Advisory Board

The Advisory Board is a group of movie industry professionals hailing from all parts of the world. Its mission is to support the festival by contributing constructive ideas and solutions on how to strategically develop and grow the festival and improve the filmmaker and audience experience.

Steve Bannerman

Steve is Head of Post for International Features at Amazon Studios with a 30-year career in Media and Entertainment. He helped launch Apple’s QuickTime TV Network and founded Caststream, acquired by Sun Microsystems. Steve held executive roles at Apple and other tech companies. Before Amazon, he was CEO of Local Hero, a top VFX and post-production boutique with credits on major TV shows and films.

Mariana Chacón

The ultimate connector in Mallorca.
Originally hailing from Uruguay, Mariana fell in love with Mallorca 20 years ago and has become an exceptional relationship manager on the island. Specializing in the Mallorcas Lifestyle sector, she has a knack for connecting major brands, fueling their strategic growth and increasing their visibility both locally and beyond. We're confident that with her incredible skills, Mariana will elevate EMIFF to new heights!

Gregory JM Kasunich

Gregory is an award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, and commercial director whose work has captivated audiences and inspired industry leaders worldwide. His short film, The Heart of Texas, qualified for Academy Award consideration and earned international acclaim. Gregory’s creative vision has powered campaigns for Netflix, BMW, Taylor Swift, and more, while his scripts have attracted interest from top studios and streamers. As the founder of The Department of Light and Sound, he continues to push the boundaries of cinematic storytelling.

George Mooradian, ASC

Educational Ambassador of the Cinematography Focus

Growing up in the deep South, summers were humid and weekend nights were spent watching movies under the cool stars at the drive-in. Talk about escapism! My real nexus was the Ohio University School of Film, and then the proverbial drive out to Hollywood. Cinematographers were virtuosos, just to be in their presence, to clap a slate, load a mag -- I would gladly do that for the rest of my life. Lo & behold, I became a magic lantern, conjuring & illuminating soul’s landscapes of heroes & villains, the yin & the yang. Proud member of the ASC, AMPAS, the Television Academy, EMMY winner, nine-time EMMY nominee.

Delphine Figueras

She is the founder of Industry Insiders, a production and consulting firm specializing in awards and event strategies. She currently produces ASC Clubhouse Conversations, an online educational series for the American Society of Cinematographers that pairs ASC members with prominent filmmakers for in-depth discussions of their work.

She earned additional Telly and Aurora Awards as a producer and performer with the Porkchop Playhouse sketch-comedy group and is currently co-producing an untitled documentary about a visually impaired musical-theater director. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Figueras attended Webster University, majoring in Literature and Women’s Studies. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Stephen Pizzello, and their three sons.

Stephen Pizzello

Stephen Pizzello is editor-in-chief of American Cinematographer magazine, published by the ASC. Since joining the magazine, he has led it to win multiple editorial awards and received the William A. Fraker Award for his contributions to cinematography journalism. Pizzello also serves as head writer for the ASC Awards and produces tributes for filmmakers. He lives in Los Angeles with his family.

Iris Baumüller

Iris grew up in Cologne, London and South Africa. After studying film and theatre sciences, she worked as an assistant-director for movies, television and commercials. In 2003 she founded DIE BESETZER CASTING based in Berlin and Cologne. www.diebesetzer.de

Vika Safrigina

Vika has over 25 years of experience in advertising, brand development, events, client relations and publicity, specializing in Motion Picture & Broadcast Technology. She has worked closely with cinematographers, and technology brands, and has produced educational panels at industry events including Cine Gear Expo and Holly Shorts Film Festival. Vika has also consulted with organizations including The ASC, Digital Cinema Society, & CAS. A long-time Los Angeles resident, Vika is now based in Berlin.

Pilou Asbæk

Pilou is an internationally renowned actor and Cultural Amabassador to Mallorca. He is known for his role as the troubled spinning doctor Kasper Juul in the Danish television political drama Borgen, and as Euron Greyjoy in the television series Game of Thrones.

Kim Magnusson

Kim is an Academy Award-winning producer who founded M&M Productions with his father, Tivi Magnusson. Headhunted to run Nordisk Film's Film Division as CEO. He has been Oscar® nominated in the category "Live Action Short Film" six times and won the coveted award in 1999 for ELECTION NIGHT and in 2014 for HELIUM. He was chairman of the Danish Producers Association as well as chairman of the Danish Film Academy. Kim is a voting member of AMPAS® as well as both The Danish and The European Film Academy. In 2010, he launched Dansk Film Kompagni to develop and produce high-end, commercial-driven films for the international market. Kim splits his time between Copenhagen and Los Angeles.

Joachim Zell

Joachim Zell is Head of HDR Content Workflow at Barco and former VP of Technology and Imaging Science at EFILM/Deluxe. He has held senior roles at Technicolor and Grass Valley, and is active in industry groups including SMPTE, ASC, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Joachim holds a master’s in Film and Television Engineering, has co-authored four image processing patents, and serves on the board of the Hollywood Professional Association.

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Christina Nowak

Christina is Anna Valley’s director of virtual production, with extensive experience in film and TV technology. She has held key roles at Ncam, RED Digital Cinema, and 80six. Christina is active in industry groups like SMPTE UK, WFTV UK, and Rise WIB, focusing on gender diversity in media. She combines technical expertise with creative solutions and excels at supporting productions and building strong business relationships.

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Marcos Cabotá

Born in Palma de Mallorca he began his career as a filmmaker working on the script for his first feature film Amigos (2010), receiving the audience award at the Malaga Film Festival. He teamed up with film director Toni Bestard to write the script for the documentary I Am Your Father, earning a Goya Award nomination for Best Documentary Film. In 2014 he co-produced the film El Destierro, directed by Arturo Ruíz. The film received numerous awards and special mentions in the United States and Asia. He is currently in post-production for his new film.