Guests
Thien A Pham
Producer, distributor
Thien is a producer/distributor with experience in more than 20 different languages and markets. He is the founder of 3388 Films, an international production and distribution company specialized in Asian film and media content.
His credits include Actress Wanted, an award-winning thriller/horror genre film shot entirely in Orange County, California. The film was an official selection of the 2019 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, and swept lead acting awards at the 2018 Viet Film Fest, the largest international Vietnamese film festival in the world. Actress Wanted is included on IMDb’s watchlist of “10 of the highest ranked horror films on Amazon Prime Video, according to IMDb.”
Thien’s recent theatrical distribution projects include MAI, the first Vietnam film to achieve a historical $1M+ opening in international markets and crossing $2M+ at the international box office, and Face Off 7: One Wish, the first Vietnam film to open simultaneously in 12 countries across the 3 continents of North America, Europe and Australia,
His roster of distributed films include an official entrant for the Academy Awards and three official submissions of the Golden Globes. Thien has been an invited speaker/panelist at global industry events, including the Festival de Cannes, one of the most internationally recognized film festivals in the world.
Thien is an advocate for continual learning and paying it forward and invests his time in teaching editing & filmmaking at colleges. He also invests time in memory sports and eating his way through new, cultural travel experiences.
Michaelangelo Masangkay
Producer
Michelangelo Masankay studied Administration and Management at what is now Metropolitan University in Toronto, and later pursued studies in Creative Advertising and Broadcast Marketing at Seneca Polytechnic in Toronto, Canada. Since 2023, he has been the founder and organizer of the non-profit film festival “Siné Film Fest,” which aims to support the development of the film and television industry for emerging young artists.
Since 2020, he has also been overseeing and guiding film productions created across all programs at the Toronto Film School. Between 2019 and 2024, he played a key role for six years in several film and media projects at “Hangar 18 Media,” a media company based in Northern Ontario. From 2013 to 2024, he managed and led international film market, marketing, and sales partnerships at “Raven Banner Entertainment,” a renowned Canadian genre film distribution company.
Additionally, from 2014 to 2018, he was one of the founders and organizers of “Toronto Men’s Fashion Week.” Altogether, he is a significant figure who has successfully led marketing and management-related initiatives for over 20 years.
Susan Tran
Producer, distributor
Susan heads production and distribution at 3388 Films, an international production and distribution company specialized in Asian film and media content.
She has 25+ years of multifaceted experience in the film and media industry, from media buying and media sales, contract negotiation, relationship development & management with Fortune 500 and multinational companies, content production, and film distribution.
At 3388 Films, Susan oversees development of production projects and handles exhibitor relations with leading cinema chains in more than 15 different countries across the 4 continents of North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Her credits include Actress Wanted, an award-winning narrative feature film that is included on IMDb’s watchlist of “10 of the highest ranked horror films on Amazon Prime Video, according to IMDb.”, and LIVE: Phat Truc Tiep, a hyper-modern feature film named by Asian Movie Pulse as one of top 5 Best ASEAN Movies of 2023.
Trilingual in English, Vietnamese and Spanish, Susan is a champion for diversity in film and media and a fierce believer in building global cultural connections.
Frederick Brandes
Producer
Frederick Brandes is a film producer based in London with a background spanning theatre, virtual production, and film since 2018. Following his success at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2021, where he was a recipient of the Fringe Recovery Fund, he went on to headline the opening night of the Chichester Fringe in 2022.
At the same time, Frederick expanded his skill set into virtual production and post production, and in 2023 branching out into narrative film, working with international film festival Lift-Off Global Network. Through Lift-Off, he participated in their producer training course and has hosted numerous filmmaking workshops networking events. He has since produced, executive produced, and assisted on several film productions across the UK.
In 2024, Frederick co-founded Crystal Clear Pictures with long-time colleague Filomena da Fonseca Martins, with the aim of producing commercial feature films focused on international stories of female empowerment.
Nikita Listopad
Film director
Nikita Listopad is a London-based film director, editor, visual artist, and Royal Television Society Award laureate. Working across film, animation, stop motion, performance, and experimental media, Nikita explores the moving image as texture and form—blending digital and analog techniques with diverse materials like puppets, ink, fabric, glass, and cinefilm.
