The 48 Hour Film Festival

Joe Leone

A New York native, Joe graduated from an avant-garde theater school upstate. His scripts have garnered over 200 festival selections, nominations, and wins all over the globe (including the BlueCat Best Feature award). Joe has seventeen produced films; such as the psychological thriller Half Sisters (starring Kristy Dawn Dinsmore, Vikings), and the self-produced ghost story Death Sentences (Midnight Releasing). He wrote, produced, directed and starred in Breakup Mountain, which won “Best Thriller” at the Golden Lion International Film Festival and “Best Humor,” and “Best Twist” at the Top Indie Film Awards. He loves to create unique, hilarious, touching and bizarre stories.

Prudence DiBenedetto

My name is Prudence DiBenedetto and I'm a photographer, mother and Artist from Astoria Queens.

Jerrod Bogard

Denver-based playwright with roots in spooky stories and short films, Jerrod Bogard wrote and co-directed “Gatorman,” winner of the “best mini-picture” at Bare Bones International Film Festival in 2005. Jerrod went on to develop as a playwright, constructing plays on socially conscious themes from a queer, working class perspective. His adult-themed plays and family musicals have been produced internationally by community troupes, start-up professional companies, and activist groups, most recently as a part of the off-Broadway company TBTB's contribution to the United Nations' Disaster Risk Reduction General Conference in Geneva, Switzerland. Bogard’s work is published in several short play and monologue anthologies, including a family musical published with Samuel French. He is a father, a puppeteer, a social worker, and a connoisseur of greasy spoon diners from coast to coast.

Kristie Geng

"I'll get to it"

Michael Puente

I am a huge fan of the creative process, losing yourself in the art, or sitting with other creatives and crafting. I am a Stand Up Comedian, but I don’t always want to be the funny guy. I love writing poetry, lyrics to music, skits and short stories. I guess, I just like to draw from emotions. I’m also an adrenaline junkie, as in, I love riding motorcycles and roller coasters, anything that gets the blood pumping.

Kathleen Kaan

Playwright Kathleen Kaan is a native New Yorker. She studied at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and, as an accomplished singer, entertained audiences both nationally and internationally. Her two ten-minute plays, Lost & Found and Remember were featured in the New Playwrights Virtual Arts Festival. Remember has been published by FlowerSong Press as part of an Anthology of Plays During Covid. As writer and executive producer, Kathleen is proud to announce her short film FIVE FLIGHTS has won the ‘Silver Telly Award.’ FIVE FLIGHTS has been selected and screened at many festivals some of which include The International Theater Festival Manhattan, Big Apple Film Festival, New York Short Festival, New York True Venture Festival, Festival of Cinema, Sacramento International Film Festival, Silicon Beach Film Festival among others. She has won “Exceptional Merit Award for Best Shorts Competition, Award of Recognition Indie Fest, and Exceptional Merit for WRPN Women’s International Film Festival among others. Kathleen’s podcast NOW LET’S TALK: THE PODCAST was selected by the The Webby Awards as an Official Honoree 2023 and well as the Communications Awards Distinction Winner 2023. Kathleen’s new short film adapted from her play Teddy’s Doll House will be available in the Fall. She is a member of New York Women in Film and Television, and the Dramatist Guild.

Joseph Galizia

My name is Joey G. I'm an actor filmmaker, producer, father, and comedian. I live in Las Vegas.

Graham Skipper

Graham Skipper is an American actor, director and screenwriter. He is best known for his roles as Herbert West in Re-Animator: The Musical, Seth Hampton in Almost Human, Zack Connors in The Mind's Eye, Gordon Hardesty in Beyond the Gates and for writing and directing the horror film Sequence Break.

Olga Turka

Olga Turka is a costume and production designer, best know for her work on Terrifier 2, Terrifier 3, and A Shot Through the Wall.