The Independent Filmmaker’s Playbook: Tips & Tricks for Getting It Made

Speakers

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  Bianca Halpern VP of Business Development, Otto Nemenz
  

  Bianca Halpern

  VP of Business Development, Otto Nemenz

  Bianca Halpern is a cinematographer, entrepreneur, and film industry business leader with a career focused on connecting creative vision with technology and innovation. She is the founder of BECiNE, a pioneering women owned camera rental company created to support filmmakers with access to cameras, lenses, and technical expertise. Today, Bianca serves as Vice President of Business Development at Otto Nemenz International, where she works at the intersection of cinematography, technology, and the evolving needs of the production community. With a unique eye and a deep understanding of both the creative and business sides of filmmaking, Bianca is passionate about fostering relationships, championing new technologies, and helping shape the future of the industry.

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  Gabriel Beristain Actor & Director
  

  Gabriel Beristain

  Actor & Director

  Gabriel Beristain was born in Mexico into a theatrical dynasty. His father, Luis Beristain, was a renowned lead actor of stage and screen whose last film was Luis Buñuel’s Exterminating Angel.

  He began his career as a documentary and newsreel cameraman throughout Europe, covering sensitive political, social, and ecological issues.

  A Prestigious British National Film and Television School, alumni, where he shot Jenny Wilkes’ Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Student Film,” Mother’s Wedding.”

  The Berlin Film Festival honored him in 1987 with a Special Silver Bear for outstanding achievement in cinematography and visual style for Derek Jarman’s “Caravaggio”.

  He has been involved in over 70 film and TV projects, including, Blood In, Blood Out, Dolores Claiborne, The Ring 2, Blade II and III, Black Widow and The Beekeeper.

  Amongst his over hundred commercials and music videos, are the famous Aerosmith Trilogy Crying, Crazy, and Amazing.

  As Director, he has directed episodes of MacGyver and Hawaii 5-0, a live concert for Ara Malikyan, the award-winning short film “The Caddy” with Ron Perlman, the conceptual drama-documentary “ELI“, for Earth League International. “Ya no Quedan Junglas. (A feature film premiered at the San Sebastian Film Festival). An award winning short “The Persian Rug” and the independent feature “God Shot”, to be released Q3, 2026

  Gabriel Beristain es miembro de la DGA, ASC, BSC, AMC y AMPAS. His family: Max, fashion designer, (23) y Victoria, actor (20).

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  Michele Kanan Emmy winning Producer, Emmy nominated Writer and Director
  

  Michele Kanan

  Emmy winning Producer, Emmy nominated Writer and Director

  Emmy® winning producer and co-writer of Way of the Cobra Couples, Michele Kanan was living in the suburbs, carpooling and serving as administrator for a successful medical practice when she decided to step out of her comfort zone to make a movie. Fast forward, and Kanan found herself and her kids married to the ‘Bad Boy of Karate’ Sean Kanan, while beginning a Hollywood career as a producer, writer and director.

  She has produced ten films including ’Til Death Do Us Part with Jason Patric, Orlando Jones and Cam Gigandet; Darkness of Man with Jean Claude VanDam; and a Cannes Film Festival sci-fi favorite, Colonials with Greg Kriek.
  In 2021, Kanan was nominated for an Emmy® for writing and she won an Emmy® as producer for Outstanding Digital Drama for STUDiO CiTY (Amazon Prime, ROKU). STUDiO CiTY has received over 20 Emmy® nominations and garnered Kanan a 2019 Indie Series Award for Best Writing.

  Currently Kanan is in post-production on the young adult television show, Pretty Little Gun and is set to direct the feature films, A Gift of Magic and Snipers. She has four projects in development, including one with Eric Roberts and another with Orlando Jones. In addition, Kanan is launching a web3 interactive game and token in conjunction with her show Pretty Little Gun, while running a flourishing e-commerce/digital marketing boutique agency.

  In 2022, she received a star on Palm Springs prestigious Walk of Fame in recognition for her work in entertainment and philanthropy in the Coachella Valley and Hollywood. In her spare time, Kanan spoils Beatrix, her Pug and she adores spending time with her five grown children and international television star husband.