Adjudicators

Peter Koevari is an award-winning screenwriter, director, and producer from Brisbane, Australia. He leads FilmLab Academy and serves as Festival Director of the AFIN International Film Festival, championing emerging talent and independent cinema.

His work spans genre-driven storytelling influenced by Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan, John Woo, and David Fincher. Peter's filmography includes the sci-fi short 3, the web series Diana, the dystopian drama 30, and the cyberpunk film Quantum Ride. He is currently developing the feature adaptation of his horror proof-of-concept Lucky Devil.

Peter believes in creating films that resonate globally through strong planning, quality processes, and compelling storytelling. He has also contributed to the broader creative community as a judge for the New Silk Road fashion competition.

Vicky Wanless is a multi-talented film Producer, Director, and Actor with a passion for storytelling and a strong commitment to Independent cinema. Her award-winning short films such as Ripples, Once Upon a Midnight and Afterglow, have gained recognition for their originality and emotional depth. Vicky has worked professionally on productions such as Australian Survivor, The Mole, Godzilla vs Kong and Boy Swallows Universe to name a few.

As a champion of indie filmmaking, Vicky brings creative vision and hands-on expertise to every project.

She is also the Co-Director of the AFIN International Film Festival, where she supports emerging voices and innovative storytelling from around the world.

With well over a decade of experience crafting intriguing and compelling stories, Stephen Coates is an accomplished screenwriter. He is a screenwriter of choice for producers looking to rewrite, elevate, and take their projects to the next level and he is in strong demand as a story consultant by many directors, producers, and other writers.

After Stephen performed a rewrite on Steven Bolia's feature 'Phoenix', Firefly Films (NZ) came onboard to produce and Indya Moore is attached to star. 'Amnesia' is set to go into production later this year with Shane Abbess directing, Highland Films and Alcyon Entertainment producing.

His latest feature 'Poker Face' was released in 2022, directed by and starring Russell Crowe, alongside Liam Hemsworth, Elsa Pataky and RZA. 'Poker Face' was Stan's best performing film for the year. His 2012 genre bending feature 'John Doe: Vigilante' has developed a cult following and is used in the curriculum and publicly screened and debated in a number of Universities around the globe.

Born in Newcastle Upon Tyne in the North of England, Neil Marshall has been working successfully in both feature films and television since his feature debut 'Dog Soldiers' in 2001. His second feature as both writer and director, 'The Descent' 2005 was an even bigger critical and commercial hit, winning several awards including the BIFA for Best Director, and the Empire award for Best Horror. He followed this success with the post-apocalyptic action movie 'Doomsday' 2008 for Universal and historical adventure 'Centurion' 2010.

In 2012 Neil made his debut in the world of high-end television with 'Game of Thrones' S2 Ep9 'Blackwater', and followed that up with S4 Ep9 'The Watchers on the Wall' for which he received an Emmy Nomination for Best Director. Marshall continued to work in the network, cable and streaming arenas directing projects such as the pilot episodes of 'Black Sails' for Starz, DC's 'Constantine' and 'Timeless' both for NBC, and notable episodes of 'Hannibal' for Showtime and 'Westworld' for HBO. In 2017 Neil developed, produced and directed the Netflix reboot of classic sci-fi series 'Lost in Space', quickly followed by the feature film reboot of 'Hellboy' released in 2018.

In 2020 Marshall made his return to independent film and the horror genre with the multi-award winning witch-hunt saga 'The Reckoning', the opening movie at Fantasia festival in Canada that year. His next movie 'The Lair' was the opening night presentation at Frightfest 2022 in London and also played Sitges in Spain before being released on Shudder in Feb 2023. Marshall switched genres yet again for the violent gangster revenge movie 'Duchess', and most recently directed the erotic giallo thriller 'Compulsion'. He is developing several projects including WW2 alien invasion thriller 'Invaders', tense action thriller 'Dead Stop' and land speed record drama 'Mach One'.

Jadey Duffield is an award-winning English director, screenwriter and producer. She is best known for her eccentric action comedies consisting of Bafta qualifying 10 Minutes For A Pound, Sticky Fingers (starring BAFTA nominee Amit Shah), The Last Dumpling and BFI's Art of Action Quadrilogy. With a robust background in dance, mo-cap and all things action, Jadey has worked on 'Fast & Furious 6', 'The Huntsman: Winter's War', 'Ready Player One', 'The World's End' and 'Guardians of the Galaxy'.

Michael Silberblatt is an American actor who, at age 17, was selected as a National YoungArts Winner in Theater and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts - honored in person by U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House. He is best known for his recurring roles in the internationally popular Yu-Gi-Oh! animated series and has been featured on many dozens of film, commercial, video game, and television productions including Marvel's "Hawkeye" (Disney+), Grosse Pointe Garden Society (NBC), and Tyler Perry's "Young Dylan" (Nickelodeon).

Winner of the 2025 AFIN International Film Festival award for Best Supporting Performance for his role as Lucas in the short film "Devil's Playground", Michael is grateful for the opportunity to participate in the festival's ongoing growth and success and looks forward to celebrating filmmakers around the world! Michael lives in Atlanta, GA, USA and is represented by Formation Talent.

