Meet Our Juries 2024
FEATURED NARRATIVE JURY
Wendell Franklin
Wendell joined the Penn State Acting Faculty after several years working as a professional actor in New York and regionally. He still works professionally, as time permits, and regularly brings fresh professional and practical approaches to the craft back to his students. His teaching is intensely aimed at inspiring and encouraging his students to find their unique and authentic creative voices. He has worked in several theatres and venues across the Country, including at Sundance Theatre Institute, The Culture Project, The Billie Holiday Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Huntington Theatre Company, Cleveland Playhouse, Arkansas Rep., and Illinois Shakespeare Festival.
Jarvis George
Hailing from Virginia Beach, and a proud alumnus of Howard University, Jarvis’ career began in 1999, starring in NBC’s Homicide Life on the Streets: The Movie, opposite Andre Braugher and Kyle Secor. Before the dust had settled, he starred on two of HBO’s iconic shows, The Wire and The Corner, both created by David Simon. He then left to receive his MFA in Acting from Penn State University, where he simultaneously reprised his role from The Wire and starred on CBS’ Hack opposite David Morse. Jarvis then made the journey west to Los Angeles, where he hit the ground running landing starring roles in NCIS, Criminal Minds, The Shield, Stargate SG-1 and Lakeshore’s Gamer opposite Gerard Butler. Most recently, Jarvis has been seen on NCIS opposite Wilmer Valderrama and Gary Cole, FX’s Dave opposite Lil’ Dicky, Station 19, The Bold and The Beautiful and Peacock’s A.P. Bio. Jarvis’ stage work includes Romeo & Juliet, Sam Shepard’s Fool For Love and his one-person show, Born To A Time Of Fire: The Men Of August Wilson. Also a writer and producer, Jarvis is working with his brother, Jason George, on creating and shepherding socially relevant, crowd-pleasing entertainment of all genres that speak to the human condition while focusing on diversity and inclusion.
Tracie Thomas
Judith Roberts
Judith Roberts (November 30, 1934) is an American actress, who performed in various stage productions and appeared in film and television. She starred in the horror film Eraserhead (1977) by David Lynch and in later age played the main antagonist Mary Shaw in James Wan’s supernatural horror film, Dead Silence(2007). She also starred in films Fred Won’t Move Out (2012), You Were Never Really Here (2017) and The Last Thing Mary Saw (2021). Roberts also played Erica Taslitz, one of “The Golden Girls”, in the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black in 2014.
Bea Rocha, Student Juror
My name is Beatriz, though I’m most commonly known as Bea, and I am an advertising major at Penn State. I was born in Brazil, and I immigrated to the United State when I was very young. I’ve lived in Florida for the past ten years, where I discovered my love for creating different forms of media. I have always been passionate about creativity, which comes from years of involvement in musical theatre and dance. I discovered my love for film and media in my sophomore year of high school, but only began pursuing it a year later when I decided to start taking media studies classes. I decided to come to Penn State because I discovered how many incredible opportunities the College of Communications has to offer, and I am so glad I made that choice. Now I am an intern at the Centre Film Festival and I’m excited to gain experience!
Narrative Shorts
Arno Michaelis
Arno was a leader of a worldwide racist skinhead group and a lead singer of the hate-metal band Centurion, which is still popular with hate groups today. Single parenthood, love for his daughter, and the forgiveness shown by people he once hated all helped to turn Arno’s life around.
