Panelist Bios:

Peter Broderick

A leading distribution strategist, Peter consults with filmmakers and media companies to develop strategies to maximize distribution, audiences, and revenues. In addition to designing customized plans for movies nearing completion, he also creates distribution strategies for projects that are used to help secure production financing. He is also a leading advocate of crowdfunding. He was previously President of Next Wave Films, which helped launch the careers of Christopher Nolan and other exceptionally talented filmmakers.His seminal reports, “Welcome to the New World of Distribution” and “Declaration of Independence” are concise guides to the latest distribution strategies. Read his articles and subscribe to his Distribution Bulletin at www.peterbroderick.com.

Allen Chou

Allen Chou is President of Passion River Films, a film distribution company that specializes in documentaries, art house films, & special interest titles to theaters, VOD, home video, libraries & colleges. With a diverse catalog of films that have been official selections in major film festivals, along with producers and directors that have been nominated or won Academy Awards, Allen has placed titles into retail stores such as: Blockbuster, Hastings, Barnes and Noble, Best Buy, Whole Foods, & Walmart. In 2005, Allen established a distribution partnership with Netflix, resulting in over 200 titles released on their site. Allen also manages the non-theatrical & social media marketing departments. A frequent speaker at film festivals and colleges, he often lectures on distribution and the use of social media marketing for promoting films. Recent speaking engagements include the National Media Market and the Sundance Institute’s Art House Convergence.  He is also an instructor at New York University teaching courses in film distribution and marketing. Allen Chou received his BA in Film from the University Of Maryland. Follow him on Twitter at: bit.ly/AllenChou

Anna Darrah

Anna Darrah is the Director of Acquisitions for the Spiritual Cinema Circle, a DVD club focusing on inspiring, uplifting films, now in their 8^th year of programming. She has signed more than 350 films since their inception, while the SCC continues to grow and expand now with members in more than 100 countries. Anna has recently begun to license Digital Rights for SCC’s parent company, Gaiam Inc.

Anna was the director of events and development for the Santa Fe Film Festival and the Screenwriting Conference in Santa Fe prior to joining the Spiritual Cinema Circle. She has produced three documentaries, two of which have aired on the Sundance Channel, and is working on a new doc called Destinations.  She recently wrote and directed her first short film, The Matter of Magic, and has just completed directing a music video for local Santa Fe artist Wolfgang Blum. 

Anna majored in theater at Guilford College, in Greensboro, NC with a concentration in communications.  She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Sarafina DiFelice, Hot Docs

bio coming soon

Mike Grice, Giam

bio coming soon

Josh Levin

Josh Levin, the President and CEO of Gallant Films, LLC is a documentary film producer, as well as co-founder and general manager of West End Cinema, Washington, DC's premier art-house movie theater. Josh is the executive producer of CORMAN'S WORLD: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel (Official Selection, Sundance and Cannes, 2011); producer of CAPE SPIN: The Fight for the Future of America (IDFA, 2011); and executive producer of JAMES BLUNT: Till You’re Told To Stop. Josh also served as associate producer of THE IRAN JOB (IDFA Forum and Paley Pitch Competition winner, 2010). As a consultant and sales representative, Josh’s portfolio includes “The Garden,” nominated for the 2009 Academy Award ® for Best Documentary Feature. Josh’s background is as a film distribution executive, having served as the Chief Marketing Officer for Film Movement.

Mat Levy

Mat Levy is the Manager of Sales and Acquisitions at Passion River Films. Having a background in Film and TV publicity, Mat has worked with film campaigns for New Line Cinema, Sony Pictures Classics, Magnolia Pictures, Warner Independent, and Picturehouse. He has also worked with producers from VH1 and MTV on promotion and development. Mat attends most major markets and film festivals including Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, American Film Market, Independent Feature Project, and Hot Docs; as well as national retail and library trade shows including: National Media Market, Ingram Entertainment, Alliance Entertainment, and the American Library Association.  Mat attended the University of Hartford and received a BA in Cinema Studies.

Andrew Mer

VP, Content Partnerships for SnagFilms. Andrew Mer has been instrumental in building the SnagFilms library of over 1100 documentary films. SnagFilms library consists of single titles from individual filmmakers and producers to multiple titles from many of the most widely known and respected distributors, aggregators, and broadcasters including, Virgil Films & Entertainment, E1, Alive Mind, Cactus Three, ITVS, Sundance Channel, FilmBuff and IndiePix.

