Thank you for visiting our 2023 Events and Panels Page! We are working on an enriching and fun festival experience for our Official Selection and film enthusiasts alike. Please note that speakers and events are subject to change so please check back periodically and follow us on social media for updates. Thank you for supporting Lady Filmmakers!!
*Pass Holders Will Receive Emails regarding Venues and details for MeetUps and VIP Only Events.
*Tickets to screenings are only available at the door for $25.
*Online Panel tickets close at 6pm the night before the panels.
Tickets and passes are Will Call at the beginning of each event or screening.
Festival Kick-Off Party
Media wall and red carpet photos.
4 course seated networking dinner and Cash Bar.
This is a slow networking event where you will move down 3 seats after each of the 1st 3 courses.
Carafes of Sangria for the tables (first come first served)
VIPs get 1 house wine ticket.
Wednesday, September 27th at 208 Rodeo 7-9PM PST (Passholders ONLY event; Filmmakers, VIP Filmmakers, & VIP)
208 N Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Tel: 310-275-2428
We are located at the top corner of the stairs of Via Rodeo Dr. and Wilshire Blvd
Entrance to Parking Garage on Dayton Way
Free 2 hour self parking before 6pm (no validation necessary) $7 with validation after 6pm
Turn on Dayton Way (1 block north of Wilshire Blvd) from Rodeo Drive and turn right into the first Parking Garage at 2 Rodeo shopping Center
Take the Elevator up to level 1
Steel Drums by SENSI (Far Right)
CECIL" SENSI" FRANCIS is the steelband Director of Austin Community Steelband, Austin Texas. He has 39 years of experience playing this wonderful musical instrument and was the Captain of Trinidad's legendary Desperadoes Steel Orchestra, who played on their tours to New York's Carnegie Hall, Apollo Theater, and Brooklyn Academy of Music; Miami's Marine Stadium with Jimmy Buffett; and to the UK's Hammersmith Odeon.
After migrating to the U.S. he toured with "Warrior Ant" production to Yale School of Drama. While living in Los Angeles for 20 years, he per formed at Universal Studios, Disneyland, Wild Animal Park, universities, and added movie and TV credits to his name. He taught at the Long Beach Steeldrum School before becoming Austin Community Steel band's Steelband Director in February, 2008.
Austin Community Steelband is a Non-Profit Professional Steelband School whose motto is "Get With The Beat" and mission is committed to sharing the joys of steelpan with the Citizens of Austin of all ages, in comes and cultural backgrounds with a special emphasis on reaching at promise youth. The school offer innovative instruction and playing tech niques stressing self-expression and provide musical performances for the community, Sensi is part of a dynamic team who believe that advocating excellence in playing will help to preserve and promote steelpan's cultural origins from Trinidad while securing the instrument's position within the family of conventional musical instruments. They believe that once people are ex posed to the sound of the Steelpan, they will become aware of its infinite musical possibilities and join with those who share in the magic of this inspiring instrument. Their Goals, 1. To provide low income and at promise youth with caring adult role models and free instruction designed to be motivating, empowering, and culturally relevant, and to foster acceptance and tolerance of cultural dif ferences. 2. To provide low-cost steelpan instruction for the community at-large regardless of age, gender, or cultural background. 3. To establish a professional performing steel orchestra that plays any musical genre with expert skill.
Opening Night Movies & Red Carpet
Thursday, September 28th, 2021 Fine Arts Theatre 6-8PM PST In-Person 8556 Wilshire Blvd Beverly Hills, CA
Muffins & Mimosas
Join us for conversation, fresh fruit and pastries. VIPs get 1 Mimosa included. Cash Bar.
Pass Holder Event Only
Saturday, September 30th, 2023
Beverly Hills - Location provided to Ticket Holders and Pass Holders
Closing Awards Party
Heavy passed hors d’oeuvres and open wine bar.
Electric Violin and Vocal Performances
Monday, October 2nd, 2023 Via Alloro 6:30-8:30PM PST (Passholders ONLY event; Filmmakers, VIP Filmmakers, & VIP Badges accepted)
In-Person 301 N. Canon Drive Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Two closest city parking garages are at:
438 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
*closes at 12am
333 N. Crescent Drive Beverly Hills, CA 90210
*closes at 10pm
Lily Honigberg - Violinist & Fiddler
Violinist and fiddler Lily Honigberg was born in Washington DC. Her father, Steven Honigberg, is a cellist in the National Symphony, and her mother, Jessica Honigberg, is a local piano teacher and director of baroque music series "28 Chairs" in the greater DC area. Lily began playing the violin at age 4 and took weekly lessons in DC until moving to Northern Michigan in 2010 to study violin as a full time student at Interlochen Arts Academy. Lily was fortunate to tour the United States with the National Youth Orchestra in 2014, performing in Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Hall, and many halls in between with Gil Shaham as soloist. Lily was always drawn to fiddle music and began learning traditional tunes by ear through the Suzuki method and recordings of music from Ireland and Scotland.
