‘Hell’s Kitchen’ ‘Late Night With Seth Meyers’ Producers, Tribeca and Sundance Programmers Lead Key West Film Fest Shorts Jury

Riding the wave of being named to both MovieMaker Magazine’s esteemed “Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” and “Top 20 Destination Film Festivals in the World,” The Key West Film Festival has assembled a revered group of industry leaders and artists to judge the 14th edition of the festival, which is set for November 12-16 in the Sunshine State. The collective includes Hell’s Kitchen Producer Eric Rudnick, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit actor Mouzam Makkar, Chicago Fire Former Co-Producer Daniele Bernstein, and Late Night with Seth Meyers Field Producer Amanda Cowper. The jury will also be led by industry leaders from Florida and across the country.

Awards include Best Comedy Short Film, Best Dramatic Short Film, Best Documentary Short Film, and Best Florida Short Film. Two student filmmakers will receive the Kimberly Peirce Student Filmmaker Scholarship presented by the Diana King Foundation. Winners will be announced during the Key West Film Festival Awards Ceremony on Saturday, November 15th.

Leaders among the U.S. film festival community have joined the Key West Film Festival jury. Tribeca Senior Associate Programmer and Heartland Film Artistic Director Greg Sorvig is a new addition to the roster. Savannah Film Festival Programming Director and Tribeca Short Film Associate Programmer Sheila Bolda and award-winning director and former Sundance Film Festival Programming Associate April Wright are also on this year’s jury.

Florida industry stalwarts on the jury include Florida Keys Film Commissioner Chad Newman, University of Miami’s Margaret Cardillo, University of Central Florida’s Tim Ritter and Mark Schimmel, and Clearwater filmmaker Tony Armer.

Rounding out the jury are Omeleto Head of Programming Kat Ascharya, Australian arts advocate Augusta Supple, Second City and AMAW Los Angeles veteran Sommer Austin, Comedian Erick Esteban, and screenwriter Marianna Staroselsky.

KWFF’s Director of Programming for Short Films is Mike McNamara, while the feature film dept is headed by Michael Tuckman. Screening venues for this edition of the festival include Williams Hall and The Regal Key West. Visit keywestff.com for the full festival lineup.

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