Meet The Team
Festival Judge
Jeff Brooks
Jeff Brooks is a graduate of the Mohawk College Media and Broadcasting studies. While filming and highlighting local sports and events, his credits also include traveling cross country to film a variety of sporting events, conduct an interview with the prime minister and members of parliament, as well as providing consultation and assistance on events and shows.
Festival Judge
Erik Shaw
Erik Shaw, Producer at the local tv station YourTV Chatham brings his love of film to the panel for the CK Film festival. Not a day goes by where he may quote some line from a movie... depends on what kind of day it is. This is Erik's third year on the panel and he can't wait to see the amazing talent the CK film festival will bring.
Festival Judge
Walter Riggi
Walter Riggi has been in the Music Business since he was a teenager. He’s played in various bands and out of a need to record them and keep the cost down he started a recording studio in his parents basement. At this same time he also began helping his Dad with his video company shooting wedding videos. When Walter Riggi was 22 he was signed to indie label, JLT Records, and began Production on his first record. That album was never completed and Walter Riggi moved on and started Riggi Media Int.. This company combined both of his passions, recording and video production. Through Riggi Media Int. Walter Riggi has worked with Jennifer Hudson (Remix for “It's Your World”, 2014), Celine Dion (Remix for “Back to Life”, 2013), Jackie Green (Black Crows) to name a few. He has worked on cable TV series such as, “House to Home” (1 season), “Culinary Chat” (4 seasons), “Profiles of the Powerful (4 seasons) all 3 series on Cogeco, “Open House Market Place” (1 season) on A Channel (now known as CTV), “Networth TV” starring Terry Bradshaw (2012, 3 episodes), “The Art of Living” with Marilu Henner (2012, 2 episodes). In 2010 he worked on the pilot episode of “Fear of Frying” starring Brian George (Babu from Seinfeld). He has also won 2 Aegis awards for his reality series ``Reality Wedding Video``(2010), ``Fashion Video Production`` (2010) and has received two Idyllwild Film Festival nominations for Best Cinematography and Best Short Film (2016) for “Terminii” which was produced and filmed by Walter Riggi.
Festival Judge
Mike Thain
I've been a movie fan for as long as I can remember. The Friday night, Saturday afternoon, Saturday night horror hosts were the people who first instilled in me a love for giving myself over for an hour or two, in the dark, to a story teller. My mother who had a love for the classic black and white cinema of the 1930's to the 1950's and who dropped everything most weekday afternoons to watch Bill Kennedy at the Movies on Channel 50 from Detroit taught me that not all great films have the Universal Monsters in them. Bogey, Bacall, Jimmy Stewart, Alfred Hitchcock, Elwy Yost on TVO on Saturday nights were all gifts my mom gave to me while I was growing up. Then it was 1983 and I was "grown up" and went off to school in London where I discovered the New Yorker, a repertory theatre at Richmond and York, The Western Film Society, and many of the other local theatres where I saw films, both great and awful, and loved every one. During this time I had an "in" at a local video store. I was able to rent, for free, any movie my heart desired. As long as I took it out early enough so that I could bring it back in time for the evening rush. I watched everything. Rom Coms, Horror, Classics, Italian Post Apocalyptic films, Action, Comedy, Cult Classics. The early 1980's were a golden age for movie buffs and I was a very happy film nerd. I must admit that I let my love for smaller films telling great stories get overwhelmed by the need to see the latest blockbuster action/superhero/alien invasion movie but I've grown a little impatient with cartoon armies fighting cartoon armies for almost three hours and and want to get back to what I loved about watching movies in the first place-great stories. I am pleased and honoured to have been asked to participate in the Chatham-Kent International Film Fest and look forward to seeing some wonderful movies.
Festival Judge
Jeremy McCarthy
I've been a movie fan for as long as I can remember. The Friday night, Saturday afternoon, Saturday night horror hosts were the people who first instilled in me a love for giving myself over for an hour or two, in the dark, to a story teller. My mother who had a love for the classic black and white cinema of the 1930's to the 1950's and who dropped everything most weekday afternoons to watch Bill Kennedy at the Movies on Channel 50 from Detroit taught me that not all great films have the Universal Monsters in them. Bogey, Bacall, Jimmy Stewart, Alfred Hitchcock, Elwy Yost on TVO on Saturday nights were all gifts my mom gave to me while I was growing up. Then it was 1983 and I was "grown up" and went off to school in London where I discovered the New Yorker, a repertory theatre at Richmond and York, The Western Film Society, and many of the other local theatres where I saw films, both great and awful, and loved every one. During this time I had an "in" at a local video store. I was able to rent, for free, any movie my heart desired. As long as I took it out early enough so that I could bring it back in time for the evening rush. I watched everything. Rom Coms, Horror, Classics, Italian Post Apocalyptic films, Action, Comedy, Cult Classics. The early 1980's were a golden age for movie buffs and I was a very happy film nerd. I must admit that I let my love for smaller films telling great stories get overwhelmed by the need to see the latest blockbuster action/superhero/alien invasion movie but I've grown a little impatient with cartoon armies fighting cartoon armies for almost three hours and and want to get back to what I loved about watching movies in the first place-great stories. I am pleased and honoured to have been asked to participate in the Chatham-Kent International Film Fest and look forward to seeing some wonderful movies.
Festival Judge
August Kyss
Rising star and published author August Kyss has gained popularity in a swift amount of time after becoming interested in acting in 2021. Her first horror role was in the popular creature feature Wolf Hollow opposite horror icons Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp), & Lynn Lowry (George A. Romero's The Crazies). August also had iconic cameo role in the horror comedy, Murdercise with cult star Ginger Lynn ( Rob Zombie's The Devil's Rejects). August dreams came true when she was hired for Full Moon Feature's Sci-Fi film Murder-Bot from legendary filmmaker Jim Wynorski (Chopping Mall),and the indie thriller Isleen Pines opposite iconic star Glenn Plummer (The Day After Tomorrow). August has several new films coming out and is helping put Canadian horror on the map. We are eagerly awaiting on her new films, Flesh Of the Unforgiven (Debbie Roshon, Model Hunger), Demented Two (Bret Hart, WWF Champion) and Death Bitch (Bridget “The Midget” Powers). The busy actress is getting ready to film three more films this summer and is most excited about hosting her very own horror show on NYX TV, Dark Rewind, all about her personal favorite horror era, the eighties. Her mantra is: "If I'm not working on a project, I'm working on myself." Kyss believes in being positive and professional in both work and life and always looks forward to new opportunities and challenges.
We hope you will submit a project
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