Upon graduating high school in 2014, Lily enrolled at the New England Conservatory in Boston as a student of Lucy Chapman and Nicholas Kitchen in the classical department. She graduated from NEC with a Bachelor’s degree in Classical Violin Performance in May 2018. She most recently completed her Master’s degree at NEC in Contemporary Improvisation, studying with Hankus Netsky, Eden MacAdam-Somer, Liz Knowles, Ran Blake, Lautaro Mantilla, Carla Kihlstedt and Tanya Kalmanovitch. She has been a part of ensembles at NEC including American Roots, the Persian Ensemble, the Contemporary Improvisation Chamber Ensemble, the Bluegrass Ensemble, the Film Noir Ensemble, Irish Ensemble, and John Zorn’s improvised game piece, Cobra.
Lily spent 2016-2019 touring with her band Night Tree, an acoustic sextet that performed original and improvised folk-based music, which formed in 2016 after winning the Conservatory’s WildCard Honors Ensemble. She spent the summers of 2015 and 2016 traveling across Europe working and learning folk music from Ireland, England, Hungary and Austria. Lily has played with and learned from Irish musicians such as Winifred Horan, Seamus Egan and Martin Hayes. Lily also delightedly performs regularly with her father in settings that range from duets to chamber music to duo concertos with orchestra. They appear regularly together in the DC and Chicago areas. Lily has performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall, and the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, and she headlined the Korro Musikfestival in Sweden with Night Tree. Most recently, Lily joined the Palaver Guest Artist for Palaver Strings, based in Portland, Maine. Lily would have been joining the faculty at the Acadia Trad School in Bar Harbor, Maine 2020 teaching beginner fiddle alongside Liz Faiella.
Lily was a 2018/19/20 CPP teaching fellow representing the New England Conservatory and currently teaches fiddle and violin lessons in the greater Boston area, and now online.
Lily continues to pursue her passions and curiosities in classical, folk, Irish fiddle, and improvised music in various contexts across United States and Europe. Lily plays on a French violin made in 1895 by William Chanot. Outside of music, Lily is an Inferno Hot Pilates instructor in Cambridge. She enjoys Bikram yoga practice and petting giant dogs.
Riley Way - SUNNY Performer
Riley Way is a singer/songwriter based in Los Angeles. Currently studying Dramatic Arts at USC, she has released singles, and recorded BVs with John Doe, Cat Power, and Dave Carpenter, as well as the theme song for the Mayans M.C. TV series. She’s performed on stage with Creed Bratton of The Office fame. Riley continues to write and release material while finishing her studies.
Denise Gonzales- TONIGHT Performer
I am a trained vocalist of over 9 years and love sharing my talent and love through music. I have experience in onstage & competition performances and choir/acapella, have won awards in various singing competitions, and have guested as a front liner for famous Filipino celebrities.
2023 Panels
Welcome to the 2023 Panel information page for the 15th Annual Lady Filmmakers Festival! Special thanks to our wonderful speakers taking the time out to share their industry experiences and insights with our filmmakers and audience. Panels are curated and moderated by the Lady Filmmakers team.
All Panels are exclusive events available to VIP Pass holders, Panel Ticket Holders, Staff and Filmmaker Pass Holders. Only ticket and pass holders will be invited to the live zoom or in-person event. We will continue to update speaker details.
**Panel Tickets are Available til 6pm the night before scheduled panels on film freeway.
Writing Panel
PANEL A
A candid discussion between women writers in Hollywood.
Saturday, September 30th at 1:00 PM
Beverly Hills - Location given to Pass holders and ticket holders
Neyah Barbee
Neyah Barbee is an African American writer and SoCal native that writes with comedy and heart. Neyah began her career at DreamWorks, working in production on Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous before transitioning into writing on Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight as a Script Coordinator. Since then, she has been staffed at Nickelodeon and Marvel on unannounced animated projects. As a staff writer, Neyah’s uses her hands-on production knowledge to help her craft and foster stories that are both creatively ambitious and practically producible.
Alison Peck
Alison wrote YOU ARE SO NOT INVITED TO MY BAT MITZVAH, from the novel of the same name, which stars Adam Sandler and Idina Menzel. Directed by Sammi Cohen and produced by Happy Madison and Alloy Entertainment, Netflix released the film to rave reviews. It quickly rose to the #1 spot on Netflix in both the US and the world.
Additionally, Alison wrote the original screenplay WORK IT, produced by STX, Alloy Entertainment, and Alicia Keys. Released by Netflix, directed by Laura Terruso, and starring Sabrina Carpenter, the film reached the #1 spot on Netflix’s Top 10.
