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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
THE DIRECTOR
Elizabeth Monroy M.S.
Elizabeth Monroy is the director of
The Infinite Human Institute
, a non profit organization that seeks to inspire, educate and promote emerging visionary artists. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts, English and History and a Masters of Science in Mental Health
Counseling. She has studied screenplay writing and film making at the University of California in Los Angeles and Cinema and Art at the University of Florence. For the past twenty years Elizabeth has
traveled around the world with her husband, a physician, laying a foundation for a deeper level of healing based on physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual evolvement. Together they wrote
The Pathway Home, which outlines
the spiritual foundation given to them by their spiritual teachers .In addition to The Pathway Home, Elizabeth is the author of several other books as well as
The Magical Mist a children's book aimed at empowering the creative imagination of children.
Elizabeth was exposed to the great pioneers of the humanistic movement
during the sixties in Southern California, where she lived with her
parents, both psychotherapists in a beach front home beside Sam
Keen author of the best seller Fire in the Belly and many other
amazing books on Human Potential. She had the privilege of meeting Fritz Pearls, founder of Gestalt therapy; Eric Bern, founder of transactional analysis; and Virginia Satire, founder of family therapy, at a very early age. Her father founded the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at the Louisville Presbyterian Seminary, and has written several books linking spiritual growth and psychotherapy.
Elizabeth has studied with Master Spiritual Teachers for the past twenty years and has received many high spiritual initiations. She has also studied Yoga and Psychotherapy at the Himalayan Institute. In her travels around the world she has had the opportunity to work with the indigenous populations of our planet and received much of her artistic inspiration from these cultures. She went on to become an accomplished artist and author. Her artwork has been exhibited throughout the United States, Central America, Micronesia, and Europe. Elizabeth has had her screenplays represented by a major agent in Los Angeles and is currently represented by a literary agent in New York, promoting her latest novel: The Chronicles of MerWorld .
"Visionary Art speaks to our soul and its true nature. It reminds us of the infinite possibilities that lie within us all. Each work of art I create is filled with an intrinsic electric energy and intent that transmits a message
to the subconscious of each viewer. I believe that the future of our planet is dependent on enough people accessing this infinite part of themselves and
sharing it creatively with others".
Admissions Counselor
Peggy Russell
Peggy started out her career as a top model winning
several national competitions in Las Vegas and other cities in the U.S.A.
She then took her knowledge into the level of education and became an
instructor for Jeannie’s Modeling and Talent Agency in Colorado Springs,
Colorado USA. She prepared models for national and international work in
runway, print, and commercials.
In 1997 she began working with the Mountain Film
Festival in Telluride, Colorado, her work expanded into the Durango
Independent Film Festival as their film and tech department manager where
she developed an extensive knowledge of grant writing, funds
raising and scholarships.
She owns and operates several businesses: a costume
shop; a bookkeeping and tax service along with a production company entitled
Best Shot Productions which will be filming a documentary in India in 2008.
Recently she has joined the Florence Film Festival in Florence, Italy which
projects their film festival to begin summer 2008. She has also been asked
to bring her expertise to The New Renaissance Florence Film School to serve
as Admission Counselor to personally serve the needs of our students.
New Renaissance Florence Film School
Mentors:
In addition to our core staff of
mentors we bring in working international professionals to share their
expertise with our students.
David Dancyger
From Los Angeles California he
has served as a Director of Operation - Director of Post Production -General
Manager-Post Production Supervisor - High Definition Consultant - Editor -
Producer – teacher . He is presently the director of operations at UCLA
School of Theatre, Film and Television where he directs all aspects of
production, post production and operations of The UCLA School of Film and
Television and consults and advises facility, students and administration
about on methods and trends in production and post production for film and
television. He creates and supervises budgets; implements cost saving
methods, consult and approve production and post production methods for
student productions. His work experience includes working with such high
powered production companies as THX Lucas Film Group, The Samuel Goldwyn
Company, Indigo Films, Turner Entertainment Network to name a few. He holds
a BFA from the San Francisco Arts Institute. In film and video production.
