema One Originals Digital Film Festival for his performance in Saturday Night Chills. As a director, he soon earned his laurels as one of the key players behind the success of Rated Korina, the multi-awarded lifestyle/magazine show of respected broadcaster/TV host Korina Sanchez. David established his own production house, Dark Carnival Productions, which specialized in horror flicks, which also soon amassed its extensive roster of top tier/multi-brand advertising clientele. David garnered critical acclaim for his groundbreaking, out-of-the-box portrayal in GMA-7's drama series, Mano Po Legacy: The Family Fortune, a TV adaptation of Regal Films’ long-running movie franchise which tackles the complex family dynamics of the Fil-Chinese. David is producer and lead actor for the drama series Good Will, set to air 1st qtr 2023 via Net 25. Despite his hectic showbiz schedule, David never fails to share his blessings via animal advocacy projects and outreach programs targeted at Manila’s destitute kids. A proud citizen of the city of Manila, he also plans to jumpstart the preservation of the city’s renowned cultural heritage sites and historic districts.
DARYN SIMONS
Producer / Talent Agent
Cohesive Entertainment Group
DAVID JOHN CHUA
Actor / Director / Producer
FABIO GOLOMBEK
Producer l Director
F.J.Productions, Inc