The Panel of Cool for the 25 Most Exciting Film Festivals, 2025

      We extend our gratitude to the filmmakers and film experts who contributed to our compilation of the Coolest Film Festivals in the World, 2025 edition.

      Their knowledge and experiences make this a valuable resource for fellow filmmakers everywhere.

      Below is additional information about the Panel of Cool and their exceptional work.

      Katie and Ian Bignell

      KATIE AND IAN BIGNELL operate Festival Formula, drawing on over 20 years of experience to provide strategic support to filmmakers globally. They are active participants in the Short Film Conference and Film Festival Alliance, serving as influential voices on festival-related matters, with features in The Hollywood Reporter and Screen Daily addressing fraudulent film festivals. They have previously spoken at events such as HollyShorts, Heartland Film Festival, BFI Flare, Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival, Sundance, SXSW, and others. Their jury experience includes roles at the Cleveland International, Heartland International, St. Louis International, PÖFF Shorts Film Festival, Palm Springs Shortsfest, Young Directors Awards, Raindance, Tallgrass Film Festival, Fantoche, and more. They received the Pioneering Spirit Award from Heartland Film (2024) and their company was honored with the Outstanding Contribution to Film Award from the London Breeze Film Festival (2024) and the Impact Award from the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival (2025). Katie also serves as the Festival Expert in the first online education program launched by the University of Exeter, in partnership with David Putnam’s Atticus Education and Screen International.

      Heather Brawley

      HEATHER BRAWLEY, originally from the Bay Area, has spent the last 16 years at Archstone Entertainment in sales, acquisitions, and delivery, contributing to numerous films. She has produced many award-winning shorts with over 70 festival selections, while also co-producing feature films at Archstone, where she currently holds the position of VP of Marketing and Operations. Her diverse project experience across various budgets allows her to effectively manage and execute successful productions from development through to delivery. You can read more about one of the shorts she produced, "Princeton’s in the Mix."

      Gianfranco Fernández-Ruiz

      GIANFRANCO FERNÁNDEZ-RUIZ is an accomplished writer and director. His short film "When Big People Lie" premiered at the 51st Telluride Film Festival and was showcased in competition at the Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at the American Pavilion at Cannes, winning Best Short Film Drama at NFMLA’s 13th Annual Awards. He is a recipient of the Latino Film Institute x Netflix Inclusion Fellowship and was a finalist for the HBO Short Film Award and the Sony Future Filmmaker Award; his work was also eligible for the 96th Academy Awards. Gianfranco holds a Master's degree in Directing from the AFI Conservatory. His seventh short, "Anemoia, Scenes From the Future," is currently in post-production and is set for release in 2026.

      Ray Smiling

      RAY SMILING is a director known for crafting narratives that express universal emotions through uniquely specific details. His stories are a blend of naturalism and absurdity, characterized by a distinctive visual style. His films often feature relatable characters in scenarios that are both humorous and emotionally profound. If you find yourself feeling emotions about unexpected topics, you can likely attribute that experience to his work. Read more here about one of his films, "kamikaze."

      H. Nelson Tracey

      H. NELSON TRACEY is a director, producer, and editor based in Los Angeles. His feature debut, Breakup Season, was showcased at 39 film festivals in 2024, and he attended 22 of them before it was picked up for distribution. After a theatrical run across 18 cities last winter, Breakup Season is currently available for streaming on Amazon. He directed his first music video in August and is in the process of developing his second feature film.

      Milana Vayntrub

      MILANA VAYNTRUB is a writer, performer, and director born in Uzbekistan and raised in the United States. Recently, she played the role of antagonist prosecutor Pam Bozanich in Season 2 of Ryan Murphy’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story for Netflix. She also appeared in Bad Shabbos, which premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival. Milana directed and starred in the comedic short film "Pickled Herring," which had its world premiere at Indy Shorts in 2023. She will soon star alongside Ryan Gosling in Amazon MGM Studios’ Project Hail Mary, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Her other credits include Werewolves Within, Die Hart, This Is Us, Silicon Valley, and House of Lies. Notably, she released a documentary titled Can’t Do Nothing: Refugees in Lesbos, addressing the refugee crisis. This documentary has since sparked the #CantDoNothing