Mentors · New York · 17–20 November 2026
Twelve proposed mentors from film, tech and business: the masterclasses, open to registered guests, and the 1:1 meetings for the selected projects. Each screening ends with a Q&A with its filmmakers.
*Participation subject to final confirmation. Credentials as printed in the programme.
Presented with ICR New York
Vivek Singh*SVP of IT & Strategic Planning, PALNARSpeaker and 1:1 meetings
Cris Pop*Founder, Thunder1:1 meetings
Hannah Lindsay*Strategic Growth Advisor · ex-De Beers1:1 meetings
Dr. Daniela Maior*Partner & Co-Founder, VERTIK Group · President, ARIRMasterclass Tue 17 Nov and 1:1 meetings
Simona Vasile*Tax Principal, BDO USASpeaker and 1:1 meetings01 International mentors
FilmExecutive Producer of the Academy Award-winning The King’s Speech. Extensive experience in film financing, production and international industry strategy.
FocusFilm investment, creative development, packaging and global market strategy.
Professor of Robotics at the University of Birmingham, Chair in Robotics and Royal Society Industry Fellow, and leader of the Extreme Robotics Lab. His work spans robotics, AI, machine learning and human-robot interaction.
FocusRobotics, AI, machine learning and human-robot interaction.
TechVivek Singh is a technology executive, strategist, and thought leader with expertise across AI, cloud, data, digital transformation, and media & entertainment. He serves as Senior Vice President of IT & Strategic Planning at PALNAR, where he works at the intersection of emerging technology, business strategy, media, and digital innovation.
Vivek is an IEEE Senior Member, Fellow of the Association for Project Management (FAPM), and member of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (International Emmy Awards). He also serves on the Board of Directors of World Youth Group, a UN-affiliated nonprofit organization, supporting international youth and community initiatives.
At Festival of Thinking, Vivek serves as an Advisor and U.S. Representative, helping advance the Festival’s presence in the United States, build strategic relationships, and connect leaders across technology, business, media, and the creative industries.
FocusResponsible AI, emerging technologies and media transformation: advanced advertising, audience intelligence, cross-platform measurement, attribution and AI-driven media solutions.
BusinessStrategic growth advisor to startups, corporates and investment management firms, with a background in luxury (De Beers), mobility, green tech and media. Led the UK launch of the heat pump startup Heatic and built the corporate sales arm of Octopus Electric Vehicles.
FocusGo-to-market, business development, fundraising and growth for startups and SMEs.
02 Romanian mentors
Curated 1:1 project meetings at ICR New York, three afternoons, Tuesday to Thursday, 12:00–16:00 (Thursday until 15:30, then The Next Step). Each selected project is matched to the mentors who fit it.
Dr. Daniela Maior*Partner & Co-Founder, VERTIK Group · President, ARIR
Partner and Co-Founder of VERTIK Group and President and Co-Founder of ARIR. Specialist in capital markets, investor relations and corporate financing, with more than 18 years of experience; also an active business angel.
BusinessMasterclass, Tue 17 Nov1:1 meetings
Simona Vasile*Tax Principal, BDO USA
Tax Principal at BDO USA, with more than 25 years in US tax at PwC and KPMG, where she was also Chief Technology Officer for KPMG in the Nordics. Focus: US corporate and individual tax, international tax, global mobility and digital transformation. Board member of FORA, RomAmPro and RACC-CT.
BusinessSpeaker1:1 meetings
Gabriela Suciu-Pădurețu*Vice Dean, Film Faculty, UNATC Bucharest
Lecturer, PhD and Vice Dean of the Film Faculty at UNATC Bucharest. Focus: film production, education and the development of emerging filmmakers.