Herb Newsome
Herb Newsome is an actor, writer, director, designer and all around artist born and raised in New York City and currently resides in Los Angeles. As an actor his selected theater credits include The First Deep Breath and Paradise Blue (Geffen Playhouse) A Raisin in the Sun (Fresno City Theater), A Fox on the Fairway, Fences, and Twelfth Night (Lyric Repertory Company) Macbeth and Richard III (Colorado Shakespeare Festival) , Revenge of a King (National Arts Festival-South Africa) , Take Me Out (Foothills Theater) , 911: A Day in the Life of a People and The Meeting (LAF Rep) , News To Me and Riding the Turnpike (Hartbeat Ensemble) Re:Definition (HHTF), No Place To Be Somebody (Penn Stage Center Stage) and six August Wilson plays- Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Kuntu Rep), Fences, The Piano Lesson, and Radio Golf (Penn State Centerstage) King Hedley II (A Noise Within) and Jitney (Elmwood Playhouse). He has been a part of many theater festivals across the country including, the New York International Fringe Festival, The Philadelphia Fringe Festival, The National Black Theater Festival (Winston-Salem, N.C.), and around the world at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa. His Film credits include The Brother from Another Planet, Untamed, American Exit, Sweet Nothings, Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy and Abandoned.
Mahnoor Euceph
Mahnoor Euceph is a writer and director from Los Angeles. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from UCLA, with a major in Design | Media Arts and a minor in Film, TV, and Digital Media, and received her Master’s of Fine Arts from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts in Film and Television Production. Her debut, a short film called Eid Mubarak, was predicted by Variety to be nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 96th Academy Awards, and went on to be longlisted for the honor as one of 187 films worldwide. In 2024, Mahnoor was selected for Proof of Concept, an accelerator program by Cate Blanchett, Coco Francini, and Dr. Stacy L. Smith, by a committee that included Greta Gerwig, Lilly Wachowski, Chloé Zhao, Emma Corrin, Eva Longoria, Jane Campion, Janicza Bravo, and Lily Gladstone. She was also selected for the prestigious Pillars Artist Fellowship by Pillars in partnership with Riz Ahmed and Left Handed Films. Mahnoor is interested in exploring entertaining stories about the South Asian diaspora through the female gaze, stories that seek to decolonize minds, encourage radical self-love, and make you laugh. She is currently in development on her feature Brown Girl. Read more about Eid Mubarak in Character Media, Variety, and Deadline. Read more about Proof of Concept in Variety and Netflix. Read more about the Pillars Artist Fellowship at Netflix.
Jaime Jacobs
Jaime Jacobs, born and raised in NYC began her career with Amerifilm Casting in 1997, where she worked on print, commercials, and helped with the extras casting for Sylvester Stallone’s film Copland. She then worked as an assistant at DGRW Talent Agency for two years before working on independent films as an Extras Casting Director. Some films she worked on include On the QT with James Earl Jones and Dummy with Adrien Brody. In 2000, she began working at Silver Massetti and Szatmary Talent Agency, at the front desk, then moved up to assistant within the year. After Monty Silver’s retirement, Silver, Massetti & Szatmary became Leading Artists. She left in 2005 to start a family and returned 10 years later. When Leading Artists closed their doors due to Covid, she worked as a manager at Unified Management for two years. Her path ultimately led her to reconnect with Donna Massetti of SMS Talent, where she is currently a Talent Agent.
Carly Hughes
Carly Hughes is best known for years of work on Broadway, and for creating the role of Angela the ABC comedy “American Housewife” and Etta Mae on Netflix’s “Insatiable”. She starred in the Lifetime Holiday movie “The Christmas Edition” and released her first EP of holiday classics titled ‘Mistletoe & Carly’, following the movie. Other TV credits include : CW’s “Dynasty”, HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, Netflix’s “Malibu Rescue: The Next Wave.”, “General Hospital”. Her animated voice over credits include: Disney Jr.’s “Super Kitties”, Nickelodeon’s “Baby Shark” & “It’s Pony”. Carly is a 2003 recipient of the prestigious Princess Grace Award for Acting and Excellence in the Arts. She has starred in and been featured in eight Broadway shows. Most recently as Velma Kelly in “Chicago,” the Leading Player in “Pippin” and originated Lucille/Shirley of the Shirelles in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.” She appeared on “The 2014 Tony® Awards,” “The Today Show” and “The View” to perform her song “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” helping to win the 2015 GRAMMY® for Best Musical Theater Album. Her other Broadway credits include “The Book of Mormon,” “Ghost: The Musical,” “Ragtime,” “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Hughes has starred at many regional theaters across the country, and you can hear her singing in most of the songs in “Lucky Stiff,” the Ahrens & Flaherty movie musical.
