Max Lugavere is a health and science journalist, filmmaker, and bestselling author. He is the author of the Genius trilogy of books, including the New York Times bestseller Genius Foods and the Wall Street Journal bestseller Genius Kitchen. He hosts The Genius Life podcast, one of the top health and wellness podcasts in the U.S, and has an audience of over 1.5 million followers across social media. His contributions to programs like The Rachael Ray Show, The Today Show, PBS’s Brief but Spectacular, and The Doctors, along with features in VICE, Fast Company, The New York Times, People Magazine, and CNN, and appearances on The Joe Rogan Experience and The Diary of a CEO, have made him a respected and well-known voice in the field. An engaging speaker on relevant health and wellness topics, Lugavere regularly leads keynote talks and corporate seminars around the world.
Indie Filmmaker Chris Newhard, a native of Pennsylvania, has worked across the continental USA, Central America, Africa, and Europe for the last 16 years. Grounded in fine arts, design, and drama club as a teen, his work tends to delve into the shadows of life and the conflicts of being human. As his career became more fluid, his work had to expand and contract, allowing him to work in the music industry as a music video director, working with artists like Sia, Maroon 5, Sirah, Chevelle, Grayscale, Jessie J, American Authors, and many more. His first documentary film, “Are You Lonely” (2012, 55 min), follows American Folk band The End of America to the Adirondack mountains as they travel by canoe to a small island to write their album.
Over the course of his career he has shot many documentaries, short films, and commercials. 2023 saw the release of his latest short, "Self Tape" (25 min), which explores the intricacies and anxiety-inducing choices of an aspiring actress in the modern film industry.
Jacob Matthew is an independent Film Producer from Philadelphia, PA currently living in the Arts District of Los Angeles, CA. His most notable work includes the Emmy Nominated Netflix Original Documentary The Minimalists: Less Is Now and the cult comedy Sketch Series Gilly and Keeves with Shane Gillis. Matthew is the Executive Producer of Booklight Film Co. as well as a founding member of Booklight Media: an independent, equity based distribution company.
Hilla Medalia is a Peabody Award-winning director, producer, writer, and has received four Emmy award nominations. Her projects have garnered critical acclaim and screened internationally in theaters and on platforms including HBO, MTV, PBS, BBC and ARTE. Her work including - ‘Mourning in Lod’ 2023 (MTV Documentaries, DocAviv) ‘Innocence’ 2022 (Venice International Film Festival), ‘H2: The Occupation Lab’ 2022 (Hotdocs, Fipa), ’Love & Stuff’ 2020 (HotDocs, DOCNYC), ‘ Leftover Women’ 2019 (Tribeca, ARTE), ‘The Oslo Diaries’ 2018 (Sundance, HBO, ARTE), ‘Muhi’ 2017 (IDFA, HotDocs), 'Censored Voices', 2015 (Sundance, Berlinale), 'The Go Go Boys' 2014 (Cannes), 'Web Junkie' 2014 (Sundance, POV, BBC), 'Dancing in Jaffa' 2013 (Tribeca, IFC) and more.
Hilla is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the PGA and she holds an M.A. from Southern Illinois University.