Senior Lecturer at American Film Institute, James Hosney holds a BA from Occidental College. At the Westlake School in Los Angeles, Hosney created and taught courses in film, literature and American culture. He’s also been the Director of the Film and Video Program at the Crossroads School in Santa Monica and has published articles on film in The South Atlantic Quarterly and the Los Angeles Times.

Tomas Arana has appeared in more than 40 films ranging from large budget Hollywood Studio pictures to Independent films in both the U.S. and Europe. His studio pictures include Gladiator (2000) (as Quintus), L.A. Confidential (1997) (as Bruening, a rogue cop), The Bodyguard (1992) (as Portman, Costner's antagonist & Whitney Houston's assassin), The Hunt for Red October (1990) (as Loginov, the Russian Saboteur), Tombstone (1993) and First Kid (1996). He played Lazarus in Martin Scorsese's controversial The Last Temptation of Christ (1988).

Martin Landau is an Academy Award winning American film and TV star whose career in acting is as illustrious as they come. Winner of two Golden Globe Awards and Emmy Award, he was nominated for two Oscar Awards for his performances in Coppola’s Tucker: The Man and his Dream (1988) and Woody Allen’s Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), before taking home the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Ed Wood (1994). Martin Landau was the recipient of Leonardo’s Horse Award for Best Actor at MIFF 2005 for his role in John Daly’s The Aryan Couple (2004)

A natural-born scene stealer, this versatile actress made a splash in her native Canada in TV-movies and films, receiving two Genie Awards for Best Actress (Oscar equivalent in Canada). She became a familiar face on U.S. television on Arli$$ as a sports agent's sassy assistant. Oh continued to appear on the big screen, co-starring in Hollywood hits such as Under the Tuscan Sun and the Oscar-nominated film Sideways. In 2007. she landed a star-making role of a sexy and sarcastic doctor on the hit drama Grey's Anatomy , a role that has earned her a Golden Globe and numerous Emmy nominations. Sandra Oh is the recipient of Best Actress at MIFF 2001 for her performance in Michael Radford’s Dancing in the Blue Iguana (2000).

Perhaps best known for his portrayal of underground drug king Rhah in Oliver Stone's Academy Award-winning Platoon (1986), Francesco Quinn is one of the film industry's most versatile young actors. Intent on following in the footsteps of his father, Oscar winner Anthony Quinn, Francesco has made a name for himself, racking up impressive TV and film credits. Some of his recent works include Cut Off (2006) starring Malcolm McDowell, Michael Madsen film Afghan Knights (2007), the television film The Pledge starring Luke Perry, and the Quentin Tarantino produced Hell Ride (2008) starring Michael Madsen and Dennis Hopper.

Lorenzo Soria is the Los Angeles correspondent for the Italian Weekly L’Espresso. He is a former president of The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organization that produces the Golden Globe Awards.

Born in Rome, sociologist, since 2003 member of the David di Donatello’s Jury (Italian Oscar). He started its professional activity, in the 80’s, as copywriter in the advertising business, while writing for Araldo dello Spettacolo, the oldest trade cinema magazine in Italy. He also founded Flying Colours Films, an Italian production and distribution company, producing two feature films (Dangerous Women and Train without smiles), distributed in several key-countries of Europe and Far East. For several years he was the Head of International Relations of ANICA - Italian Film, Audiovisual and Multimedia Industries Association and since 1996, he has transferred his professional experience to MEDIA Desk Italy. Now he’s the Head of the national office of MEDIA Programme, the most important European Union initiative of financial support to audiovisual sector.

Albert Brenner moved to L.A. in the early 1960s and started his career as a production designer. Many of his early films were hard-boiled action features, such as Point Blank (1967) and Bullitt (1968), but he eased into light comedy with Silent Movie (1975), The Goodbye Girl (1977) and other features written by Neil Simon and science-fiction with Capricorn One (1978). He’s also designed the sets for big blockbuster films, such as Pretty Woman (1990), Backdraft (1991) and The Princess Diaries 2 (2004). He has received five Oscar nominations for The Sunshine Boys (1975), The Turning Point (1977), California Suite (1978), 2010 (1984) and Beaches (1988).