UGLY DOLLS was Peck’s first produced feature. Inspired by the unique and beloved global plush toy phenomenon, the film stars an amazing group of voice talent including Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Janelle Monáe, Blake Shelton, Wanda Sykes, Gabriel Iglesias, Wang Leehom, Emma Roberts and Pitbull. Directed by Kelly Asbury, STXfilms released UglyDolls on May 3, 2019.
Additional development credits for Alison include projects with Seth MacFarlane's Fuzzy Door Productions and Bob Shaye’s Unique Features.
Alison earned a BFA with honors from the University of Southern California’s John Wells Division of Writing for Screen and Television. Born in New York and raised in Houston, TX, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and daughter.
Kaylin Melia George
Kaylin Melia George is an award-winning writer, director, and entrepreneurial maverick. In her early career, Kaylin honed her industry knowledge while working in the international literary department of a top-five talent agency in Beverly Hills and at a global production company in Tokyo, Japan. Since then, Kaylin's portfolio has expanded to include narrative work recognized by The Academy, national commercials for publicly traded companies, and documentary pieces for some of the world's most recognizable non-profits. Her most recent documentary featurette was commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund and premiered for the United Nations. Her debut book became the #1 most successful AAPI children's book to ever premiere on Kickstarter. Today, Kaylin focuses most of her time on development, writing, and world-building for epic narrative art books at Mythify Studios.
Framing The Lens Director Panel
PANEL B
A candid discussion with professional directors about their favorite tools, techniques and insights on getting their shot or making their day.
Saturday, September 30th at 2:30 pm
Beverly Hills - Location given to Pass holders and ticket holders
Tessa Blake
Tessa Blake is an award-winning filmmaker and television director (American Horror Story; A Million Little Things; Station 19). An AFI Directing Workshop for Women alumna, Tessa's films have premiered at Cannes and SXSW, have won awards at Nantucket Film Festival and the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, have been honored by the Academy, been released theatrically, and have played on Showtime, CBS, CW & Oxygen, PBS & DirecTV. In 2021, she was hired to direct the pilot for "Our Ladies of Brooklyn" (CBS Studios/CW) executive produced by Jennie Urman. Tessa and her husband Ian Williams work as a writing team for film and television and have enjoyed script deals with ABC, NBC, FOX and Warner Brothers. She has directed plays for Naked Angels Theater Company and The Atlantic Theater Company, is a proud alumna of the 24 Hour Plays, and a founding advisor for The Moth.
Jake Helgren
Jake Helgren is a screenwriter, director and producer from Austin, Texas, whose first LGBTQ+ romantic comedy festival hit FINDING MR. WRIGHT was coined “the screwball comedies of Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant are given a 21st-century queer bent.” Helgren has since gone on to write, produce and direct a multitude of features for: STARZ/Anchor Bay, A&E/Lifetime, SyFy, Showtime Networks, TUBI, & Crown Media/Hallmark brand networks respectively. More recently, Helgren’s horror feature BAD CONNECTION has been making the horror festival circuit, and in 2022 he was nominated for a GLAAD Award for Most Outstanding TV Movie of 2022 for his LGBTQ+ Romance A CHRISTMAS TO TREASURE for A&E, and was a producer for LIST OF A LIFETIME, which was nominated for a Critic’s Choice Award. Perhaps most notably, Helgren wrote, produced and directed the hit LGBTQ+ holiday romantic drama Dashing in December for MTV Studios, VIACOM & Paramount Network starring Andie MacDowell, which premiered as a simulcast across four different major networks and was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Most Outstanding TV Movie of 2020.
Kaylin Melia George
Kaylin Melia George is an award-winning writer, director, and entrepreneurial maverick. In her early career, Kaylin honed her industry knowledge while working in the international literary department of a top-five talent agency in Beverly Hills and at a global production company in Tokyo, Japan. Since then, Kaylin's portfolio has expanded to include narrative work recognized by The Academy, national commercials for publicly traded companies, and documentary pieces for some of the world's most recognizable non-profits. Her most recent documentary featurette was commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund and premiered for the United Nations. Her debut book became the #1 most successful AAPI children's book to ever premiere on Kickstarter. Today, Kaylin focuses most of her time on development, writing, and world-building for epic narrative art books at Mythify Studios.
Producing Panel
PANEL C
A candid discussion with working independent film producers.
