Marta Roncada | WRITER / DIRECTOR
Marta Roncada is an award-winning writer, director, and producer, and the founder of the production company Whole Pictures. Rooted in her multicultural background as a Brazilian, Italian, and first-generation American, her storytelling explores the complexities of multifaceted identities and imbalanced societal power dynamics.
She is best known for her highly acclaimed short film DELIBERATE, an intense psychological drama that offers an unflinching perspective on predatory relationships through the eyes of a survivor. Praised for its textured and deeply human narrative, the film screened on the festival circuit where it won Best Short Drama (Waco Indie Film Festival) and Best of Fest (El Dorado Film Festival) before premiering online via Omeleto, YouTube’s top showcase of award-winning short films.
Marta’s screenwriting has been recognized by the Austin Film Festival, Athena Film Festival Writers Lab, and Launch Pad (Top 100). Through her work with Whole Pictures, she aims to bridge creative excellence with meaningful industry equity and remains committed to amplifying underrepresented voices both in front of and behind the camera.
Alexander Jeffery | PRODUCER
Alexander Jeffery is a Canadian-American filmmaker based in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he co-owns the production company Bespoke Works LLC with his longtime friend and collaborator, Paul Petersen. Raised in El Dorado, Arkansas, Alexander earned a double major in Theatre Performance and Film & New Media from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln before moving to Los Angeles. After a brief stint in Hollywood, he returned to the South to tell authentic, character-driven stories with the creative freedom of independent filmmaking.
His debut feature, A Chance Encounter, premiered at the Heartland International Film Festival where it won the Audience Choice Award and was later released theatrically and on-demand by Samuel Goldwyn Films. The film turned a profit in less than a year and was featured in-flight on both Delta and United Airlines. His follow-up feature, Days of Daisy, was acquired by Good Deed Entertainment, and his first documentary, You Have No Idea, won the Audience Award for Best Southern Feature at the 2022 Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival.
Most recently, Alexander produced the horror feature The Twin (formerly The Fetch), which won the Dark Matters Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival and was released by Vertical Entertainment and Shudder in the summer of 2025. His short films Addie and the Lightning Bugs (starring Cailey Fleming) and Caught on Tape, both coming-of-age stories, screened at numerous Academy-qualifying festivals and underscore his sensibility for the tone and themes central to his next feature, Crowhunt, written by Qui Nguyen (Raya and the Last Dragon).
Alexander is a Louisiana Film Prize Grand Prize winner (for The Bespoke Tailoring of Mister Bellamy), a passionate collaborator, and a committed mentor to young filmmakers.
Tina Carbone | PRODUCER
Tina Carbone is an award-winning independent producer and filmmaker known for championing bold, personal storytelling and creating inclusive, well-run sets. She has produced over 80 short films and 7 features, with work premiering at festivals like Tribeca, SXSW, and beyond. With a strong background in physical production, Tina helps bring grounded, immersive films to life while fostering a culture of kindness and collaboration on set. She’s also a passionate advocate for women in film and an active mentor within the indie filmmaking community.
Abby Tozer | PRODUCER
Abby Tozer is a producer, director, writer, actress, and founder of No Good Movies. A graduate of UC Berkeley with a degree in Neuroscience and double minor in acting and jazz piano, she draws from her unique background across science, performance, and entrepreneurship to create emotionally resonant stories that explore the complexities of the human experience.
Over the past seven years, Tozer has built a multifaceted career both in front of and behind the camera. She has directed and produced dozens of award-winning short films, commercials, and branded projects while simultaneously establishing herself as an actor. Most recently, she received Best Actress honors at Louisiana Film Prize and appeared in Brothers (Apple TV+) across Matthew McConaughey.
As the founder of No Good Movies, Tozer has focused on developing and financing independent film projects with both artistic and commercial potential. Her directorial debut, I'll Go If You Go, a 1960s coming-of-age drama starring Caylee Cowan, Larsen Thompson and Rolf Saxon, shoots in September 2026. Tozer serves as writer, director, and lead producer on the film.
Abby is beyond excited to reunite with her Louisiana based team on Deliberate and the rest of her wonderful indie team to bring this wonderful -- and much needed -- story to life.
Elizabeth Valenti | PRODUCER
Elizabeth Valenti is a producer, actor, and casting director from New Jersey with a BFA from Boston University. The short Achiever, which she produced with Madhouse Films, premiered at SXSW this year. She recently released her short Puppy Love that she co-wrote, produced, and starred in. It won several awards on the festival circuit, making it Oscar qualifying. She also produced the short film Other Other, written/directed by Mohamad El Masri (Severance), starring Sosie Bacon and Scoot McNairy. You can watch that short here on Short of the Week! She just wrapped the festival circuit with films Long Pork, starring Lena Headey and Marc Menchaca; Blood Boys, starring Booboo Stewart and Jamie Clayton; and The Music Store which is officially Oscar qualifying for 2027. She recently started her production company Vivid Dreamer Productions.
On the casting side, she's worked on projects such as Jumanji: Open World, The Accountant 2, Do Revenge, Easy's Waltz, Platonic and Mythic Quest (AppleTV+), and many other hit tv series and features (extended credit list upon request).
Acting credits include Hacks (HBO Max, recurring), Platonic (AppleTV+), Minx (Starz), and The Conners (ABC). She will be seen in an undisclosed feature this year.
Markus Mentzer | CINEMATOGRAPHER
Markus Mentzer is a Cinematographer based in Los Angeles and the EU. Working in features, television and commercials, Markus’ projects as DP include all seasons of Netflix’s “I Think You Should Leave,” SXSW nominated “Plantman & Blondie,” TIFF nominated “The Napa Boys,” Tribeca nominated feature “The Secret Art of Human Flight,” and Sundance nominated feature “Clara’s Ghost.” His films have premiered at Sundance, Tribeca and TIFF, and he has shot for Netflix, Sony, HBO, Hulu, Fox, MGM, and Amazon. Markus was trained by cinematographers Barry Ackroyd, Brandon Trost, Dean Semler, and Tak Fujimoto, on studio features and has established himself in independent cinema as a DP who can adapt to size of the project, regardless of size and scope.