Presenter | Winter Film Festival

Michael Joseph Murray

Michael Joseph Murray graduated with honors from NCSU in 2005 with a BA in Arts Applications: Film Studies and a Theatre minor. He then proceeded to perform on Off-Broadway and regional theatre stages, and can be seen in multiple TV, film, and video game projects such as “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”, “The Deuce”, and “Gears of War: Judgment”. He earned his MFA in Filmmaking at the City College of New York in 2022 with the completion of his thesis short film, “Marcel The Muscle Man”. Michael continues to work in various production capacities in and around New York City. Further, if it should please the reader, he is an Eagle Scout, can dock a pontoon boat, and is the same height as George Clooney.

Todd Toure

Adil Zubair

Adil Zubair is an actor, dancer and model. Adil studied acting from The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. He was recently seen in the off-Broadway play ‘SHARUM’ and ‘ONENESS’ show also featuring Hasan Minhaj.

Vanessa Son

Fresh college graduate Vanessa Lee Son is a writer, activist, cat enthusiast, and actor. She has a BA in International Relations with a focus on Human Rights from the University of California Berkeley, where she last starred in “The House of the Spirits”. She was also an active member of student-run theatre groups like Barestage Productions and Colors of Theatre. Her last project was an on-stage performance at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. Vanessa hopes to explore film acting in New York.

Juvian Marquez

Juvian Marquez is an award winning, bilingual stage and film actor with multiple credits and awards under his belt. Juvian has a wide range of experience, from network television roles, to acting/stunt work and starring/leading in multiple independent, award winning film projects currently in show on multiple film festivals.

Danny Houk

Fresh to New York from Chicago, Danny Houk is an actor, comedian, and helpful tall man if you need it. He was the lead in a film based on the Stephen King short story “A Very Tight Place” which is releasing soon and just wrapped up filming a pilot called “Wants and Needs.” He loves this city and Bruce Springsteen.

Jes Davis

Jes Davis is an actor, model and designer of her own clothing brand, TUNC. She has been featured and performed in the popular Netflix series “Orange Is The New Black”, “Russian Doll” and “The Punisher”. In addition to her roles on eposodic TV, she also performs in theatre in off-broadway productions as well as independent film. Her most recent film “Play” in which she has a leading role is set to release Summer 2020.

Clara Carlo

Clara Carlo is a New York based actress and model. She is a student of acting at the Stella Adler Studio and of Improv at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade. She enjoys nature, running, yoga, and supporting organizations dedicated to social justice.

Mercy Baez

Mercy Baez is a woman?s advocate for domestic violence and through her own artistry of performing, motivational speaking and teaching she tells her stories of survival. She created an empowerment movement called ?The Rebirth of a Woman? in 2016 that provides different platforms for other survivors and supporters of survivors to help uplift, encourage and educate on domestic violence and sexual abuse. Such platforms as monthly events/empowerment circles, a summer intensive radio show, and a domestic violence social campaign that is in NYC, Los Angeles, California, ATL and Miami, Florida. Being a multi disciplined performer, Mercy uses the Arts to help others create their own healing from traumas in life. ?The Rebirth? was able to bring its platforms to different schools and universities, like Cornell and soon to be Mercy College, as well as Rikers Island. Today, Mercy?s biggest project of a theatrical show is coming in March 2020 for woman?s month to NYC. Follow her and stay tuned!

Drew Gardner

Drew is a performer, model and director/choreographer. Drew is beyond happy to be a part of the WINTER FILM AWARDS this year. Drew was last seen in Post Coitus Confessions and THE REGISTRY at the Hudson Guild Theatre, and you can catch him in a new web series INTERESTED IN, which will be premiering on DEKKOO.

Nick Huston

Nick Huston has been a professional sound mixer since 2003 and is currently the sales manager at Gotham Sound.

Yeraldi Saenz

Colombian Actress and dancer Geraldi Saenz started acting when she was high school. She began her professional career in 2009 and she graduated from the Academia Superior de Artes ASAB in Bogota-Colombia in 2016. She has been part of many theater productions and TV shows in Colombia. Currently she is exploring a new professional path in New York City.

Carl Goodman

Carl Goodman has worked at the Museum of the Moving Image for more than 25 years, having joined in 1989 as an educator. Since his appointment as Executive Director in 2011, Carl oversaw a three-fold increase in annual attendance, following the Museum’s acclaimed expansion and renovation. Prior to 2011, Carl was the Museum’s Senior Deputy Director, overseeing all public programming, education, and collections initiatives, and supervising the Museum’s use and study of digital media.

Rob Chen

Rob Chen is an NYC actor working in theater & film. Rob’s first professional theater work was playing Kenji in the award-winning play, A Thousand Cranes, by Kathryn Schulz Miller. He starred in the film Secret Lives Of Asians At Night, set to go through the film festival circuit. He graduated from the Stella Adler Studio of Acting Professional 2-Year Conservatory. Rob loves pistachio ice-cream.

Mike Brown

Mike Brown is a teacher, Improviser, and actor who travels the globe teaching and performing his craft. He started improvising in 2005 as a Philadelphia Phillies “Phanstormer” (aka: cheerleader), and then eventually in New York studying with The Magnet, The Upright Citizens Brigade, and The People’s Improv Theater. He created The Mike Brown Solo Improv Extravaganza in 2009, and has been teaching the form of Solo Improv since 2012. Mike has performed in over 35 Improv festivals worldwide, and doesn’t plan on slowing it down anytime soon. You can see him perform regularly at The PIT in Fury, and in Hackensack, NJ with Howdy Stranger. He lives in Harlem with his cat, Minerva.