Our Team & Jury

Jayson Warner Smith Jury Chair Narrative Short Narrative Feature

Jayson Warner Smith a native Atlantan and as of 2019 an Athenian, grew up as an actor. He performed in youth theatre from the age of nine followed by high school productions and into college and then professional stage shows in Atlanta. Jayson is a proud and vocal member of The Screen Actors Guild, Actors Equity and The Creators Coalition on AI.

When the film and TV industry descended onto Georgia in 2008, he embarked on a career in that arena and it has gone exceedingly well for an actor who has decided to remain in their home state. After his first major role in the remake of Footloose in 2011, he then moved on to the Peabody Award winning SundanceTV show Rectify for two seasons and then to AMC’s blockbuster TV production The Walking Dead for two more. Along the way he has also had major supporting roles in American Made, Emancipation, Song Sung Blue, Where the Crawdads Sing, 42 (The Jackie Robinson biopic) and many many others, sharing the screen (large and small) with Don Cheadle, Jessica Chastain, Chadwick Boseman, J Smith Cameron, Tom Cruise, Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Hall, Cuba Gooding Jr. and many more again.

He is honored to be chair of and included in such an esteemed panel of creatives and artists.

Madison Hatfield Narrative Short Narrative Feature

Madison Hatfield is a screenwriter, director, and actor born and based in Atlanta, GA. Her latest short film I Could Dom premiered at the Oscar-qualifying Aspen Shortsfest in 2024 and went on to screen at over 25 more festivals, including six additional Academy Award qualifiers. She and frequent collaborator Jono Mitchell adapted the YA novel The Sky Blues for Walden Media, and she is currently working on TBA script projects with Unwell Productions and RK Films. As an actor, she has appeared in several television series including Chicago Med (NBC), Atlanta (FX), Dynasty (CW), and The Other Black Girl (Hulu). She is proudly represented by Anonymous Content as a writer and director and Stewart Talent as a performer. Learn more at www.madisonhatfield.com.

Leandro Tadashi Narrative Short Narrative Feature

Leandro Tadashi is a film and TV writer/director and an Assistant Professor for the Masters of Fine Arts in Film, TV and Digital Media program at the University of Georgia. Originally from Manaus, Brazil, Leandro moved to the United States to pursue his MFA in Film & TV Production at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, in Los Angeles.

Leandro has written and directed several short films, which have screened in over 300 festivals worldwide. He co-directed the feature Actors Anonymous, based on the book written by James Franco, who also starred in the film. An Outfest Screenwriting Lab alum, in recent years Leandro developed a drama series for Warner Bros. Discovery and a drama series for Netflix Brazil. Leandro was the creator and head writer for both projects. He’s currently producing the feature film Delicadeza (Tenderness) with Cigano Filmes. Shot in Brazil, the film is currently in post-production.

Schelle Purcell Narrative Short Narrative Feature

Schelle Purcell is a versatile actress from Gulfport, MS, now based in Atlanta. She is recognized for her notable performance as 'Gloria, The Landlord' in Tyler Perry’s STRAW on Netflix, acting opposite Taraji P. Henson. To date, the television movie has garnered over 48M views and won Outstanding Limited Television Movie at the 2026 NAACP Image Awards. She also played the recurring role of 'Adeline Loggins' in the NAACP Image Award-winning series Women of the Movement (ABC/HULU).

Her resume currently includes appearances in many popular TV series like All The Queens Men (S5), Found, Atlanta, The Big Door Prize, as well as a role in the Amazon film The Underdoggs. She has also starred in leading roles in TUBI Originals, such as Hot Girl Winter and Twisted House Sitter 2.

Purcell recently completed leading and/or supporting roles in three independent films (A Rose Through Cancer, Camp Duval, and Unveil). She played ‘Esther Johnson’ in the hit stage play, I’ve Cried the Blues at the Historic pre-Broadway Shubert Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut. Other highlights include serving as a special guest panelist at the 2025 Essence Festival’s Hollywood House and accepting an invitation to Ghana to present the first award named in her honor, The Schelle Purcell Creative Arts Award 2025, at the International Ladies High Tea & Awards Celebration.

Beyond acting, Purcell is the CEO and Founder of "On Your Feet," a non-profit organization assisting teen parents with planned parenthood support and career placement. She is also an entrepreneur, having created "Southern Girl Savors," her line of handcrafted infused salts.

Jo Steinhart Narrative Short Narrative Feature

Jo Steinhart is a filmmaker from San Francisco living in Los Angeles. She received her MFA in Directing from The AFI Conservatory, where she wrote and directed her thesis film Daddy, winner of the 2023 Film Pipeline Shorts Competition.