Diane Akpovwa, Student Juror
I am a 3rd year majoring in Human-Centered Design and Development, with a minor in Art History and pursuing a certificate in Museum Studies so I can apply my technical skills towards revolutionizing the art-viewing and entertainment industries through the use of Virtual Reality technologies.
Doc Features
Rafael Balulu
Rafael Balulu is a filmmaker. In 2020, Balulu co-founded BFILMS and currently serves as the chairman of the Israeli Film, Television, and New Media section of the Lottery Cultural and Art Committee in Israel. He has also served as a board member of the Israeli Documentary Filmmakers Forum and is a member of the Israeli Academy of Film and Television. Balulu directed and produced award-winning films such as A Song of Loves – R. David Buzaglo, Levantine – The Story of Jacqueline Kahanoff, and The Last Righteous Man, Death in Umm Al-Hiran and Tapes of Revolution. He participated in the Berlinale Talent Campus in 2008, 2011, and 2012, as well as the TIFF Talent Lab. His films have earned international awards, including the Berlin Today Award at the 62nd Berlinale, NYC Shorts, RBC TIFF Talent Lab, Docaviv, and the Jerusalem International Film Festivals, among others. Balulu is a graduate of the Sam Spiegel Film School. He is a former fellow at the Frankel Institute at Michigan University, and he teaches film studies at the Technion’s Department of Architecture. He lives in Jaffa.
Princess Hairston
Creative director, producer, cinematographer, and Emmy-nominated editor based in New York City. Princess was selected as one of 25 filmmaker nominees for the 2020 Lynn Shelton Of A Certain Age grant. She has produced, directed and edited documentary films and impactful campaigns.
Billy Luther
Director/producer of the award-winning documentary “Miss Navajo”, which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and aired nationally on PBS’ Independent Lens that same year. His second documentary feature, “Grab”, premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and aired nationally on Public Television.
Ezra Winton
Ezra Winton is a film curator, writer and teacher. He is an Assistant Professor in Journalism, Media and Communication at the American University in Bulgaria. He writes about and does research on the intersection of ethics, politics, ecology, justice and media – especially documentary. For the last few years he has focused on documentary film and film festivals and has several publications on these topics. Ezra co-founded Cinema Politica, an international documentary screening network and distributor, in 2003 with Svetla Turnin. He is a contributing editor at POV Magazine and a former carpenter who worked on the original X-Files building UFOs. He grew up in K’ó’moks territory on Vancouver Island and lives in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Ken Kitch
Ken Kitch is Executive Producer at Johannes Leonardo where he oversees all things production on the Kraft Heinz, Sprite, and Suntory accounts. Over the past 20 years he’s produced content for many top brands such as HBO, Target, Chevy, Verizon and has collaborated with several Oscar winning directors and DPs. Ken is an award winning screenwriter and photography enthusiast.
Doc Shorts
KC O’Day
KC is a cat mom, star gazer, and entertainer who wakes up central PA with a morning radio show on Waly 100 in Altoona, and is also the host of lifestyle show FOX 8 News Now. She attended American University, has had a few grand adventures, and lives in the country where she frequently contemplates life, the universe and everything.
