AFCI Cineposium Unveils Additional Speakers from PlayStation Productions, HBO, Universal Pictures, Legendary TV, Blumhouse, UN World Tourism Organization, and More

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The speaker lineup for AFCI's first Cineposium conference in Russia (September 13 – 16 in Saint Petersburg) continues to expand with top-level experts.

Newly added speakers include:

• Asad Qizilbash – Head of PlayStation Productions (making his first international speaking appearance since becoming head of production).
• Iain Smith, OBE – Producer of "Mad Max: Fury Road," "Children of Men," "Spy Game" and "The Killing Fields."
• Jay Rowe – SVP of Production at HBO.
• Cristen Carr Strubbe -- SVP of Physical Production at Universal Pictures ("Jurassic World" and "Fifty Shades" franchises).
• Ashley Rice – EVP of Physical Production at Legendary Television & Digital Media ("Lost in Space," "Carnival Row," "The Looming Tower," "Paper Girls," and "Console Wars").  
• Jeanette Volturno – Head of Production at Blumhouse (the company behind iconic horror and drama films including "The Purge" franchise, "Get Out" and "BlacKkKlansman").  
• Marco Valerio Pugini – President of Panorama Films ('6 Underground," "Solo: A Star Wars Story," "American Assassin" and "John Wick: Chapter 2").
• Per Henry Borch – Location Manager for "Ex Machina," "Harry Potter" and "Transformers".
• Michel Ruben – Producer of "Narcos," "All About My Mother," "Talk to Her" and "Contracorriente"
• Zurab Pololikashvili – Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Held in collaboration with UNWTO's General Assembly (September 9-13 in Saint Petersburg), AFCI's 43^rd Cineposium conference will bring together film commissioners and global leaders involved in all forms of media production, distribution and marketing.

"This year's 43^rd annual Cineposium is on track to be our most global conference to date," said AFCI President Jess Conoplia. "It will be a melting pot of top industry executives, content creators and film commission representatives from six continents. We couldn't be prouder of the extraordinary programming and networking opportunities attendees will experience."  

The new speakers announced today join a lineup that also includes:

• Xueyuan Hun – Project Manager for UNESCO's International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication (ICFT)
• Helene Granqvist – President of Women in Film & Television (WIFTI)
• Dr. Jo Twist, OBE – CEO of UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE)
• Jonathan Olsberg – Chairman of Olsberg SPI (international media consulting firm)
• Nick Smith – Former Commercial Director at Pinewood

Cineposium speakers will address hot-button issues such as the TV content boom, co-production, infrastructure development, the evolution of gaming, film tourism and gender equality. Sessions held in partnership with the European Film Commission Network (EUFCN) and Asian Film Commission Network (AFCNet) will also spotlight production in Europe and Asia. A joint reception at Saint Petersburg's historic Catherine Palace will celebrate Cineposium's first collaboration with UNWTO and growing public interest in film tourism (i.e., interest in locations featured in films and TV series).

"The growth of 'film tourism' presents exciting new opportunities for AFCI to work with UNWTO and other organizations to expand Cineposium's global reach and relevance," added Conoplia.

Cineposium is the only international conference focused on connecting film commissioners, production industry partners and policymakers. Over the past decade it has been held in the United States, France, New Zealand, Spain and South Korea. Cineposium is one of AFCI's two hallmark annual events (the other is AFCI Week held each April in Los Angeles).

For this year's Cineposium, AFCI is working closely with the Russian Office of Film Commissions and the Committee for Tourism Development of Saint Petersburg for support with venues, programming and production.

Saint Petersburg will offer Cineposium attendees a unique, world-class conference experience. The city is known to Russians as the "Window to the West," and at Cineposium it will also become a window into Russia's growing media production industry.

More information about Cineposium 2019, including the full list of speakers and sessions, is available at https://afci.org/afci-news/events/afci-cineposium-2019/.

About The Association of Film Commissioners International
Founded in 1975, the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) is the professional organization for film commissioners worldwide. It represents more than 300 city, county, state, regional, provincial and national film commission members on six continents. AFCI empowers its members by sharing best practices, providing workforce development training and strengthening ties to policymakers and the production industry. AFCI is based in Los Angeles. For more information, visit AFCI.org.  

Contact:
Erik Deutsch
For AFCI
(323) 851-2455
[email protected]

SOURCE Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI)

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