He was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts film production grant. And
the Sundance Film Festival Production fellowship. His Independent Feature
Films was the winner Independent Spirit award best first feature film.
Jason Moore
Jason
actively
works in various art modes including film, video, photography and
performance. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Visual
Arts/Media with an emphasis in Film and Video Studies from the University of
California, San Diego where he has also conducted Documentary Technique and
Practice courses. Jason has shown video work at festivals in the United
States, Mexico and Italy. His collaboration with the international
collective, DoEAT (The Department of Ecological Authoring Tactics) has
accumulated in performances at Pond Gallery (San Francisco), EXIT Art (New
York City), The Getty Museum (Los Angeles) and The Museum of Modern Art (San
Diego). He currently is residing in Florence, Italy endeavoring to develop
a media blog as well as instruct for The New Renaissance Florence Film
School.
RORY BAIN
Rory Bain has worked professionally around the world as an actor,
singer, producer and director. He recently founded Cracked in the Head Films
a production company, dedicated to making unusual films that need to be
seen.
Current projects include 2 short films: RAW SALT (Zakari Films) - currently
in production and set to wrap in July 2007 (co-producer/co-writer/actor) and
THE NAUGHTY MUSLIM (Cracked in the Head Films) production begins August 2007
(producer/writer/director). In September 2007, he will begin directing a
documentary feature on the global effects of peak oil for ASPO2007 in Cork,
Ireland. He has several works in development including a documentary on the
murder of the Pakistani cricket coach at the 2007 World Cup and a screenplay
for a feature film.
He recently co-wrote and produced the film LIBERATION (2006, Zakari Films)
in which he played the lead role. Liberation recently received award
nominations at festivals in LA and New York.
Since 2004-2006 he began producing and directing large concerts in New York
including numerous gala events for the Australian American Association and
the Gold Medal Ceremony for Sarah Hughes attended by 60, 000 people and
televised live on NBC.
From 1992-2004 he was engaged world-wide as a professional opera and concert
singer where he sang lead roles in over 500 stage performances at opera
houses in Europe, Israel and the USA.
DIEGO ROMERO
From Santiago de Compostela, Spain, Diego Romero has had considerable
experience as Director of Photography in several countries, counting his
home country, Belgium, London and Los Angeles. Containing film and
television, to music videos and documentaries, he holds a long catalog of
credits that include many short and feature length films that have made the
rounds in renowned film festivals.
Romero was Director of Photography of the 2005 short film Africans Poids
Moyens, which was recognized by the 2005 Sithengi Cape Town World Cinema in
South Africa with the Best Short Film Award. As, As In (2003), of which he
was also Director of Photography, won the Ken Russell Short Film Award at
the 2004 Clerkenwell Film and Video Festival.
Francesco Paladino
He is born to Piacenza (Italy): graduated in jurisprudence after
participating, with important affirmations, to the most important
international film festivals, started in 2000 devoting it to the
video/visual art; since 2003 he has collaborated with importing musicians of
all the world realizing audio/display called "trances film". Between the many
realizations: Antonio Fogar (2003) cd Pratki; Stone Breath and Moth Masque (U.S.A),
Alio Die ( It, Nocturnal Session 2005), Matthew De Gennaro (New Zelanda,
Post Atomic rodeo, 2007); Aaron Moore (UK) (The Accidental, 2006), Quentin
Nadig (USA, the L’ov story 2006), Opium & Sedayne (It-Uk) ( Witerbirds
helped the passengers " Italy 2007; Cloggs and Padma Newsome (Australia,
Parallel Man 2006), Gayla Drake Paul, Catfish Keith (USA, 2006), Two Star
Symphony (USA, 2007).
The short “PARALLEL MAN” (ITN distribution USA 2006) has been in the final
to the Short Corner film of the Cannes Festival 2006 and to the Festival V°
Of The Mediterranean Tangeri Cinema ". In 2007 he wins with the IOWA STORIES
documentary the Golden Remi Award for the digital documentary to the 40°
World Film Festival Of The Houston-Texas, and it is in the final to the
Cannes Festival, Short Corner Film With “MORNA”. Finalist to 58° festivals
of the short one to Montecatini with "Post Atomic rodeo".
