Having produced more than 550 films and directed fifty others, Roger Corman's influence on American film goes far beyond his own energetic, creative low-budget movies. He is arguably one of Hollywood's most gifted and masterful film makers. Corman began his road in the film business in 1949, as a story analyst at 20th century Fox. In 1953, Corman sold his first screenplay, and with the proceeds of the sale he made “The Monster from the Ocean Floor” the following year, his first film as an independent producer. In the 1950's Corman began producing a wide array of low-budget features, in a variety of genres, from Westerns and gangster films to sci-fi, teen-age hot rod and rock n roll movies and horror. Throughout the 1960s, Corman's cycle of Vincent Price/Edgar Allan Poe horror films earned him international acclaim. In 1970s, he founded his own production and distribution company, “New World Pictures”, and after selling it in 1983, he formed “Concorde-New Horizons”, which remains one of the busiest in the field of independent film making. In 1990, Corman published his autobiography, titled "How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime". In 2009, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded Corman with an Honorary Lifetime Achievement Oscar. During the Festival, Roger Corman will give a master class about his work and cinematic vision.

Nathan Miller began his cinematic career at the age of 19, when he left school to intern as an assistant director, though unofficially he started his journey in the French film industry as a child actor in films such as François Truffaut’s “The Wild Child” (1970) and “The Green Room” (1978). In 1993 he made his first short film, “Au fond, toutau fond”. He went on to make other shorts, write screenplays and direct commercials. Since 1985 he has worked with his father Claude Miller, also as assistant director in films such as “The Little Thief” (1988), “The Accompanist” (1992) and “A Secret” (2007). His directorial feature debut, “I’m Glad My Mother Is Alive” (2009), co-directed with his father, was presented successfully at numerous international film festivals, such as Vénice and Montréal. During the Festival, Nathan Miller will introduce his film “I’m Glad My Mother is Alive”.

Rob Epstein is a multiple Academy Award-winning and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, director, and producer. In 2008, he was recognized with the Pioneer Award from the International Documentary Association for distinguished lifetime achievement. Epstein began his filmmaking career as a co-director on the landmark documentary “Word Is Out” (1977). His next project, “The Times of Harvey Milk” (1984), which he conceived and directed, won the Oscar for Best Feature documentary as well as the New York Film Critics Award. “The Times of Harvey Milk” served as the inspiration for Gus Van Sant’s “Milk” (2008), on which Epstein served as a consultant. He won his second Oscar for the documentary “Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt” (1989), made with Jeffrey Friedman, with whom he started “Telling Pictures” in 1987. Epstein’s other films with Friedman include Emmy-winner “The Celluloid Closet” (1995), and “Paragraph 175” (2000), winner of the Directing Award at Sundance. Their new film “Howl” (2010) - their first dramatic narrative starring James Franco and Jon Hamm - premiered at this year’s Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals. During the Festival, Rob Epstein and Jeffery Friedman will present their new film “Howl”, and will give a special master class on Documentary Cinema.

Jeffrey Friedman began his filmmaking career in New York as a child actor off-Broadway. He has been working in film since 1971, apprenticing in the editing rooms such memorable films as “The Exorcist” (1973) and “Raging Bull” (1980). Since 1987, he has been making films with Rob Epstein through their production company “Telling Pictures”. Their first project, “Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt” (1989), that recounted the first decade of the US AIDS epidemic, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Friedman and Epstein have also worked together on “The Celluloid Closet” (1995) which won The Freedom of Expression award in Sundance and “Paragraph 175” (2000), which won the documentary jury award for directing at Sundance. Their new film “Howl” (2010) - their first dramatic narrative starring James Franco and Jon Hamm - premiered at this year’s Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals. Between his feature projects, Jeffrey has taught film in the graduate documentary program at Stanford University and at the California College of the Arts. During the Festival, Jeffery Friedman and Rob Epstein will present their new film “Howl”, and will give a special master class on Documentary Cinema.

After concluding his M.A. in Philosophy of Culture and Hermeneutics, Şerban entered the National University for Theater and Cinema in Bucharest and studied film directing. During his studies he wrote and directed short films, worked in the television as a promo producer and TV shows director. After finishing his directing studies, Şerban was accepted at Columbia University, New York for a Master Degree in Film Directing. While completing his studies, he taught Film Theory and Film History at the University, under the supervision of Andrew Sarris. His debut feature, “If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle”, was selected for the official competition of the 2010 Berlin Film Festival and won the Silver Bear - Jury Grand Prix, and the Alfred Bauer award for innovation in cinema. During the Festival, Florin Şerban will introduce his film “If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle”.

Artist Simon Szabo creates in various fields. In addition to his cinematic work, he produces and directs commercials and music videos, performs as a DJ, acts in major theatrical and cinematic productions and writes an e-diary for a literary internet website. Between 2002-2008 Szabo directed a number of short films, many of which were nationally and internationally acclaimed. “Paper Planes”, Szabo’s first feature film won the Best First Feature Award at the 2009 Hungarian National Film Wee. The film was screened at the Stockholm International Film Festival’s Open Zone section, at the competition of Sao Paolo and at the 33rd MOSTRA Internacional de Cinema Festival. During the Festival, Simon Szabo will introduce his film “Paper Planes”.