Judith Helfand
Judith Helfand is best known for her openhearted, artfully self-deprecating and radically transparent approach to non-fiction storytelling. From her Peabody award-winning A HEALTHY BABY GIRL (1997/POV, Sundance), to its “toxic comedy” of a sequel, the Sundance award-winning BLUE VINYL (2002/HBO), to her ever-more prescient feature COOKED: SURVIVAL BY ZIP CODE (2019/Independent Lens) – which, between COVID-19 and two of the “hottest summers on record” is experiencing a distribution renaissance. Helfand’s latest feature doc, LOVE & STUFF (2020/POV) a multi-generational love story produced with Julie Parker Benello, evolved from her 2014 NYT Op-Doc, to ask – in between Helfand struggling to sort, gift, toss and/or keep her beloved dead mother’s things – what is it that we really need to leave our children? As much a committed filmmaker as she is a non-fiction field-builder, Judith co-founded two field-changing organizations, Working Films (in 1999) and Chicken & Egg Pictures (in 2005). In Chicken and Egg’s first decade, she collaborated on, designed, lead and iterated its early programs, strategic grant making, innovations in pitch training and mentorship, curated workshops and thematic cohorts – including Reel Reproductive Justice – which have evolved into “C&E’s” cutting-edge, flagship programs of today. Helfand is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, is a 2007 USA Artist and recently received the UFVA’s 2024 George Stoney Award for Excellence in Documentary. She’s currently developing an industry-standard pitching/on-ramp program for emerging visual journalists at the Craig Newmark School of Journalism and produces/moderates/pitch trains the Athena Film Festival’s annual Documentary Pitch. Next up: GOOD MOURNING ETHEL, a multi-format (radio, film and live cinema) nonfiction project that starts with one very sad Bubby (Judith’s grandmother), is framed by two, once-in-a-hundred-years global pandemics (the flu epidemic of 1918 and COVID-19) and criss crosses three generations to explore the long-term repercussions of mourning in isolation, without ritual or community – what is increasingly being recognized as a public health crisis: unresolved grief.
Suzie Rivo
Ida Rodriguez Jogler
Ida is a filmmaker, editor and video installation artist from San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 2009 she relocated to New York City, where she completed her Master’s in Photography, Video and Related Media at the School of Visual Arts.
Justinsuperstar
Justinsuperstar is an Emmy-winning filmmaker, known especially for his documentaries and his creation of popular online content spanning back nearly 25 years. His work aims to engage the audience with down-to-earth tales that authentically explore the lives of extraordinary people, and his passion for travel has been a strong catalyst for bringing diverse stories from all around the globe to life.
Made in PA
Kristin DeBeor
Kristen Rigby-DeBoer is the co-owner of Brown Dog Catering. She was a film major at Penn State University.
Pablo Lopez
Pablo Lopez, born February 26, 1993, is a dedicated filmmaker with a lifelong passion for movies and storytelling. He graduated with a BA in Film and Video Production from the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications in 2016. Currently, Pablo serves as the Film Production Manager at the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania. In this role, he has been instrumental in promoting and facilitating film production in the region, showcasing Happy Valley’s potential as a prime filming location. Pablo’s enthusiasm for storytelling extends beyond his professional life; he enjoys entertaining friends and family with his creative endeavors. His dream is to establish his own production studio in Happy Valley, aiming to further develop the local filmmaking landscape. Through his work, Pablo continues to contribute to the vibrant cultural fabric of Happy Valley, fostering a supportive environment for both regional and major film projects.
Eric Rusnak
President of the Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation (PRC), a non-organization focused on the economic redevelopment of the Philipsburg area.
Rebecca Inlow
Member of Board of Directors of the Rowland Theatre, “I have had the privilege of being a part of the amazing story of the historic Philipsburg theatre.” Advisory Board member of the Centre Film Festival since its inception.
Lori Fisher
Artist and life-long central Pennsylvania resident, driven by a passion for art and love for local community. Museum Director of the Bellefonte Art Museum
Pam Etters
Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts’ new Executive Director, she is the founder and a muralist of the Murals Talk Foundation—a program that builds bridges over cultural, social, and economic gaps for youth.
Victor Hugo Gonzaga Marques
A colorist and filmmaker from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he studied filmmaking and directing. Now living in State College, he likes to appreciate the beauty of Happy Valley.
Pride on Screen
Sue Marshall
An Independent College Advising & Admissions Counselor and owner of College Gateways. A founding Board member and Secretary of the Centre LGBT+.
Pia Smal
Associate professor in Rehabilitation and Human Services and Counselor Education and Supervision at PSU. Current president and founding member of Centre LGBT+.