Bari Hochwald
Bari Hochwald received her undergraduate degree in acting from Syracuse
University, 1984; she did her graduate studies with the American Repertory
Institute in Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard in 1990. She is a member
of Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists,
and Actors Equity.
Upon graduation from Harvard Bari immediately began work with the
professional company of the American Repertory Theatre. She has been
nominated and awarded for theatrical performances in Los Angeles by the Los
Angeles Drama Critics Circle, The Garland Awards, the Maddy Awards and the
L.A. Weekly Awards. Her most recent performance in L.A. as Gina in Murray
Mednick's "Fedunn" was called "the best performance of the year in Los
Angeles" by LA Weekly. Ms. Hochwald has worked as a Guest Star on major US
network television productions including: NYPD Blue, The Practice, Judging
Amy, Desperate Housewives, Star Trek - Voyager, Enterprise and DS9, The
Guardian, The Drew Carey Show, The George Lopez Show, etc. working opposite
such individuals as Sharon Stone, Jane Alexander, Drew Carey, Bill Macy,
Felicity Huffman, David Morse, Tyne Daly, etc. She has starred in several
independent films, two of which (The Open Gate, The Collectors) are
award-winning festival favourites. Her work as writer/performer of the solo
play, "Net Worth," was labelled as "A hit," "cracking with professionalism.
. . impossible to dislike" and "The American Bridget Jones ten years on" by
Edinburgh Weekly at the premiere of her play at the Edinburgh Fringe
Festival in Scotland in August, 2005.
As an instructor, Ms. Hochwald has taught mask work, acting and script
analysis in Los Angeles for the Laura Henry Studios and privately. She
coached acting during that time as well to young actors (10-18) as well as
adults (over a ten year period).
She has also taught playwriting and acting to underprivileged youth for 8
years in Los Angeles at Heart of Los Angeles Youth and is a founding member
of their theatre section. Ms. Hochwald was the recipient of the California
Grant for Youth Arts Services to teach playwriting to children with Celiac
Disease. She combined this effort to include youth from the above-mentioned
organization for a more cross-cultural experience for both groups.
Ms. Hochwald is author of "Your Money, Your Art. . . . Your Life" which is
currently under consideration for publication by several major publishing
companies in New York City based on articles written for Back Stage West as
well as other periodicals and workshops given at Julliard, Syracuse
University, Shakespeare Theatre at the Folger, Screen Actors Guild, etc. on
the subject of artists and their relationship and responsibility to managing
their personal finance.
Jenufa Gleich:
A new arrival on the operatic
scene, and a dramatic soprano d'agilita, Jenufa Gleich is exciting audiences
with her impeccable technique and distinctly original sound. Her thrilling
performances burst with a profound emotional validity and musical assertion.
Her rare ability in the dramatic bel canto repertoire of Rossini, Bellini,
Donizetti and early Verdi make this American artist an exciting prospect for
the future of opera. After completing her debut CD recording, produced by Bo
van der Meulen (BBC). The recording features Gleich in the most demanding
bel canto scenes in the operatic repertoire. She is accompanied by the North
Czech Philharmonic conducted by John Apeitos. Her engagements have included
a concert tour of Europe with the North Czech Philharmonic, as well as
performances of Donna Elvira in Prague, Helmwige in Die Walkuere, and the
title role in La Vestale in Paris. Her New York City recital debut is slated
for late 2008 to coincide with the launch of her album.