Film1:1 meetings
Alexandru Baltă*Producer, Retina Film Production · Lecturer, UNATC Bucharest
Bucharest-based film producer and academic. Founder and producer at Retina Film Production, his credits include Complet Necunoscuți (2021), the Romanian adaptation of Perfect Strangers directed by Octavian Strunilă, which premiered in competition at the Transilvania International Film Festival and was released on Netflix Romania, as well as The Secret of Pin-up Island, the documentary Deportați în Bărăgan, and the short film 17 Aprilie, which earned a Special Mention for Best Indie Producer at IPIFF. He holds a PhD in Cinematography and Media from UNATC Bucharest, with a thesis on game design, and is a university lecturer in the Multimedia: Sound & Editing department, where he also coordinates the English-language New Media Design master’s program.
Film1:1 meetings
Cris Pop*Founder, Thunder
Cris leads Thunder with a people-first mindset while building mission-driven software products. The mission-driven approach comes from the belief that while technology constantly evolves and we adapt with it, the work that truly leaves a mark is rooted in a consistent foundation. That comes down to three core principles: leadership, ownership and generosity – the discipline to dig deeper into problems, maintain high standards throughout execution, and ensure every decision ladders up to the product vision. Cris is also a strong advocate for civic entrepreneurship, investing his time and energy into people and communities. For him, building technology goes hand in hand with building environments where others can grow.
Tech1:1 meetings
Viorel Chesaru*Director, Chainsaw Europe · Director General, UPFAR-ARGOA
Director at Chainsaw Europe, a Bucharest post-production house; he has worked in post-production since 2000. As a producer, his credits include Metronom (2022) and Ligia Ciornei’s Grounded Between Borders, and he co-produced The New Year That Never Came (2024). He is Director General of UPFAR-ARGOA, a Romanian collective management organisation for audiovisual producers’ rights, and President of Creative Romanian Film Makers (CRFM). Since 2023 he has sat on the international jury of Transilvania Pitch Stop, a co-production pitching platform.
FilmScreening, Thu 19 Nov1:1 meetings
03 Screening guests
Four private screenings at Scandinavia House, one each evening from Tuesday 17 to Friday 20 November, 17:00–20:00, each followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. Tuesday to Thursday they run at the same time as the talks at One Vanderbilt, so pick one. Registered guests; the 20 selected projects are invited.
Register for a screening →
Andreea BorțunDirector, A River’s GazeRomanian filmmaker and visual artist immersed in anthropological research. Her transdisciplinary practice centers on process-driven projects, using visual and audio language as a sensorial extension of her perception. She also works as an educator: she is an assistant professor at the National Film School (UNATC) in Bucharest and has curated experimental narrative methods at the Pustnik International Screenwriters Residency since 2014. Her films have screened at Cannes Quinzaine des Cinéastes, Toronto and Karlovy Vary, among others. Her feature debut A River’s Gaze, supported by Sebastian Stan, is the first part of a trilogy on love.
WatchTue 17 Nov · Day 1
Andrei DăscălescuDirector, Gone Guy Work in progressRomanian documentary filmmaker, born in a small town in 1984. He made a surprising debut in 2008 with Constantin and Elena, winner of IDFA’s First Appearance award and a true festival hit. His second feature-length documentary, Planeta Petrila, also premiered at IDFA and won him the Gopo Award for Best Documentary and the Audience Award at Transilvania Film Festival, then travelled to festivals worldwide. Holy Father, his third documentary, was co-produced by HBO Europe and is his most personal film, confronting his own fraught relationship with fatherhood. With Gone Guy, Andrei is trying to reach a broader audience, in an emotional and inspirational way.
WatchWed 18 Nov · Day 2
Ligia CiorneiDirector, Grounded Between Borders Work in progressQ&A, PlahaProducer · Founder and CEO, Festival of Thinking
WatchThu 19 Nov · Day 3Fri 20 Nov · Day 4
04 Also in the New York cohort
Norbert Boda, Vlad Popa and Enxhi Rista, selected at the Bucharest edition (27–30 August 2026), are part of the New York cohort: masterclasses, 1:1 meetings and the screenings. Not the dinners.
The call for projects runs 15 October – 10 November 2026.
[A] You have a project
The 1:1 meetings are for the 20 selected projects. Ages 18–35, based in the US, solo or team.
Call for projects15 Oct – 10 Nov
