OPENING NIGHT FEATURED ACTOR
John Mahoney (1940–2018) was born in Blackpool, England, and began acting in his late thirties. He was a longtime member of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre and performed in over thirty productions. He earned a 1986 Tony Award for his role in The House of Blue Leaves. John's stage work led to memorable performances in films such as Moonstruck (1987), Say Anything... (1989), and Barton Fink (1991). His role as Martin Crane on television's Frasier (1993–2004) brought him widespread fame. He showed his ability to blend humor with heartfelt emotion. Known for his humility and love of a quiet life, he lived in Oak Park for many years.
OPENING NIGHT SPEAKER
Deborah H. Holdstein is Professor of English, Emerita, at Columbia College Chicago, where she taught courses in literature, film, and other subjects. She came to Columbia as Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Holdstein has also taught at Northern Illinois University (where she was English Department chair) and Governors State University. She has published widely in areas that include cinema studies.
FESTIVAL DAY PANELISTS
Jennifer Goodman is an actress-turned-writer/producer and owner of Lakefront Pictures. She co-starred in Better Call Saul, created Conrad, and wrote/produced The Unseen (Apple TV, Amazon). With numerous awards and nominations, she continues building acclaimed projects and is now producing her upcoming Christmas feature in Chicago.
Jen Howard started with a love of '80s anime, studied animation, stank at it, but found VFX model making. When computers became useful, she traded her X-ACTO knife for a mouse and has been compositing for features, TV, and commercials for 25 years.
Gabby Labotka is an intimacy and stunt coordinator for film.
David Leonard is a local film and television location scout, actor, and writer who has worked in the business for over two decades on hundreds of independent and major productions in the Chicago area.Oisín O'Driscoll, Head of Color, Advertising at Harbor Picture Company, is a renowned colorist in advertising and film, known for high-profile campaigns, technical innovation, and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ representation in media. He has over 15 years of experience in color, having worked on campaigns for Gucci, Jeep, Hugo Boss, Walmart, and many more.
Tony Scott-Green sculpts original music for film, TV, and media. He has worked on feature films, TV shows, documentaries, web series, and sonic branding for Fortune 500 companies. Originally from Scotland, he now composes and records at Greenhouse Sound Studios in Chicago and Los Angeles. He considers himself a storyteller first, filmmaker second, and composer third. He is a firm believer that "The right music helps an audience see better." He is known for often incorporating and manipulating vintage instruments and alternative textures into his scores.
Edwin Wilson teaches film production and acting at Elmhurst College and founded Sense of Urgency Theatre.