Andrew Mer has been an independent consultant to the film industry in development and acquisitions. His most recent client was AOL where he served as Chief Acquisitions Consultant for AOL True Stories, an all-documentary broadband platform. Andrew helped build and develop AOL True Stories' slate of documentary films beginning with its launch slate.

Previously, Elixir Films engaged Andrew to head its creative development efforts. At Elixir, he was responsible for developing all film and TV projects as well as scouting for new creative talent and project opportunities. Elixir Films' credits include the international non-fiction television series Long Way Round with Ewan McGregor. Before entering the film world, Mr. Mer worked in the art world as a fine arts insurace broker and consultant. Andrew Mer is an attorney who lives and works in NYC.

Brian Newman

bio coming soon

Diana Iles Parker

Diana Iles Parker is a Documentary Film Producer, Publicist and PMD. Her latest producing project, DESERT RUNNERS, is currently in post-production and expected to premiere this Summer. Diana also just completed the successful launch of the documentary film “EAT THE SUN,” a story about people who stare at the sun to get energy (bizarre but true). She is the founder of SPOKEN MEDIA, a boutique PR agency specializing in independent film and is here at Sundance 2012 with James Redford's latest documentary film The D Word: Understanding Dyslexia. Diana has a BA in Journalism and an MBA from the American Graduate School of International Management.

Christina Rogers

Christina Rogers is Head of Sales and Market Development for the National Film Board of Canada where she oversees the worldwide distribution of NFB’s award winning documentary, animation and digital catalogues. NFB’s recent documentary hits include UP THE YANGTZE, RIP: A REMIX MANIFESTO, PINK RIBBONS INC., SURVIVING PROGRESS and PAYBACK (premiering at Sundance 2012).  Prior to joining NFB, Christina was Director of Acquisitions for the International Hallmark Channels in NY.  Throughout her 17 years in the international film and television distribution business, she has also held international sales positions at TVA International, Sullivan Entertainment and CBC.

About NFB:

Canada’s public producer and distributor, the National Film Board of Canada creates interactive works, social-issue documentaries, auteur animation and alternative dramas that provide the world with a unique Canadian perspective. The NFB is developing the entertainment forms of the future in groundbreaking interactive productions, while pioneering new directions in 3D stereoscopic film, community-based media, and more. It works in collaboration with emerging and established filmmakers, digital media creators and co-producers in every region of Canada, with Aboriginal and culturally diverse communities, as well as partners around the world. Since the NFB’s founding in 1939, it has created over 13,000 productions and won over 5,000 awards, including 4 Webbys, 12 Oscars and more than 90 Genies. Over 2,000 NFB productions can be streamed online, at the NFB.ca Screening Room as well as via partnerships with the world’s leading video portals, while the NFB’s growing family of apps for smartphones, tablets and connected TV delivers the experience of cinema to Canadians everywhere.

Michael Tuckman

A veteran of the independent film industry for nearly fifteen years, Michael Tuckman began his career at The Cinema Guild, where he was hired to start the company's theatrical distribution division. Tuckman went on to serve as Vice President of Theatrical Sales for THINKFilm, handling the planning and implementation of all theatrical release strategies, including the breakout successes of Oscar-winning and nominated films including SPELLBOUND, BORN INTO BROTHELS, TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE and MURDERBALL as well as the box office smashes THE ARISTOCRATS, BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOUR'RE DEAD and THEN SHE FOUND ME.

He now operates his own distribution services company, mTuckman media, which provides theatrical booking services to independent film distributors including Paladin, Elephant Eye, Variance, Tribeca Film and Entertainment One, while also releasing films directly with filmmakers under their own banner. Most notably, he has handled the Zipporah Films releases of Frederick Wiseman's LA DANSE: THE PARIS OPERA BALLET, BOXING GYM and the current release of CRAZY HORSE. Other recent releases include Paladin’s I AM, Tribeca Film’s LAST NIGHT and Phase 4’s ANOTHER HAPPY DAY. 

Order your ticket today.  Limited seating at event. For more information contact: info (at) PassionRiver.com  -or-  (732) 321-0711