Brothers John and Gabriel Fraire have written two plays so far, including the one opening this weekend at the Raven, Who Will Dance With Pancho Villa? Or rather “re-opening”—in a rare turn, the Raven is bringing January’s production back to the stage intact.
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Ed Begley Jr. is an Emmy-nominated actor with a versatile career in film, television, and stage, known for his roles in St. Elsewhere, Amsterdam, and Pineapple Express. This is his fifth year judging for the HSIFF.
Cindy Caponera is a native Chicagoan who has built an impressive career as a writer, performer, and producer, beginning in theater at the famed Second City Mainstage as well as with The National Touring Company. For the past 20+ years, Cindy — an Emmy Award winner and two-time WGA Award nominee — has been writing and producing for television. This is her second year on the HISFF jury.
Jeff Kober is an Emmy-winning actor who has appeared in over 55 feature films and numerous television productions, including the 2026 season of The Pitt, for which he has received another Emmy nomination. His recent film Grassland closed the 2024 Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, while Self-Reliance, directed by and co-starring Jake Johnson, premiered at SXSW. His impressive filmography includes Break, the soon-to-be-released Cash for Gold, and and Sully,” directed by Clint Eastwood. This is Jeff’s second year on the HISFF jury.
Laraine Newman is an Emmy and Annie-nominated performer. She is a true icon of comedy and a beloved member of the original cast of Saturday Night Live. Newman co-founded the influential Groundlings Theatre, and her remarkable career includes collaborations with visionary directors ranging from Woody Allen to Guillermo Del Toro. This her second year on the HISFF jury.
Kristina Motwani is an award-winning film editor and producer known for her verité documentary style. Motwani has received accolades from Sundance, the Peabody Awards, and more.
Kathia Sanchez-Aldana is a co-producer on the hit television series Criminal Minds. Raised in Tijuana, Mexico, she is a seasoned television and film professional with a B.A. in Film and TV Production from UCLA (Class of 2013). After cutting her teeth as a basecamp production assistant on several feature films, Sanchez-Aldana joined Modern Family in Season 6 as an assistant production coordinator, rising to associate producer by the series finale in Season 11. This is her second year on the HISFF jury.
Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan: With a career spanning over four decades, Tom Waits is a revered singer-songwriter, actor, and composer known for his distinctive style and extensive work in film and theater. Waits and his long-time collaborator and wife, Kathleen Brennan, were named number four in a list of the “100 Best Living Songwriters” published by America’s Paste magazine, saying, “In literature, only a handful of writers have pulled off the near impossible. In music, it happens on every Tom Waits recording.” Tom and Kathleen were also awarded the PEN Award of Literary Excellence for their songwriting. This is their fifth year of judging the HSIFF.
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Billy Ray wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for Captain Phillips, for which he won the WGA award. He also wrote, directed, and executive-produced Showtime’s The Comey Rule, which had the biggest debut of any limited series in that network’s history. He co-wrote the first film in The Hunger Games series as well as the upcoming November 2026 release of The Hunger Games: Sunrise On the Reaping. This is his second year serving on the HISFF jury.
Yasmin Rais is an independent film producer born in Iran and based in London. She co-produced Shot in the Dark, Adrian Grenier’s feature documentary which premiered at Tribeca, and was picked up by HBO. She’s since produced a number of short films ~ When the Rain Comes starring Dervla Kirwan & Holly Gibbs, written and directed by Jade Bell; The Ring Cycle starring Natalie Dormer & Emun Elliott, written and directed by Erin Cramer; and most recently Dressed to the Nines, currently on the festival circuit, starring Daniel Ings & Reggie Absolom, co-written and directed by Mads Shenai & Eve Mazza-Coates. She also co-produced the BIFA long-listed short film What We Wished We Could Be starring Jamie Muscato and Anoushka Lucas, directed by Luke Shelley. As a script supervisor, Yasmin worked on numerous film and television productions, including Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror, Stanley Tucci’s Final Portrait, Nick Moran’s Telstar, Paul Andrew Williams’ Unfinished Song, and Ruth Jones & James Corden’s Gavin and Stacey. She is currently developing a slate of feature films and tv shows through her production company, Dogmother Films. She is a member of BAFTA Connect, and adores Wilco.