Andrea Parente
Andrea Parente is an independent
filmmaker. He holds a communication degree and a postgraduate course in
management from the University of Salerno and he worked as copywriter and
writer/executive producer for several local TVs. Then he moved in Rome where
ha attended a post graduate master in screenwriting and he shot with three
friends a documentary, La Notte è Piccola selected for the XI edition of the
Festival scrittura e immagine in Pescara and aired on Roma Uno. In 2004 he
moved in New York working for two years as a producer/media analyst for Rai
Corporation, the New York subsidiary of Rai, the Italian public TV. He’s
been also a contributor of the section VC2 of the cable channel Current TV
and he completed several projects: the short movie The Subway, winner of the
best director prize to the Capri Film Festival, and the shorts Ithaca (HD,
Color) and Cultural Selection (16mm, B/W). In New York he also attended a
course at the New York Film Academy to enhance his education in filmmaking.
Currently he works as a producer for Sky TG24, the main Italian all news
channel, freelance producer for Studio Universal Network Italia, freelance
copywriter for advertising agencies. He’s also writing and producing two
projects, a short movie set in Salento, in the south of Italy and a
documentary set between Naples and New York.
Ty Hunter
Ty is a native of Fontana,
California. He received his Bachelors of Science degree in Criminal Justice
from Central Methodist University in 2000. After arriving in New York Ty
began to make his rounds through the Off- Broadway circuit, shocking
audiences with a mesmerizing performance in a play called To Be Black in
America (A Titus Production). . After writing plays and short films Tie
Hunter was offered an opportunity to make his first directorial debut in
2005. With two short films and two feature films under his belt. Mr. Hunter
released his first Feature which is titled A Strip Called Destiny which
screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007
Andrea Pagnes
He is a Venetian born artist,
writer and performer. He has been awarded by the Ue with the Schuman prize
for his philosophical and literature activities in the early 90's. He built
up his career in visual arts. He exhibited his own work while he curated
international art projects in major cities such as Berlin, London, L.A.,
Vancouver, Sao Paulo. In the year 2000 he received the Millennium Painting
Award in representation of his own country at the Royal Academy of London.
He has participated at several Venice Biennales both as an artist as well as
assistant for some of worldwide renowned senior artists. It was his meeting
with Yoko Ono (and he offer to him to work for her at the Venice Biennale
2003) which principally lead him to consider the importance of art
performances not just as a mere show, but as research for the inner Self and
as a way to reach a more deep communication between human beings. In 2005 he
moved to Florence where he studies acting as the Isole Comprese School of
Social Theatre, while already performing and writing in over seven
productions. The last shown project conceived together with his company has
been XXL-Extended Peep Show, theatre project for one spectator only. He is
now currently working to 2 new projects, which will premiere at the No
Limits Festival in Berlin next October. Along with Verona Stenke Andrea won
the first prize at Artkontakt International Art Festival with their
interactive performance SPEAK THAT I CAN SEE YOU.
Andi Nufer
She is an accomplished artist
and educator with broad international experience. She completed her Master's
of Fine Art at Stanford University in California, where she served first as
a Fine Art teaching assistant and later as a Drawing Instructor for Stanford
Graduate and Undergraduate students. Andi's work has won numerous awards and
has been featured at galleries and venues across the US. Her performances,
videos, and drawing installations are a mix of childlike storytelling and
playfulness that combine factual and mythological histories, cultural
values, and images. She has taught photography, painting, and drawing at
arts organizations, independent schools and academic programs in the U.S.
and abroad. Andi also has a Master's in Art Therapy from the Art Institute
of Chicago where she studied filmmaking and performance art. Florence is a
city she treasures as a place that feeds the inner artist. As an instructor,
sharing a passion for art's power to create meaning, bridge art and life's
ordinary moments, and connect artist and viewer are what drives her to teach
the “whole artist” and not merely technique.
Claire Fouquet
She was born in Paris in 1971.
After studying mathematics, in 1992 she joined the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs
(ENSAD) of Paris where she was introduced to the art of animation and
graduated with the film “Chéri viens voir!” (Honey, have a look here!),
which received very good reviews. She later worked in the animation studio
of the company After-Movies in Paris, on both short films and commercials.
Since 1999, Claire Fouquet has been teaching animation at the Ecole
Européenne Supérieure de l’Image (Poitiers, France) in addition to
continuing with her own personal productions.
