VERO BEACH — The Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival, hailed as “The New Summer Sundance” by the Huffington Post, has announced its panel of esteemed celebrity judges for 2018 – a robust group of local celebrities with impressive industry resumes, including award-winning directors, producers, filmmakers, actors, screenwriters, entrepreneurs and artists.
They will join several judges travelling to Vero as part of the celebration in film. The second annual festival will be held June 7-10.
“We are thrilled to be working with such an impressive group of local Judges,” said Jerusha Stewart, Founder and Executive Director of the Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival. “To not only have that talent in our backyard, but to have them come on board is incredible. Their continued involvement echoes a town commitment to growing our cherished community cinematic celebration.”
“We look forward to Vero’s talents and expertise sparking great conversation and offering diverse insight into this year’s exceptional lineup of films,” added Susan K. Horn, VBWFF Co-founder and Board Member.
One new member to this year’s festival jury is Doug LeClaire, Director of The Asbury Short Film Concerts & Asbury Shorts USA since 1981. Asbury Shorts is New York City’s longest running, non-competitive short film exhibition, which travelled to the Vero Beach Museum of Art earlier this year.
“I’m so honored to be a member of this award-winning festival jury. I love having the opportunity to recognize the work of creative, hardworking, passionate filmmakers from around the world,” commented Mr. LeClaire.
The judges for the 2018 Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival are:
- Ari Sandel: Ari Sandel is the Oscar-winning Director for the short film, “West Bank Story” and the high school hit film “The DUFF.” Sandel’s film, “When We First Met” starring Adam Devine for Netflix, debuted worldwide for Valentine’s day. Currently, Ari is on set directing “Goosebumps 2.”
- Barry Shapiro: Barry Shapiro is a producer and director, who has made scores of national and award-winning commercials, corporate films and programs throughout his long career. Originally trained in painting and printmaking, Barry brought his artistic background into other professional roles, such as an advertising agency art director and writer. Today he resides in Vero Beach painting, writing and working as a marketing consultant to small and emerging businesses.
- Christine Fletcher: Christine Fletcher is a Florida native who recently returned to Vero Beach after years in Los Angeles, California where she has worked as a music editor for film, television, and digital media. Some of her film credits include Baz Luhrmann’s “Moulin Rouge” and Michael Mann’s “Ali”. Ms. Fletcher has been a member of the Motion Picture Editor’s Guild, the Motion Picture Sound Editors, and The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and received several nominations and wins in the area of music.
- Doug LeClaire: Doug LeClaire is the Director of The Asbury Short Film Concerts & Asbury Shorts USA since 1981.
- Asbury Shorts is New York City’s longest running, non-competitive short film exhibition, which also travels to various art house cinemas; performing art centers, movie theaters and museums across the US and Europe. Asbury Shorts film “concerts” have been presented at such prestigious venues as: The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Summer Stage in Central Park, NYC; The AERO Theatre in Los Angeles; The Alamo Draft House in Dallas, Texas; The Vero Beach Museum of Art, Creative Alliance in Baltimore, The Osprey Arts Center in Nova Scotia, Canada.
- Gordon Nordstrom: Gordon Nordstrom is a recognized marketing professional with more than 30 years of experience, including over a decade working in motion picture and television entertainment advertising. Over this time in Los Angeles, he worked on the Paramount Pictures, UA/MGM, Universal, CBS Television, NBC Television, Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox accounts. Gordon has participated in the advertising of over 250 films, many of which are academy award-winning pictures, including eight best pictures. Gordon is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley in Psychology and completed post-graduate work at UCLA in Educational Psychology and Theater Arts.
- Jeffrey Lyons: Jeffrey Lyons has reviewed 15,000+ movies, 900 Broadway and off-Broadway plays, interviewed 500 actors, written or co-authored seven books, co-hosted national movie review shows on PBS, MSNBC and the NBC stations. He’s won five Emmy awards, received two honorary degrees, broadcast Red Sox baseball games in English and Spanish, speaks fluent Castilian Spanish, played himself in “Death Trap” and “The French Connection,” studied acting with legendary teacher Lee Strasberg and has reviewed more movies than anyone in any medium. He now hosts “Lyons Den Radio” in national syndication and “Baseball Trivia.”
- Molly Smith: Molly Smith is the co-founder and partner of Black Label Media, a film finance and production company whose recent credits include the Academy Award winning “La La Land” and Academy Award nominated “Sicario.” Black Label’s current slate included the June release on the “Sicario” sequel “Day of the Soldado,” as well as recently released “12 Strong,” and “Only the Brave,” Before starting Black Label, Smith was a producer at Alcon Entertainment, where she produced a slate of projects including “The Blind Side.”
- Xaque Gruber: Xaque Gruber is a Director, Writer, and Producer. He has work in awards shows for nearly 20 years including the TV Land Awards, Scream Awards, World Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards, and Billboard Music Awards, among others. Mr. Gruber’s most recent film “Pistol” filmed entirely in Vero Beach was accepted into Cannes Film Festival.
For additional information on films, tickets, and all things Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival, please visit VBWFF.com.