MEET THE JURY

RONIKA MERL

Ronika Merl is an award-winning Irish screenwriter. Having placed highly in both the Finalist ACADEMY NICHOLL FELLOWSHIP as well as the AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL in 2019, she has since expanded her slate to contain more than 22 feature-length scripts. She has worked with an OSCAR WINNING PRODUCER (an Oscar winner is producing her upcoming feature "The Closing").

HANK RION

Hank Rion is an Associate Professor of Theatre and the Artistic Director of Peach State Summer Theatre at Valdosta State University. He premiered a production of the Musical, “Cry Baby” with Adam Schlesinger which is now being licensed around the world through Music Theatre International. He has also worked on a version of “The Witches of Eastwick” for MTI.

JOHN GALVAN

John Galvan is an award-winning American screenwriter. He is also the author of The Places I've Peed, an art and travel coffee table book that has gotten rave reviews on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It is also a former winner of the New York Script Awards for Best Television Screenplay.

DONIA YOUSSEF

Donia Youssef, an award-winning author, screenwriter and visionary. Her portfolio, brimming with over 30 award-winning works, testifies to her versatility and passionate writing. Her scripts have gained recognition at several film festivals and competitions, bolstering her reputation as a versatile writer adept at navigating both literature and screenwriting. Donia won the New York Script Awards 2023 in the category Best Female Screenwriter.