In the year 2000, she was offered an artist residency at the CNBDI,
(National Centre for Comics and Image) in Angoulême, France. From this
research and her meeting with the production company Les Armateurs*, the
film “Vos Papiers !” (Let’s see your ID !) was born, written and directed by
Claire, and produced between 2002 and 2006. During production she met Arnaud
Demuynck who became co-producer of the film and with whom she continues to
work to this day.
Vos Papiers has been selected in numerous international film festivals.
Among them, Anima Mundi (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil), Sao Paolo Film Festival (Brasil),
The International Festival of Animated Film of Hiroshima (Japan), Festivals
« Krok » and « Message To Man » (Moscou St Petersbourg, Russia) as well as
in TIAF (Taiwan), Festival On Wheels (Turquy), and the International Film
Festival of Cuenca (Spain), SICAF in Séoul (Korea), Melbourne Intenational
Film Festival (Australia), to mention some of the more major events. “Vos
Papiers” received a Special Jury Prize in "le court en dit long" (festival
of Belgian Film in Paris) 2006, a Special Mention in Larissa’s Festival in
Grece 2007, and a mention at Montecatini FilmVideo festival 2007.*Les
Armateurs (productors of animated feature as Kirikou and les Triplettes de
Belleville )
Jennifer Norton
Jennifer
Norton entered the world of Storytelling first as a young
painter, then later as an actress. As a graduate of NYU, TSOA,
Jennifer forged her career in NYC, where, amongst other things, she
co-founded The Actor’s Circle of New York. Over the years she
parleyed her skills and broadened her horizons to include
professional work not only as an Actress, but also as a Director/
Producer, for theatre, film and television. While Producing of the Domani
Vision Film Festival, she also produced the first edition of the 5x5 New
York State of Mind DV Project. Around that time, she also began working in
documentary filmmaking.
Along the way, Yoga has always been an essential part of Jennifer’s
creative practice. Currently, Jen resides in Florence, Italy, where she
operates her production company Apple & Olive, with her husband, Mario. She
is a
founding member of F.E.S.T.A. (Florence’s English Speaking Theatre
Artists) and a contributing artist for F.I.T.C. (Florence
International Theatre Company). When she is not acting, she spends
her time directing, editing, writing, teaching, and composing music.
In her spare time she also practices the crafts of photography,
jewelry making, painting, and cooking.
James
Sholto Douglas
He was born and
educated in South Africa. He took a first degree majoring in English and
History, followed by an Honours degree in English Literature. He then did a
post-graduate Higher Diploma in Education and qualified as a secondary
school teacher of English. After working in secondary education for 5 years,
he changed to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) in
London, England and later Pisa and Florence, Italy. Resident in Italy for
almost 20 years, he subsequently did an M. Phil through Bristol University
specialising in Italian Cinema, with a dissertation on the contemporary
Italian director Gianni Amelio He has taught graduate courses in Italian
cinema in Florence and Siena for the past 3 years, and also writes on film
for The Florentine and Time Out, as well as giving talks on
English language and Italian cinema in various cultural programmes in
Florence. He lists as his favourite directors (for now) Welles, Hitchcock,
Kubrick, Altman, Visconti, Antonioni and Tarkovsky.
Timothy James
Timothy James is both an artist and an owner of numerous small businesses.
Through his experiences he has learned the importance of creating
ascetically appealing web sites with practical tools that sell products.
Over the years Tim has learned that the advertising "trap" can do as much
to put you out of business financially as help your business grow. Beginning
with his first e-commerce web site in the late 1990's, he began to compile a
working knowledge of the tools available online that can free the small
business owner from those advertising hazards. A glass artist by trade, Tim
uses his self-promotional program to take ideas from conception to sale all
in one day.
If
you are a Professional
Writer, Actor, Director ,Artist, Film Maker or Marketing
specialist who would
like to teach a short workshop on your area of expertise here in Florence,
Italy during
the scholastic year of 2008-2009. please contact us at:
info@newrenaissanceflorence.com
OR
elizabethleemonroy@yahoo.com
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