WG 2026 / Guests
40+ Guests
Award-winning filmmakers, animation and VFX leads, producers and pioneers of participatory media and generative tools, from across Europe and the United States.
Guests & Experts
- Janusz KaminskiLegendary Polish cinematographer and director, twice an Academy Award winner for Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan, and Steven Spielberg's long-time collaborator (A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Lincoln, Bridge of Spies).Guest of HonourCinematographerDirector
- Stephan V. BugajCurrently at Disney India (JioStar); previously Pixar; CCO at Genvid; Emmy & Webby winner. Released one of the first fully GenAI-based films.DirectorAnimationTBC
- Adi SidemanPioneer of participatory media, founder of YouNow and Revel, creator of Oddcast and Popcorn.CEOFounder
- Verena PuhmAustrian director and producer, Head of Dream Lab Los Angeles at Luma AI; shown at Sundance, Cannes 2025 and Berlinale 2025.DirectorProducerTBC
- Stuart CrippsVFX specialist on Transformers: Age of Extinction, The Revenant and The Amazing Spider-Man, now a Gen AI Development Supervisor.VFX Supervisor
- Oscar BurgosVFX and animation artist on Avengers: Infinity War, The Suicide Squad and Predator: Badlands, now also directing.VFX SupervisorDirector
- Bartosz NalazekPolish cinematographer in Los Angeles, long-time collaborator of Janusz Kaminski (Lincoln, Bridge of Spies, The Post); shown at Sundance and TIFF.Cinematographer
- Minh DoCo-founder of Machine Cinema and Head of AI at Fantastic Day; educator in responsible, creative use of AI tools; leads GenJam™.FounderEducator
- Jagger WatersDirector, writer and AI filmmaker; programs Escape.ai and oversees narrative AI for Curious Refuge; featured by Forbes and the PGA.DirectorFilmmaker
- Tommy PetrovEntrepreneur and creative director (ex-Snap, Meta); creator of CopySight.AI, an early tool for copyrighting AI-generated content.Creative DirectorFounder
- Brogan WassellFilmmaker and director working with generative tools.FilmmakerDirector
- Desiree de AnaFilmmaker and artist working with generative tools.FilmmakerArtist
- Fred GrinsteinCo-founder of Machine Cinema; two decades in documentary and premium TV (Anonymous Content, Viceland), co-author of the course AI for Documentaries.Producer
- Steven S.H. YoonAnimation production manager and supervisor (Digital eMation, The Answer Studio): The Venture Bros., Animaniacs, Stretch Armstrong.AnimationProducerTBC
- John FoxStoryboard and previs artist for Warner Bros./DC and Universal: Aquaman, Black Adam, Shazam, Jungle Cruise.Storyboard ArtistTBC
- Elettra FiumiFlorentine-American producer and director, founder of Fiumi Studios; her documentary Radical Landscapes premiered at DOC NYC 2022.DocumentaryDirectorProducer
- Adrien BodsonCanadian producer and award-winning writer; made Innocent, the first Canadian film released in 4K Ultra-HD; works in GenAI film between LA, Montreal and Shanghai.ProducerScriptwriter
- Affan ImranCanadian entrepreneur and technologist, CEO and co-founder of innovation studio Fantastic Day; co-organiser of GenJam events.CEOFounder
- Adrian D. BotnariuBerlin filmmaker and actor, founder of Beyondflix Productions; organised the first AI event alongside Berlinale (with LTX Studio).FilmmakerActor
- Eugenio FierroItalian senior art director and creative strategist, creative partner of Pixverse and Image Art; AI educator.Art Director
- Laura TorngaCreative producer at LMU's School of Film and Television, leading The Innovators Film Festival; co-founder of Media Misfits.Producer
- Justin T. WintersScreenwriting lecturer at LMU teaching Producing and Screenwriting with AI; founder and president of Verified Labs.ScriptwriterEducatorTBC
- Themo MelikidzeGeorgian-born actor and producer (Patriots Day, 24: Legacy); performs as DJ 2MRW at the opening afterparty.ActorProducer
- Jonathan PerryAmerican director and writer; his Arctic film Subnivean (2019) was acquired by Amazon Prime Video.DirectorScriptwriter
- Nancy HamiltonAmerican documentary director and producer, founder of the non-profit Golden Eagle Films (We Promised, Never Alone).DocumentaryDirectorProducer
- Meg ButtonCanadian creative director and digital strategist, Head of Marketing & Creative at Fantastic Day; brand, web and e-commerce design.Creative Director
- …and moreA selection of the names joining us. The full official line-up, with panels and special guests, is announced in the run-up to the festival.
All of them in one room — Saturday, August 29.