A graduate of London South Bank University with a BA in Film Practice, Nikita's work has been showcased internationally. He directed and edited Strangers on a Train at Pinewood Studios (2024), served as a jury member for the Ineff Film Festival (2023), and led film workshops and lectures at the FLUID Experimental Festival and schools across Latvia and Russia. His early apprenticeships under Latvian filmmakers Jānis Streičs and Stanislavs Tokalovs deeply shaped his narrative and visual style.
In 2024, Nikita received the Royal Television Society Craft Award for Editing and a Special Mention in Drama, cementing his place as a bold, boundary-pushing voice in contemporary visual storytelling.
Christiano Bortone
Author, director
After studying at the University of Southern California, he graduated in 1990 from New York University with honors.
Over the years, he has directed and/or produced award-winning feature films, documentaries and television programmes at national and international festivals.
In 2007, his film Rosso come il cielo won the David di Donatello Award and over 25 other prizes at international festivals. His 2016 film Caffè was the first official co-production between Italy and China. It premiered as a Special Event at Venice Days and received a nomination at the China Media Awards.
Sengedorj Janchivdorj
Director
Sengedorj Janchivdorj is a prominent Mongolian film director with over 30 years of experience in theatre and cinema. He began his career as a lighting technician at the Children and Youth Theatre from 1993 to 1995 and later served as the theatre’s director and stage director from 2000 to 2003. Since 2018, he has been serving as the President of the Mongolian Filmmakers Association, playing a significant role in the development of the national film industry.
His directorial works include more than 20 feature films such as The Thief of the Mind, White Blessing, Laridma, and the internationally acclaimed The Sales Girl, which has won multiple awards at prestigious international film festivals.
In the film Silent City Driver, he explores themes of mortality, solitude, and the human inner world through the quiet, contemplative journey of a hearse driver. The film received critical acclaim, winning the “Best Film” and “Best Production Design” awards at the 2024 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, “Best Leading Actor” at the 2025 Osaka Asian Film Festival, and the “Purple Mulberry” award at the 2025 Udine Far East Film Festival.
Filmography:
1998 White Night
1999 Way from heaven to life
2001-2003 The ship of dreams series
2005-2006 Burte Chono - Japan-Mongolia joint movie
2010 Adam, Oxygen
Nara International Film Festival, Japan
Sindy International Film Festival, South Korea
2011 Thief of the Mind
Mongolian Academy Awards (Best Film)
Asian Film Awards Los Angeles
2012 Color of Sun
2013 Laridma
2014 Trapping
Mongolian Academy Awards (Best Film)
2014 In search of Omar
2015 Bushranger
2016 Lovers
Mongolian Academy Awards (Best Director)
2017 White Blessing
Giffoni International Film Festival
Asia Pacific Screen Awards
2018 Life
Ulaanbaatar International Film Festival (Best Film)
2019 Me’s
2020 Wife
Ulaanbaatar International Film Festival (Best Director)
2021 Sales Girl
Osaka Asian Film festival (Yakushi Pearl Award)
New York Asian Film festival (Uncaged Award for best feature film)
Busan International Film festival
Asian Film festival Barcelona (Special Mention fo Jury)
Vesoul International Film Festival in Asian Cinema (Golden Cyclo Award)
Udine International Film Festival (Purple Mulberry Award)
2022 Restart
Nomuunzul Turmunkh
Producer, scriptwriter
Nomuunzul Turmunkh earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Finance and Economics of Mongolia in 2002. She went on to complete her Master’s degree in Business Administration at the American Intercontinental University in London from 2005 to 2007, while simultaneously studying Media Production from 2006 to 2007.
She began her career in journalism in 1999 as a reporter for the Öchigdör (Yesterday) newspaper. In 2004, she founded NOMUN Television and Film Studio. Since 2013, Nomuunzul has worked with NU PRODUCING, where she produced the feature film Golden Water in 2014.
In 2016, she joined Khulegu Pictures LLC as a producer and screenwriter, contributing to films such as Modern Family Life (2016) and White Blessing (2017). White Blessing was recognized by IMAX as a film with a positive impact on youth and was nominated at 11 major international film festivals. Her 2018 film Life, for which she wrote the screenplay, won the Best Film Award at the Ulaanbaatar International Film Festival.
In 2021, her film The Salesgirl, where she served as executive producer and first assistant director, won the Golden Cyclo Award for Best Film at the Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema. The film was also selected for 11 other prestigious international festivals, including those in New York, Busan, and Osaka, earning widespread acclaim and leaving a significant mark in the history of Mongolian cinema.
