8th Annual Global Entertainment Showcase, French Riviera Film Festival 2025 - Complimentary Access

Dear Friends, Please find link to register for the 8th Annual Global Entertainment Showcase, scheduled for May 17 at 12:30 PM at Eden Hotel & Spa (133 rue d'Antibes, Cannes 06400), part of the 2025 French Riviera Film Festival. (Screenings daily from 10 am to 3 pm on May 16 & 17, also free to attend)  

***First come, first served. Limited space available.***

This year the panel features talented international film industry professionals; Mickael Abbate, Trupti Bhoir, Thomas Essig, Nik Kleverov and Deronte Smith, and will be moderated by Rehna Azim, Movie Marker Magazine.

Rehna Azim, Moderator

Rehna Azim is a London-based practicing lawyer and freelance journalist who writes mainly about film and lifestyle topics. She was previously the editor of a glossy women's magazine and is currently awards editor at Movie Marker . Her site www.itsalawyerslife.com is a lifestyle and wellbeing blog for lawyers by lawyers. She has written and produced four short legal dramas.

Mickael Abbate, Founder, Tre Colori Films

Mickael Abbate is a French film director and screenwriter born in Fréjus. He began his career on sets in the UK and Italy, where he built a strong foundation in international film production. In 2014, he co-directed the feature-length anthology Phantasmagoria with Italian filmmaker Domiziano Cristopharo. The film received the Antonio Margheriti Award at the Turin Film Festival, establishing Abbate as a bold new voice in genre cinema.

Alongside his directing work, Abbate has served as assistant director on major European and American productions, collaborating with acclaimed filmmakers such as Nathan Ambrosioni, Woody Allen, Michel Hazanavicius, and James Foley. These experiences have sharpened his cinematic approach, enriching his work with a deep understanding of narrative and stylistic diversity.

In February 2025, he founded Tre Colori Films, a Cannes-based production and international sales company dedicated to bold, auteur-driven cinema and European co-productions.

Trupti Bhoir, Actress/Producer/Director/Writer

Trupti Bhoir is an actress, producer, director and writer, whose work is focused on women-centric themes. The talented Marathi actress, whose work can be seen in many Marathi movies and television serials, is most known for the role of Najuka in movie Agadbam. Born in Mumbai, she began her career as a theatre actress and trained as a classical dancer, before entering mainstream cinema.

The winner of several state-level awards for best acting during her college days, it was the hit drama Sahi Re Sahi that marked her first break into professional Marathi theatre. After this, she crossed over to the film industry becoming involved in many productions as actress and producer, including films Ishya, Ovalte Bhauraya, Tujhya Majhya Sansarala, Paulkhuna and Touring Talkies, and television serials Vadalvaat and Char Diwas Sasuche.

Her latest project is the feature film Paro: The Untold Story of Slavery, the story of a woman’s tragic journey, exposing the horrors of being sold as a bride, enduring abuse, and losing her son. Bhoir stars in the film, directed by Gajendra Vitthal Ahire. She also co-wrote the screenplay. 

Thomas Essig, Founder, Stick Shift Yaya Productions

Thomas Essig is an American film producer, musician, audio engineer, and actor. His career in film began in 2017 with the production of the short, titled Drive. His first feature, the documentary Something Divine has made him an award-winning first-time director and filmmaker.

He is the executive producer for the critically acclaimed film Go/Don't Go (2021) and co-executive producer for the award-winning short Through the Stars (2023).

An accomplished international recording artist, Thomas is a multi-instrumentalist who writes, produces, and records his own material. He also composes scores for films and was the audio engineer for Something Divine.

In addition to appearing in film and TV, he also spent several seasons performing in theatre in upstate New York at the Rhinebeck Centre of the Arts.

Nik Kleverov, Filmmaker/AI Expert

Nik Kleverov is an Emmy-grade storyteller known for his clean and captivating commercial style paired with a distinctive design sensibility. As an immigrant and son of a nonconformist artist that was persecuted by the Soviet government, Kleverov has a layered and unique story to tell. His life story and varied experience informs his diverse approach to creative work, from explorative use of AI within storytelling (the viral Toys"R"Us AI film), to design-led title sequence work (Netflix's Narcos), and live action commercials. As a creative director, he’s won numerous advertising and creative industry awards. As an entrepreneur and executive, he has started and operated successful businesses like Native Foreign.

Deronte L. Smith, Representative, East Point Convention and Visitors Bureau (Georgia, USA)

Deronte L. Smith is a dynamic force in storytelling, media production, and innovation—known for his cross-platform impact in film, animation, publishing, and tech. With roots in rural Kentucky, his entrepreneurial path began at age 10 and evolved into a global career spanning content creation, international distribution, and immersive technology.

After earning on English degree from the University of Kentucky, Smith launched his first startup, Innovative Concepts in Advertising, placing targeted media in Blockbuster Video sleeves. He relocated to Atlanta, where a chance introduction to filmmaking sparked a new journey. He later studied film at Kennesaw State University and trained under industry greets like Dov Simmons and Robert McKee.

His short film Game garnered 14 festival wins, including Best Director at the HBO American Black Film Festival. In 2005, Smith authored The Fantastical Adventures of Sleepy Steve, selling 200,000+ copies and launching a national tour and media attention that led to animation development.

In 2014, Smith's indie feature Prosper debuted at the American Film Market and was later sold internationally at Cannes, finishing as a top 10 horror film by HorrorHound. He has since pitched IPs to Turner, Tyler Perry Studios, Lionsgate, A24, Netflix, and Amazon Studios. In 2015, Smith was selected as a Fellow for the prestigious Sundance Institute Writer‘s Lab. Today, he leads Infinity Global Media Group, a production house for film, podcasts, and animation: and Infinity One Publishing, supporting new voices in storytelling. His tech ventures, Elite Lead Company and Virtual Biz Solutions, deliver software solutions for creators and businesses alike.

In 2024, Smith launched AI Educational Consultants with his fiancée, helping educators and corporations integrate AI across learning environments and workflows.