Fermin Almeida
Fermin Almeida is a Los Angeles native currently living in State College pursuing a Bachelors in Biology with a pre-med focus at Penn State. Despite his background in the sciences, his career focus is in PR and marketing. He began his career as a brand developer for a private investment firm in Mexico and is now the marketing coordinator for Hotel State College. Fermin continues to explore his passion for telling stories through branding development and has recently expanded into talent management in the music industry.
Sports on Screen
Eric Engelbarts
Eric Engelbarts was appointed the first executive director of the newly formed Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance (HVSEA) in April 2023. Through strategic planning and collaborative partnerships, Engelbarts spearheads initiatives to enrich residents’ quality of life, generate economic impact via sports and entertainment tourism, and raise regional visibility. Engelbarts has extensive experience in sports tourism and event management. Prior to joining the HVSEA, Engelbarts served as executive director of Michigan Sports Alliance, where he created and grew the State Games of Michigan. The Games encompass 50+ sports, hosting 10,000+ participants at 45+ venues, with an annual estimated economic Impact of $3.25 million. Additionally, Engelbarts piloted a second sports hub and successful launch for Winter Games in Marquette, MI, among other noteworthy accomplishments. Prior experience also includes time with the Alabama Sports Festival, West Michigan Sports Commission, and the National Congress of State Games. Engelbarts received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration from Western Illinois University in Macomb, IL, and a Master of Education in Sport Management and Recreation from Springfield College in Springfield, MA.
Randy Houston
Randy Houston has more than three decades of experience as an entertainment, intellectual property, litigation, labor and employment, and business lawyer and professional, including work with the famed William Morris Agency, major international law firms, his own boutique law firm, and media conglomerates NBCUniversal and BuzzFeed Media Enterprises, as well as co-founding a performing arts school and professional theatre company. He has served on and lead the boards of several performing arts, education, and human services organizations, and he is a past President of The Penn State Alumni Association and a past Trustee of The Pennsylvania State University. Mr. Houston has a personal passion for the arts, and he has been a musician, composer, librettist, actor, filmmaker, and creative for more than four decades, working in nearly every genre of music, and writing book, music, and lyrics for two full length musicals. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Pennsylvania State University. Mr. Houston resides in Teaneck, New Jersey with his wife, a voice teacher and former dramatic mezzo-soprano.
Bill Oldsley
Mr. Oldsey is a former publishing industry executive and the retired President of McGraw-Hill Education. Before joining McGraw-Hill, he served in a number of executive roles including Group President for Pearson Education International, President of Prentice Hall/Simon and Shuster College Publishing, President of Silver Burdett Ginn Publishing, and Editorial Director of John Wiley & Sons. His career in publishing spans over three decades and includes a wealth of global experience in print and digital teaching and learning products and services for the K-12, Higher Education, and Adult Education markets. After retirement from McGraw-Hill, Mr. Oldsey was engaged as an Operating Partner with Atlas Advisors where he worked closely with various firms in the private equity and venture capital markets, advising clients in the areas of educational policy, educational technology, and digital transformation in publishing.
John Affleck
John Affleck is the head of the Journalism Department at Penn State, and sometimes works in the documentary space as director of the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State. In collaboration with 2020 PSU alumnus Paddy Cotter, he’s made four short films, three sports documentaries and a narrative film. He’s happy to see the Centre Film Festival grow and thrive.
Char Morrett-Curtiss
Char is the leader, spokesperson and driving force behind Teammates For Life. Recently retired, Char is the longest-serving Penn State field hockey coach, three-time All-American Penn State field hockey and lacrosse player, 1984 Olympic bronze medalist and USA Women’s National Team member. With an illustrious career spanning over 39 years, Char has left an indelible mark on Penn State athletics. A 1979 graduate of Penn State and All-American standout, Char became Penn State’s fifth head coach in 1987, and then led the field hockey team to incredible success, including eight Big Ten regular-season titles and multiple NCAA semifinal appearances.