Saturday, September 30th at 4 PM
Beverly Hills - Location given to Pass holders and ticket holders
Elizabeth Blake-Thomas
ELIZABETH BLAKE-THOMAS is a British award-winning director and philanthropist based in Los Angeles. Her romcom Just Swipe, starring Full House/Fuller House star Jodie Sweetin, was purchased by Viacom, available now on various streaming platforms. She recently wrapped up directing action thriller Hunt Club starring American Beauty's Mena Suvari and Mickey Rourke. Elizabeth’s previous feature Caralique is a family drama starring Disney+ star Isabella Blake-Thomas and Chocolat’s Helene Cardona. She also exec produced thriller Et Tu starring Lou Diamond Phillips and Malcolm McDowell, co-produced Sony AFFIRM's Moonrise, and 1st Assistant Directed on action-thriller Murder At Hollow Creek starring Jason Patric, Penelope Ann Miller, and Mickey Rourke. Elizabeth is the co-founder and resident director of entertainment company Mother & Daughter Entertainment. Her latest directing projects include wrapping up a TV episode of Sony AFFIRM's upcoming show Shadrach, as well as YA supernatural thriller Karma's A Bitch, starring a stellar ensemble cast including Once Upon A Time's Isabella Blake-Thomas, Candyman's Tony Todd, and Disney Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3's Terry Hu and Pearce Joza.
Isabella Blake-Thomas
Isabella Blake-Thomas is an accomplished producer, actor, and writer. Having been in the industry for over 15 years, she has her name to projects such as; Disney Plus’ "Secret Society of Second Born Royals", Pluto’s "Just Swipe", Amazon Prime’s "Maybe I’m Fine", and most recently, Karma’s a B*tch which she wrote, starred in and produced. The cast includes Candy Man’s Tony Todd, Species’ Natasha Henstridge, High School Musical: The Series’ Matt Cornett, and Disney’s Zombies’ Pearce Joza and Terry Hu . Her company Mother Daughter Entertainment was founded by her and her mother in 2016. She’s currently producing and in development on a true story with Brookwell McNamara Entertainment, with an academy award winning writer attached.
Casting Panel
PANEL D
A focus on working with Filmmakers. Over ZOOM
Virtual Panel Sunday, October 1st at 2PM
Pam Dixon, CSA
Pam was hired by CBS Television as an intern and became Assistant to the VP of Casting. She went on to become one of the first women Senior VP’s at ABC TV serving as SVP of Talent. She left ABC to become a Production Vice President for Paramount Pictures. After Paramount. She was VP Series Development for Lorimar Television. Several years later, Pam opened her own casting company. During this time she has cast numerous features: Zorro, City Slickers, Baby Boom, The Craft, Tremors, Waterdance, Gosford Park, Angels in the Outfield, Goldeneye and Possessor. She has worked with Robert Altman, Alan Rudolph, Andy Fleming and Martin Campbell. Pam recently worked on “ Rumble Through The Dark” Starring Aaron Eckhart and has completed casting on “Blackberry” starring Jay Baruchel and Glenn Howerton. Currently, she is casting “Blackwood” and a new film from Lina Roessler. Pam is a past President of CSA and a member of both The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and the Television Academy. She is Vice-President of the Western Council of The Entertainment Fund. Pam is an advocate for People with Disabilities and has served as a mentor for the Easter Seal Disability Film Challenge and co-chaired The Media Access Awards.https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0228938/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Candice Elzinga
Candice Elzinga is known for Elysium (2013), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) and The Predator (2018).
Candice Elzinga is a four time Emmy nominated Casting Director and has cast over 300 productions since coming to Vancouver in 1995.
Credits include "See” for Apple TV, “The Man in the High Castle" for Amazon, “The 100” and “Kung Fu” for Warner Brothers, "Psych" for NBC Universal, "When Calls the Heart" and "Chesapeake Shores" for Hallmark and “Loudermilk“, directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly. A trained actor herself, with a BFA from the University of Alberta, Candice is passionate about actors and the craft.
Lisa Zambetti
Lisa Zambetti, CSA, is a queer casting director, podcaster, mom of twins and a Great Pyrenees puppy based in Los Angeles. She worked in casting on many comedies including Ryan Murphy’s “The New Normal”, Matthew Perry’s “Go On” as well as Whitney Cummings’ “Whitney” before her career went to the darker side of drama. She cast the long running CBS series "Criminal Minds" as well as the spinoff "Beyond Borders", and was also on the casting team for the critically acclaimed FX pilot "Reservation Dogs". She was nominated in 2023 as "Casting Director of the Year" for her work in the Video Game genre. She’s worked on many AAA video games including “Star Wars Jedi Survivor”. Lisa has cast many award winning independent films including short films for Film Independent, AFI, USC and others which have found homes on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and HBO Max. She is currently casting projects for Amazon Audible and also for Skydance Media. Lisa is an active member of the Casting Society's Equity in Entertainment branch. She is also on the advisory board for Hire Survivors Hollywood. You can listen to Lisa's podcast "Killer Casting" wherever you listen to your pods.