JUDGES 2022

JURY

ALEKSANDRA SZCZEPANOWSKA

DIRECTOR | WRITER

New York-based writer/director ALEKSANDRA SZCZEPANOWSKA’s feature film
“TOUCH” was the recipient of Greenpoint Film Festival’s 2021 Best
Narrative Feature award, among others. “TOUCH” was shot in China in
Mandarin Chinese and was distributed by HBO Europe and Indie Rights (US).

Her screenplay “TOUCH” was shortlisted for the Academy Nicholl
Fellowship, the Finish Line Script Competition, and the Sundance
Development Lab. Previously, she wrote, directed, and produced
numerous short films with her artistic partner Jean-Luc Ormieres.

Before filmmaking, Szczepanowska worked in environment, energy, and
security in TChad, China, Singapore, Europe, and North America.
Szczepanowska holds a BA in Political Science from Columbia College
and MIA in Energy Management from Columbia University.

MIN DAI
EDITOR | POST-SUPERVISOR
MIN DAI is an editor, post-production supervisor and producer. She has been working in film and television in NYC for the past nine years, specializing in post-production. She was the post-production supervisor for the Academy Award nominated director Ramin Bahrani (The White Tiger), on his feature documentary “2nd Chance,” and the Netflix documentary series “Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey.”
“2nd Chance” premiered at Sundance 2022 and has been acquired by Showtime, releasing in spring 2023. “Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey” has received critically acclaimed reviews from around the world while reaching 720 million minutes viewed worldwide as of August 2022.
She is currently working with Emmy nominated director John Maggio on his feature documentary “Year One: A Political Odyssey” (HBOMAX) a film about president Joe Biden’s first year of presidency.
RABIA SULTANA
PRODUCER
RABIA SULTANA is a British producer working in NYC and LA. After gaining her BA in Archeology, she moved to New York City to pursue film. Select credits include ‘Angelfish’ (TIFF Next Wave), ‘Extra Innings’ (Winner Best Feature Manhattan FF), and ‘Interference’ (NBC/Universal FF). Her TV credits include AMC’s Bottomless Brunch at Colman’s and HBO’s Chillin Island.
She was awarded a $50,000 grant from Google and the PGA to produce her short film, “Haider, Texas”, which screened at the 2022 ‘Produce By Conference.’ She was also a part of the inaugural PGA Create Fellowship, through which Sarah Green mentors her. Rabia recently produced the feature films ‘Sour Milk’ (Sierra McCormick, Jason Butler Harner, Ryan Simpkins, Emily Robinson) and ‘The Disruptors’, a comedy starring Grant O’Brien, Ally Beardsley, Marc Evan Jason, and Alexandra Grey.
Rabia believes a multicultural catalog of film is crucial to society’s health, as each culture has its special ingredient of wisdom. This is what Sultana Film wishes to celebrate and bring light to.
She is a member of BAFTA and the Producer’s Guild of America.
HANRUI WANG
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
HANRUI WANG is an LA based Production Designer, originally from China. She began her career as the set decorator on Lulu Wang’s “The Farewell” (Independent Spirit Award), “Minari” (Academy Award Nominee), and “Somewhere Winter”. Hanrui is also a prolific designer on a myriad of commercials and music videos from artists such as: Earth, Wind & Fire; Lucky Daye; COIN; and Carly Rae Jepsen.
Other design credits include “Beneath The Banyan Tree”, starring Ah-Lei Gua, BBC’s documentary “Sex Planet”, starring Cara Delevingne, and “Think Like a Dog”, directed by Gil Junger.
Her most recent work includes production designing “The Wandering Earth 2” & “Accidental Get Away Driver” directed by Sing Lee.
ANNA FRANQUESA SOLANO
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Born in Barcelona, ANNA FRANQUESA SOLANO is a New York based cinematographer who has worked extensively in film and documentary. Anna has benefited from her background in Art History and Theory, from which she still draws a great deal of influence.
Her work has screened at Cannes, Sundance, Telluride, MOMA, Sitges International Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival, Docs Barcelona, Hamptons International Film Festival among many others.
Anna’s collaboration on Lulu Wang’s “The Farewell”, won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature and a Golden Globe for Best Actress. She recently received an AICP Award for her cinematography work on the Apple Commercial “Nian”
She is currently working on an Amazon TV Series called Expats starring Nicole Kidman.
YUQING CHI

DIRECTOR | WRITER

YUQING CHI is a screenwriter and director who specifically focuses on drama and romance genre films. Her previous short picture “Don’t write me off” has won over 17 international awards in both the directing and writing sections, that includes a platinum Remi Award at the WorldFest Houston Film Festival.  She started her film career with a French movie “L.O.L” in which Sophie Marceau was cast in a lead role. Yuqing has currently just completed another two feature films; “Skip Over Yesterday“ & “Waiting For Another Instant.“