Meet the Jury
Meet the visionaries and creatives driving Indie Film Awards forward.
Danny Angotti
Emmy Award-winning producer and director
The founder and lead Executive Producer of Atomic Productions, Inc., as well as the long-form narrative division, Fission-Films. A four-time Emmy Award-winning producer and director, he has grown Atomic into one of the nation’s most prolific production companies. Beyond his work in film and television, Danny is an avid skier and passionate traveler—often finding ways to combine the two.
Sam Gollestani
Emmy-nominated producer and director
An Emmy-nominated Los Angeles-based producer and director with more than 20 years in film and television. He has created projects for FOX, Disney, Sony, and NBC Universal, and worked on iconic shows including Survivor, The Contender, and Amazon’s The World’s Toughest Race. Recent credits include HBO/Discovery’s The Challenger: Battleground (2024 Asian TV Award winner) and CryptoKnights starring Adrian Grenier. Sam previously led entertainment production for FOX Asia-Pacific and now teaches film and television at San Jose State University.
Freddy Rodriguez
EMMY® award-winning filmmaker
A Miami-based EMMY®, TELLY® and Promax/BDA award-winning filmmaker with over 20 years of experience in shorts, music videos, commercials, and documentaries. His short Malabar (2019) premiered at the Miami Film Festival, won multiple awards, and is now streaming on HBO. He has also directed acclaimed documentary shorts including Open Dialogues: Stories from the LGBTQ Community (2020), Black Voices | Black Stories (2022, PBS), and Queer Allies and Gen QueerZ (2023).
Jeremy Hunter
Storyteller, Artist, and Entrepreneur
Jeremy Hunter is a Canadian screenwriter, visual artist, entrepreneur, and creator of Prairie Thunder. Based in Saskatchewan, he explores themes of identity, generational trauma, and moral ambiguity through character-driven stories rooted in the Canadian Prairies. His award-winning project Prairie Thunder has earned international recognition, including Best Television Script at the Oxford Script Awards, Second Rounder placement at the Austin Film Festival, and Semi-Finalist status at the Hollywood Indie Festival. Jeremy is also the founder of Mile High Vinyl and an abstract artist whose work is inspired by psychology, symbolism, and emotional truth.
Thomas Benigno
Attorney, Author, Producer, Actor
Thomas Benigno is a Long Island attorney who began his legal career with the New York City Legal Aid Society in the Bronx after graduating from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 1979. Recommended by Professor Barry Scheck, he handled some of the toughest criminal cases, including the defense of the notorious “Spiderman Rapist.” Beyond law, he has appeared as an actor in two films, co-produced the Broadway hit Burn the Floor, and built a successful career as a novelist. His books include The Good Lawyer, The Criminal Lawyer, and The Criminal Mind, with The Killing Listscheduled for release in 2026.
Catherine Glynn
SAG-AFTRA Actor & MFA Director
Catherine Glynn is a filmmaker, actress, and theater director with a distinguished career in the performing arts. Holding MFAs in Acting from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Delaware, she has performed on stage, in commercials, and in independent films. As the founder and director of A.R.T. (Audacious Raw Theater), she is dedicated to creating bold and authentic theatrical experiences. Based in Southeastern Minnesota, Catherine continues to contribute to the arts as a storyteller, performer, and first-time filmmaker, while maintaining membership in the Actors’ Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA.
Amanda Louise Lay
Austin FF Writer
Amanda Louise Lay is an emerging playwright and screenwriter whose work has gained international recognition. Her ten-minute plays have been selected for multiple one-act play festivals across Australia, United States, and India, showcasing her talent for compelling and concise storytelling. Expanding into screenwriting, Amanda achieved notable success when her feature-length screenplay advanced to the second round of the prestigious Austin Film Festival. Her work reflects a passion for character-driven narratives and engaging dramatic storytelling.