
Patricia Mestanza Niemi is an editor for feature films as well as an editor and producer for cinema trailers. Editing has been her passion for more than 20 years, during which she established a large network of filmmakers. The idea of capturing stories of our constantly changing society prompted her to set up the UNIFIED FILMMAKERS FESTIVAL.
p.mestanza@unifiedfilmmakers.com
Festival Director

Florian Deyle is the CEO and co-founder of DRIFE Film Production, as well as partner of tnf Telenormfilm. He studied Political Science and Publishing before completing his studies at the University of Television and Film Munich. Since the foundation of DRIFE, Florian has worked as a producer of feature films and TV movies. He is a member of the German Film Academy and of the European Film Academy.
f.deyle@unifiedfilmmakers.com
Festival Director

Amir Soufi has been working in Entertainment Marketing for 18 years, developing and executing campaigns for major and independent film distributors, television stations and publishing houses. His work was nominated for and awarded with multiple Golden Trailer Awards. He was educated in the US, the UK and France and holds two Master's degrees in International Marketing Communications as well as a degree in Film Directing and Writing. To him, filmmaking is an integral part of our society. Film reveals aspects of ourselves and others that we otherwise wouldn't encounter. For that reason, he joined UNIFIED FILMMAKERS FESTIVAL.
a.soufi@unifiedfilmmakers.com
Head of Marketing

Marie-Amélie Steul is a French-German filmmaker born in Greece. She studied Production at the University of Television and Film Munich after completing her Bachelor's degree in Applied Foreign Languages in Aix-en-Provence. She chose to transition to directing after years of working as an assistant director. She joined the team of UNIFIED FILMMAKERS FESTIVAL to promote the idea that despite lockdowns, creativity will always find a way.
ma.steul@unifiedfilmmakers.com
International Europe and Filmschools

Jean-Daniel Estrach completed his Bachelor's degree at IDC Herzliya in Israel. During his studies, he worked on various movie and TV productions. He joined UNIFIED FILMMAKERS FESTIVAL in order to share his passion for film with different people across the world.
j.estrach@unifiedfilmmakers.com
International Relations

Ken Kj Onoda-Song is a Korean-Japanese businessman born in Japan. He lived, studied and worked in North America and Asia, starting his career as a consultant and advisor, specialising in International Business Development & Networking for over a decade. While he is still new to the film industry, he has experience in the entertainment sector and hopes to bring great value to the UNIFIED FILMMAKERS FESTIVAL with his extensive network and personal connections across the globe.
k.onodasong@unifiedfilmmakers.com
Relations Asia

Maximilian Lukas Jung completed his Master's degree in management at the European Business School in Frankfurt with a focus on Strategy and Entrepreneurship. His main interests Project Development and Strategy Planning involve a broad spectrum of engagement and diversity. He joined the team of UNIFIED FILMMAKERS FESTIVAL to collaborate with bright, like-minded people and undertake a promising project in the film industry.
m.jung@unifiedfilmmakers.com
Sponsoring and Controlling

Ragnar Keil is a German director and screenwriter who splits his life between Germany and Canada. He has written, directed and produced several short films and an award-winning documentary. Throughout his career he has maintained a focus on expanding and developing professional relationships with international filmmakers. He is currently acting as an advisor for international co-productions wishing to film in Canada and Germany. Ragnar is also in the development stage of his first feature-length film.
r.keil@unifiedfilmmakers.com
Relations North America

Tosca Schönberg is a German-Spanish actress and filmmaker based in Berlin and Palma de Mallorca. After finishing her Cinematography Studies for Film Direction in Madrid, she began working behind the camera as a script supervisor, directing her own short films and handling film rights and licenses. She is now starting out as an actress and, by joining the UNIFIED FILMMAKERS FESTIVAL, connecting her passion for filmmaking with her network in the Spanish-speaking sector in this endeavour to motivate filmmakers to never give upon their creativity, essential for keeping us creatives alive.
t.schoenberg@unifiedfilmmakers.com
Spanish Relations

As a freelancer for editing and motion-design for over two decades, Simon Gugeler also loves everything the medium of film has to offer. When he heard about the festival, he just had to help with everything design-related and is excited to see how the idea will grow. simon@framefaktur.de
Lead Designer

Born in Tangier, Mehdi Souissi is a young filmmaker that has explored most of the fields in crafting movies. Well known as 1st AD, his field of work doesn't stay on a set. His passion for culture, self-education and discovery - have pushed him to create, participate, and collaborate in multiple activities to bridge cultures. He joins the UFM TEAM strongly motivated by the fact that "stopping the World", doesn't mean "pausing Life!". And of course belief of union, collaboration, participation, collectivity...
m.souissi@unifiedfilmmakers.com
Relations North Africa

Yvonne Ernicke is a trained writer, actress and filmmaker based in Berlin. After her master degrees in Literature and Culture studies she studied Marketing and Journalism and worked for TV, Radio and Online Formats. As actress she already started with the age of 9, she is winner of Susan Batson Scholarship New York and works for international Cinema and TV productions ever since. She also produces film music as a singer and songwriter.
y.ernicke@unifiedfilmmakers.com
Relations Artists

Marcel Janick Paul is a young film editor, director and screenplay writer. He studied Digital Film Production in Frankfurt am Main. During his studies, he directed four short films and assisted on the sets of various feature films. His passion lies in feature films and documentaries on the big screen. Currently he is working on scripts for upcoming film productions and is developing feature films for which he is writing the script and intends to direct.
Editor

Natalie Papapetrou, born in Gütersloh, has worked in the arthouse cinema sector for over 20 years as a projectionist, coordinator and theater manager. Last year, she co-organized the 14th Five Lakes Film Festival, coordinating cinemas, accreditations and events, as well as film purchasing and selection.
International Relations