Daddy premiered at AFI Fest and screened at festivals including Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, Tallgrass Film Festival, Nitehawk Shorts Fest, Poppy Jasper International Film Festival (Audience Award), and the Albuquerque Film & Music Experience (Best Student Film). It is now available to stream on Film Shortage, where it has amassed over 2.5 million views.

Jo's films focus on complex characters and taboo topics explored through darkly humorous, character-driven stories. She’s currently developing her first feature, a neo-feminist horror film.

Clifton Guterman Narrative Short Narrative Feature

Clifton Guterman has acted, directed, produced, and cast projects for all mediums since 2000. Formerly Head of Film and Television at Big Picture Casting (2021-2023), he now runs Clifton Guterman Casting and sources talent for commercials, film, television, theatre, animation/voice over, and live events. Clifton has cast over two hundred professional projects to date and held staff positions at Alliance Theatre, Theatrical Outfit, Actor’s Express, and Atlanta Film Festival. Clifton has performed Off-Broadway, at top regional theatres, on numerous Atlanta stages, and can be seen in several GA-filmed commercials, films, and TV shows. He is a member of Casting Society of America and teaches at Agnes Scott College and Emory University. Education: BA in Drama from UGA and an MFA in Performing Arts from SCAD. Originally from Iron City, GA.

Bob Judson Documentary Short Documentary Feature

Bob Judson is an award-winning Atlanta-based film and television executive producer, director, writer and media consultant. Through his career, Judson produced or contributed to feature documentary films and numerous television productions for National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel, TNT and NBC.

Bob launched Image Digital Media LLC in 1999, focusing on the development and production of intellectual properties. Previously he spent 16 years as director of business development with Atlanta-based Crawford Communications, one of the world’s leading post-production facilities.

As a Vietnam veteran, Judson did not feel veterans were appropriately recognized for sacrifices made in an unjust war. Therefore, he created and produced “The Vietnam Trilogy” which aired nationally on PBS, including 2017’s Remembering Vietnam, 2018’s Return to Vietnam—co-produced with VTV 3 in Hanoi, Vietnam, and Vietnam: Aftermath and Redemption in 2021. The most recent documentary Legacy of Peace will be broadcast on PBS in 2026.

Recently, Bob co-produced and directed The Games in Black & White, through Atlanta Story Partners, the company founded in 2020 with writer George Hirthler. The film is the first comprehensive look at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the untold story of how its leadership led by Ambassador Andy Young and Bily Payne harnessed the Games as an engine for social justice and economic opportunity for their community. It will be broadcast nationally on PBS in 2026 in addition to being featured on Delta Air Lines flights beginning September 1, 2025.

Judson and his teams have earned ten Southeast Regional Emmy Awards, a 2021 Southern Film Festival award, seven Cine Golden Eagle awards for cinematography, and 20 International Telly Awards. A graduate of the University of Central Florida, Judson resides in East Cobb. For more information and credits visit his IMDB profile.

Roman Nesis Documentary Shorts Documentary Feature

Roman Nesis is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker and producer. In 2025, he founded Unnecessary Pictures, a company dedicated to producing unconventional and character-driven documentaries, supporting emerging and established filmmakers. Under the banner, Roman served as an Executive Producer on The Oldest Person in the World (Sundance 2026), Joybubbles (Sundance 2026) and The Haunting of Pennhurst (Tribeca 2026). Prior to launching Unnecessary Pictures, Roman worked as a Production Manager at Hello Sunshine, Reese Witherspoon's multi-media company, where he oversaw multiple unscripted and scripted projects produced in-house. Earlier in his career, he worked at RatPac Entertainment supporting its documentary division from its inception through its steady growth over four years. Roman holds an MFA in Film & TV Production from the University of Southern California and a BA in Economics from Boston College. Originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, Roman brings a global perspective to his work.

Larry Robertson Documentary Shorts Documentary Feature

Larry Robertson is a multiple award-winning Cinematographer and Director. He has several decades of experience in all facets and genres of film and video production. His many industry awards include local and national Emmys and even an Oscar nomination for Best Feature Documentary. His career has included many collaborations with notable members of the international film/video community. In addition to his extensive knowledge with all image capture systems , he is well versed in post production and visual effects platforms and methodologies. Lately, Larry has increased his focus on documentaries and short narrative films. To this end, he has two production companies, Pine Tree Music/Film and Dharma Films. He is also currently on the Board of the Academy Theatre and is involved with the theatre’s expansion into the realm of video production and the incorporation of video elements into theatrical productions (including a recent presentation of Beowulf). All through his career, Larry has shared his knowledge and expertise, through seminars, panels and a recent stint as Instructor for the Georgia Film Academy. His industry affiliations include: International Cinematographers Guild (retired), International Documentary Association, Video Consortium / Docuquarium, Digital Cinema Society and others.