From 2023 to 2024, she continued her work as a producer on the films Restart and The Silent City Driver. She became a member of the National Film Council of Mongolia and was invited to join NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema), one of the most prominent organizations for filmmakers in the Asia-Pacific region. She has served as a jury member at major international film festivals including Venice, Barcelona, Udine, Kerala, and Bengaluru, and continues to be a leading figure in promoting Mongolian cinema on the global stage and continues to be a leading figure in promoting Mongolian cinema on the global stage.
Ganbaatar Narantsetseg
Producer
Ganbaatar Narantsetseg is a Mongolian producer, cultural entrepreneur, and founder of the Legend traditional music ensemble and Chinggis Art Gallery. A graduate in architecture from the Technical University of Mongolia, he has dedicated his career to promoting Mongolian arts and culture through film, music, and visual arts.
In 2006, he founded Legend, a traditional ensemble that has since achieved international acclaim, including First Prize at the Franz Schubert Conservatory International Music Competition and World Champion title at the World Folk 2013. His work extends to visual arts, having curated over 40 exhibitions through Chinggis Art Gallery, and initiated One Day in the World, Mongolia’s largest painting which was awarded Best Artwork of the Year in 2019.
He has organized over 400 concerts and performances at the Shanghai World Expo 2010, and produced the popular design TV series ONE DESIGN (2012–2014). In 2018, he launched ORD GER LLC, a company that reimagines the Mongolian ger for global audiences by combining heritage with innovation. He also served as a producer for the feature film "Silent City Driver," which was released in 2024.
Ganbaatar continues to bridge tradition and modernity, and is an active voice in the international cultural scene, with his work leaving a lasting imprint on Mongolia’s creative landscape.
Jargalsaikhan Baatar
Director
Jargalsaikhan Baatar studied at the José Martí Secondary School No. 52 in the Ajilchin District from 1988 to 1998. He then continued his education at the University of Culture and Arts (1998–2001), followed by the Badrakh Radio and Television College (2002–2003).
He worked as a director at an advertising agency from 2003 to 2005 and at the UBS Television from 2006 to 2015 .
B. Jargalsaikhan is an experienced filmmaker who has directed feature films such as The Star Shining in the Heart (2009), Sodura (2013–2015), and The Waiting Room (2024), as well as television dramas including Lady of the Capital 1 (2019), We Are One Family (2023), and The Heir (2024).
Filmography:
2009 A Star Shining in the Heart
2010 Mamma Mia (Musical)
2011 Unforgettable Autumn
2013–2015 Sodura
2015 Hostage 007
2016 Dreaming of Stardom
2017 Golden Egg
2017 +17 (Series)
2018 Bad Angel
2019 Conspiracy
2019 The Girl with the Pretty Mom
2019 Sigam
2019 Kiss for the Boss, Honey
2020 Capital Lady 1 (TV Series)
2020 I Won’t Be a Grandma
2021 Capital Lady 2 (TV Series)
2021 Jingle Fails
2022 Single Guys
2022 Ochiroo & Sukhee: Winter Assignment
2023 Capital Lady 3: Honeymoon
2023 Brain Snatcher
2023 Gossip Girl on Call 1
2023 We Are One Family (TV Series)
2023 Love Itself
2024 Gossip Girl on Call 2
2024 Free Delivery
2024 The Heir
2024 The Waiting Room
Batzorig Orgodol
Director
Screenwriter and director Batzorig Orgodol is a professional filmmaker who graduated from the Film and Arts School of Mongolia with a degree in film directing. He has worked as a writer and director on numerous screen productions, including the feature films "Oriloon 2", "Midnight Talk" Parts 1 and 2, "The Most Beautiful One" Parts 1 and 2, and "Puuduu", Mongolia’s very first puppet film, demonstrating his extensive experience in the field.
Tserendorj Tsedenbal
Director
Tserendorj Tsedenbal is a Mongolian director known for his action and horror storytelling, often exploring themes of integrity and honor. Before transitioning to directing, he worked as a cinematographer for a decade. His films are recognized for their strong commercial appeal, with his latest feature, Circle of Death, released in 2024 in Mongolia and Thailand. In addition to local box office success, he has won four awards at the Ulaanbaatar Film Festival.