Col Larsen is a seasoned Lighting Cameraman with a creative eye for detail, an ideal work ethic and dedication for quality work. He has an in-depth understanding of old school and modern Cinematography, a collaborative team player who excels in challenging environments. Working on productions such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Chronicles of Narnia, and Rock Island Mysteries to name a few. Col is a true professional with a creative vision.

Col is currently working on the new season of Big Brother Australia and the UK I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.

Before entering acting, Bruce led a life far removed from the limelight. He worked as a crayfisherman like his father and later trained as a physical-education teacher. In his early twenties, he discovered a passion for contemporary dance, a path that led him to a professional dance career spanning several years in both New Zealand and Australia. By the mid-1980s, Hopkins transitioned into acting. Over decades he built a diverse career in theatre, film, television, voice-acting, and radio.

Bruce is perhaps best known for his role as Gamling, a loyal warrior in the armies of Rohan, in the cinematic adaptations of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) directed by Peter Jackson. He worked on popular shows such as Xena Warrior Princess and Hercules, and contributed his voice to the character "Choobo" in Power Rangers Ninja Storm.

Bruce continues to be active both in the arts and in charitable and community endeavours.

Murran Kain is an award-winning performer whose career encompasses film, television, musical theatre, and vocal performances, starting at the age of five. At eleven, she was flown to the US for the opportunity of a lifetime, where she performed and auditioned for leading industry professionals, selected from a competitive pool of young talent across Australia.

Her credits include Nautilus, Ticket to Paradise, and In Absence, where she starred alongside Christopher James Baker, as well as a distinguished appearance as a soloist at the United Nations in New York City. Murran has also lent her voice as a backing vocalist for artists such as Thirsty Merc, Darren Percival, and Christine Anu.

Recently, she wrapped filming on the upcoming US television series Good Cop/Bad Cop, starring Leighton Meester, Luke Cooke, and Clancy Brown.

Jessica is a versatile storyteller whose work blends adventure, imagination and hope. She began her career at age four on the Australian TV series Richmond Hill and has spent over 35 years as an actress, performer and filmmaker across film, television, theatre and music videos. Her passion for better creative education, mental health advocacy and opportunities for artists has led her into public speaking, mentoring, hosting, and launching her podcast ArtArtistBiz.

As CEO of The American Arts Film & Television Academy (AAFTA) and founder of Diversity Entertainment/Diversity Pictures, she champions innovative, inclusive storytelling and supports artists across Australia and the USA. Her producing and directing credits include A Death Perspective, Unsound (winner of Melbourne Queer Festival; Top 10 Australian Films of 2020; now on Netflix), and Enigma. Recent honours include Best Female Director at Cannes Worldwide Film Festival and Best Director at Los Angeles Film Awards for After Roe Falls and Starry Eyed.

Jessica recently joined Rockwell Media Partners and is developing a slate of new projects, including Queens of the Desert, Spiral, Reverie and Alphabetas.

Timothy Clough is a Writer, Director and accomplished Editor from Brisbane, with a range of experience over a number of different genres and platforms.

Upon finishing Film School in 2019, he travelled to South America, where he shot his own self-funded low budget Feature Documentary. Based on the deforestation of the Amazon forest, this film received 3 annual awards and 2 nominations from film festivals worldwide.

Upon his return, Timothy dove headfirst into the art of Post-Production and Writing. He has now collaborated with a number of filmmakers, and has continuously improved his craft. Timothy has a keen eye for detail and is very passionate about the art of storytelling.

Tanya Rich is a Melbourne-based actor whose career spans over two decades across theatre, film, and television. Her foundations in performance and storytelling were shaped early, beginning with intensive studies in Film, TV, and Theatre in the United Kingdom in 2002. Driven by a passion for immersive method performance, Tanya continued her training at the prestigious Lee Strasberg Institute in Los Angeles in 2006.

As a performer, Tanya has appeared in numerous theatre productions, independent short films, and feature films, and was lucky enough to have worked with some of Australia's best talents including Sarah Snook, Shane Jacobson and Pia Miranda. Most recently, Tanya appeared as the lead in the award-winning short film '2020 Vision' which has had great success in the 2025 Australian film festivals.

Her work behind the scenes is equally accomplished. Tanya is an award-winning playwright and director, earning multiple theatre accolades including Best Play, Best Playwright, and Best Director for her original short-form works. Her understanding of stagecraft also extends to technical production, with hands-on experience as a theatre sound and lighting technician and operator.

Tim's performing arts and psychology background combine with his fight training and tactical expertise to uniquely qualify him as a Fight Choreographer and Action/Violence Consultant. Whether it be through weapons or empty-hand combat, he prides himself on listening to, understanding the vision, and taking that to a level of accurate realism through intensive, hands-on training with all involved.

His years of training and experience include national and international VIP protection, trafficked-person recovery, military service, and specialist weapons and hand-to-hand combat training. Aside from his current role as a Tactical Driving Trainer for a government unit, he is Asia Pacific's foremost expert in hand-to-hand combat for the International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF).

Tim is thrilled to combine his passion for the creative arts with his tactical and fighting expertise. He has choreographed and performed locally and internationally on stage and screen, including in short films and commercial campaigns.