Big Apple Film Festival Fall 2024 NYC Edition brings to you in-person panels with the cast and crew behind the the selected films from the season!

DIRECTOR'S PANEL: Directors get together alongside a moderator to speak about their journey so far and how they have navigated their time as filmmakers while sharing insight on the films they have showcased at the festival.

DIRECTORS

Steven Weinzierl (The Hollowing): Steven Weinzierl is an Emmy award winning director and creator devoted to bold, visual story telling, no matter the medium. With his production abilities and diverse understanding of media integration, Weinzierl is able to cultivate content from initial development, to final delivery.With Experience internationally and domestically, Weinzierl is always looking for fresh ways to elevate creative objectives. Weinzierl has established himself in the industry by combining his knowledge of multi-media creative to produce music videos, digital media, broadcast promotions, narrative film, and commercial advertisements.

David Djaco (Hello To Your First Day & Goodbye To Your Last): David Djaco is a Haitian-American filmmaker originally native to Harlem, New York. Since attending both the School of Visual Arts and Brooklyn College, Djaco has directed and produced a number of short films and projects. His diverse background in movie making (working as a Grip & Electric, Assistant Camera, editing various work, and more) gives him an eclectic approach to the process. Djaco aims to tell compelling and unique stories, while also exploring how you can push the visual format. Equally as important, is the task of broadening the narrative for black characters and recontextualizing what stories we think of telling in regards to them.

Mike L. Brown (The Celebration): Mike L. Brown attended Howard University and NYU’s graduate film school where he studied under celebrated filmmakers such as Spike Lee and worked on the documentary WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE in New Orleans, Louisiana. Later, Michael received support from the Sundance Documentary Institute, Firelight Media, Ford Foundation, and Tribeca All Access for his directorial debut, the feature documentary 25 TO LIFE (previously on NETFLIX). Michael’s latest short film THOUSAND LIGHTS OF SUN premiered on REVOLT TV. Michael believes great filmmaking is a combination of art, intellectual engagement, and entertainment. This philosophy informs his artistic approach. In order to make a compelling film, he employs all cinematic tools to reach the heart, mind, and soul of the audience.

Andy Currie (Driven Out): Andy Currie is an award-winning director and writer based in New Jersey. He has spent 20 years working as a creative in advertising, which sparked his desire to become a filmmaker working across disciplines. His 2022 micro-short commercial parody, "Nike Feelz," was shortlisted at the New York Film Fest and won at Onkyo Films Awards. He spent the past eighteen months directing three short films, writing a feature, and dragging his talented friends and colleagues into new projects. Despite constantly preaching the value of simplicity, brevity, and outrageous creativity, he isn't convinced that any person can be summed up in a paragraph.

ADDITIONAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION:

1. This panel will run for 45 minutes and will include a 10 minute Q&A with the panelists

2. THIS SESSION WILL TAKE PLACE IN-PERSON AT THE FESTIVAL VENUE

ALL SALES ARE FINAL