Jack Rafferty (BBC Leicester) is a Leicester film writer & a regular presenter on BBC Radio Leicester. During his career, Jack’s passion for film has seen him interview a variety of actors & directors about their work – including Bella Ramsey, Jon Bernthal, Robert Eggers & Julian Fellowes. From Letterboxd to his new movie blog, Jack reviews and writes articles about award-winning and indie productions, and his connections with the Midlands have given him a unique insight into the stories told by local filmmakers.

Jake Harvey (Phoenix Cinema)  is the Cinema Programme Manager at Phoenix Leicester and has been involved in indie film for 15 years. Working at Leicester’s independent cinema across the operations and film programme departments, he has a huge passion for film - both regional & national - and has managed their cinema programme since 2012. Jake has also overseen a big growth in local admissions and driven the organisation to focus on diversity and inclusion, reflecting the great plurality of Leicester.

Lateesha Johnson (BFI Network)  is a BFI Network Talent Coordinator for the Midlands and works across the region to empower emerging talent to bring their unique visions to life. With a deep commitment to nurturing new talent and amplifying underrepresented voices, she helps connect filmmakers with development opportunities, funding and programmes. Lateesha is also passionate about creating pathways for diverse voices, ensuring fresh perspectives are heard and with experience in film curation, she brings her expertise and enthusiasm and is excited to champion innovative filmmakers from the Midlands.

Matt Tilt (Freelance Film Critic) is a writer and the co-founder and editor of What’s In a Scene - a weekly newsletter exploring the greatest scenes in cinema history. From classics and cult movies to underappreciated gems of film, Matthew has a wide-range of experience in film history and criticism. As a regular contributor of reviews, interviews and festival coverage at Midlands Movies, Matthew is committed to raising the profile of regional filmmakers and a strong supporter of the local film community.

Sophie Ivanova & Mellissa Donello (Birmingham Film & TV Market) Sophie Ivanova is an award-winning producer, actor, multi-platform businesswoman and owner of Inspirit Productions and Mellissa Donello is an award-winning screenwriter and producer.  The Birmingham Film & TV Market is the UK's leading pitch and network event for filmmakers and the team are passionate supporters of Midlands talent.

Michael Sales (Midlands Movies) is the founder and editor of Midlands Movies. Set up in 2013, Midlands Movies is a hub which showcases a wide variety of talent from the region’s film industry. Mike has regularly appeared on BBC Radio Leicester and Derby and has provided support for filmmakers on the BACK IN programme in Birmingham. Based in Leicester, Mike is passionate that the Midlands Movies Awards are once again a place to honour and celebrate the best local film-making creatives in the region.

UPDATE: Nicola Prestage (Filmmaker) is a local independent filmmaker and digital artist who has successfully produced films for L'Oreal, John Lewis and Jaguar. Over 12 years, Nicola's work has been featured on BBC Three and the Commonwealth Games, and she was recently nominated for a Royal Television Society award. The experienced filmmaker will be offering post-awards development support to one production team!