A graduate of the University of Southern California Film School, Malek Akkad is a twenty five-year veteran of the entertainment industry. Under his guidance, Trancas International Films, has evolved into a diverse entertainment brand, with activities in film and TV production, distribution, management, music publishing, video games and merchandising. Akkad has produced the last five installments of the successful Halloween franchise. Most recently, Akkad produced the remake of the classic horror film, Halloween, and the sequel, Halloween II. The remake was number one opening weekend, and holds the record for the highest grossing Labor Day opening in history. It has gone on to gross over one hundred million world-wide. He is currently in pre-production oh the next installment, Halloween 3D, to be released in fall, 2011. Akkad is currently developing several features and television series, with partnerships at Dimension Films, Anchor Bay Entertainment, CineTel Films, E1, Image Entertainment, and Cartoon network, to name a few.

A New York University alumnus, Italian and New Yorker, Rico's journey in stage/screen and life has taken him across continents and oceans. However unlike other Italians, who were just trying to elude the FBI (Forever Bothering Italians), his journey was more like Marco Polo's search (for Noodles!). In Hollywood, Rico's has worn the hats of actor, writer, producer, and even theater manager. Stage credits include lead roles in Anna in the Tropics, A Few Good Men, A Thousand Clowns, The Petrified Forest, Glengarry Glen Ross, Heaven Can Wait, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. In TV and Film, Rico has appeared on Days of Our Lives, Grey's Anatomy, Pandemic and can be seen on the big screen in Boilermaker (2008), My Sister's Keeper (2002) and Max Payne (2008).

A seasoned veteran of the Indie film industry as producer, film distributor, writer and actor, Ron Gilbert recently created www.methodactingworkshop.com after his huge success as acting coach in Italy, England and the USA. Ron is also a partner of Roguearts which distributes Giorgio Serafini's film Texas46 . In the last 2 years, Ron Gilbert has been highlighted on various media outlets such as Rai 1,The Golden Graal and in several magazines and newspapers. As an actor, he has performed in many notable films such as Godfather I (1972), Dog Day Afternoon (1975) and The Usual Suspects (1995). Recently, he guest-starred in high-profile series Ugly Betty , Desperate Housewives and Cold Case . He will be producing 3 Italian -USA films in the next year.

Laura Andina is based in Rome where she works as a Director of Development. After working for Cecchi Gori USA and Senator International (now Lionsgate), she collaborated with Sintra and Albatross Entertainment and was also the Production Coordinator for Rizzoli Audiovisivi. She studied at UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television and holds a European Masters Degree in Management of Cinema and Audiovisual.

A writer/poet, she has already published three books. From 1975 to 2004, she worked at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan as a consultant and coordinator of events. Letizia has collaborated with MIFF in five previous editions, lending her expertise in special events, relations with various institutions and fundraising.

Howard Askenase began his career as a Theatrical Talent Agent with the William Morris Agency in New York, transferring out to the West Coast, to the Gersh Agency in Beverly Hills. He then worked at Columbia Pictures, as the Vice President of Talent, with Krost/Chapin Productions, based at the Studio, until he opened up his own management and production company. His many personal actor clients have included Dennis Quaid, Kevin Kline and James Spader. As a consultant to several investor clients, he has produced numerous events in Hollywood and at Sundance Film Festival. In addition, Howard represents the Estates of several of Hollywood's most well-known photographers, including Frank Worth and George Hurrell.

Born in Berlin, Florenz Horstmann started a career in fashion modeling when he was 18, an occupation which allowed him to travel all around the world. After retiring from professional modeling, Florenz took up his real passion – photography. Now living in Los Angeles for almost twenty years, Florenz is a prolific and well-respected photographer who’s worked with many high-profile celebrities and models.

Garron Chang is an award-winning film/tv/commercial composer who has created music for major clients such as Intel, Levi's, BMW, Vans, Taco Bell, Nike, Gatorade, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Budweiser, Sony, Ford, AT&T, Nissan, Pac Bell, Corona, Yamaha, and many others. Garron began playing the guitar at the late age of 16 and only after two years, was accepted into world-renown Peabody Institute for Classical Music at Johns Hopkins University. After moving to Los Angeles, Garron quickly became one of the top young commercial composers, working as a staff composer for Elias Associates and HUM Music & Sound Design, before branching out his own company Soundbath in 2001.

Winner of the first Miff scholarship in filmmaking for which she moved from Milan to Los Angeles, Laura Stabilini has been working for the past few years as freelance producer both in Italy and Usa collaborating with A-level commercial production companies and clients on international campaign; at the same time she applies and nourishes her passion in photography and visual art as leitmotif in her life.