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Meet Filmmakers and Industry Guests
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For the 6th edition, we are honored by the presence of award winning actor, screenwriter and director Julie Delpy as patron of our festival.​
We are delighted to welcome producer Marianne Maddalena, directors Nathan Ambrosioni and André Nerman, actor Caroline Amiguet and Professor William Nericcio.
We are thrilled to welcome Victor le Masne, French Grammy-winning Composer, Producer, and Musical Director, better known as the Composer and Musical Director of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
We are grateful to welcome Sam Stockard, Clay Epstein, and Olivier Pasco, who will moderate conversations after the screenings.
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The event will be attended by Adrien Frier, Consul General of France in Los Angeles and Christopher Weissberg, French Congressman representing the French living in North America
We are honored to welcome Julie Delpy as Patron of the 6th edition of the San Diego French Film Festival.
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Julie Delpy is a Paris-born actor, director, and screenwriter whose career spans several decades and continents. She has appeared in more than 30 films, and is widely recognized for her work as a filmmaker with a distinctive, personal voice.
Julie Delpy was discovered at 14 by Jean-Luc Godard. She earned a first César nomination for La Passion Béatrice (1987) and gained international recognition in Europa Europa (1990). She appeared in several European and Hollywood films, including Three Colours: White (1993), Killing Zoe (1994), and Before Sunrise (1995), the latter earning her lasting fame. She reprised her role as Céline in Before Sunset (2004) and Before Midnight (2013), co-writing both scripts and receiving Academy Award nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Delpy has written, directed, and starred in acclaimed features such as 2 Days in Paris, The Countess, Le Skylab, 2 Days in New York, Lolo, and My Zoe, often blending sharp humor with intimate explorations of relationships, identity, and family.
She has been nominated for three César Awards, two Online Film Critics Society Awards, and two Academy Awards.
Les Barbares (Meet the Barbarians), presented on May 4 is her latest film.
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Adrien Frier is a senior French diplomat with deep expertise in international relations, strategic affairs, and counterterrorism. He has served as Consul General of France in Los Angeles since October 2024.
Previously, he coordinated an inter ministerial task force countering informational threats, and before that advised the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, managing major strategic and crisis dossiers, including the Russia–Ukraine conflict. His career also includes leadership roles in counterterrorism and organized crime policy, diplomatic postings in Washington, D.C., a Transatlantic Fellowship at the U.S. State Department, and advisory positions on European affairs and EU external relations within the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Christopher Weissberg is a member of the French National Assembly representing French citizens living in the United States and Canada. With a background in public affairs, international mobility, and political advisory roles, he has held positions in government, Parliament, and the private sector. He previously served as chief of staff to Roland Lescure and as adviser to the French Minister for Tourism, French Citizens Abroad, and Francophonie. He is also an entrepreneur in the hospitality sector. Deeply committed to transatlantic relations, he promotes an open, reformist, and pragmatic vision in support of French citizens abroad and France’s global interests.
Marianne Maddalena is an acclaimed American film and television producer best known for producing the Scream franchise, one of the most influential and commercially successful horror series in cinema history. As the longtime producing partner of Wes Craven and co-founder of Craven/Maddalena Films, she produced Scream (1996), a global phenomenon that launched a franchise exceeding $1.5 billion worldwide. While location scouting for the film, Maddalena discovered the now-iconic Ghostface mask, creating one of the most recognizable images in film history. Her credits also include Music of the Heart, which earned an Academy Award nomination, as well as Red Eye, starring Cillian Murphy and Rachel McAdams.
In recognition of her contributions to cinema and her commitment to cultural exchange between France and the United States, Maddalena was appointed a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. She is currently preparing Scream 8, which will begin shooting in September 2026.
Caroline Amiguet Caroline Amiguet is a French actor, writer, and creative producer working between European and American independent cinema. Born in Paris and raised between France and Switzerland, she brings a bilingual, bicultural voice to her work. She is known for films such as Love All You Have Left, Angels Fallen, and Everybody Dies by the End, earning Best Actor nominations at multiple festivals. Also active in theater, she creates character-driven projects exploring identity and belonging, including her solo show Pardon My French. Based in Southern California since 2003, she continues to develop original work for stage and screen.
She stars in the short film Marie, presented on May 5 of the San Diego French Film Festival.
Nathan Ambrosioni (b. 1999), is a French filmmaker, writer, and director known for his emotionally rich, character-driven cinema that explores themes of family, love, and identity.
He began honing his craft in filmmaking in 2014 by directing two self-produced genre films. Both projects went on to tour international festivals. Starting in 2016, Nathan wrote and directed a short film, First Breath (Ce qui nous reste), starring Zoé Adjani, which was selected at the Calgary and San Francisco festivals. In 2017, with support from the CNC, he produced his first feature film, Paper Flags (Les Drapeaux de papier). In 2021, he penned Toni (Toni, en famille), which he directed with Camille Cottin in the lead role. The film earned three awards at the 2023 Festival du Film de Demain: Best Film, Best Screenplay, and the Audience Award.
Since then, Nathan directed his second film with Camille Cottin in 2025, Out of Love (Les Enfants vont bien), which won him the Best Director award at its world premiere at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, as well as the Valois de Diamant at the Festival du film francophone d'Angoulême.
André Nerman is a French actor, director, and comedian whose career spans theater, film, television, and musical performance. Trained in Paris, he has brought classical roles such as Romeo, Rodrigue, and Oreste to life alongside actors from the Comédie Française. A versatile artist, he has toured internationally, directed contemporary poetic works by Duras, Prévert, and Cocteau, and created musical shows. His theater work continues to engage audiences, while he also appears regularly in French film and television. Welcome to Iceland marks his debut as film director.
Victor le Masne is a French Grammy-winning composer, producer, and musical director, best known as the composer and musical director of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He collaborated with artists including Lady Gaga, Céline Dion, Aya Nakamura, Jean-Michel Jarre, among others. He won a Grammy Award, a Victoire de la Musique and was awarded the Légion d’Honneur.
Classically trained and a multi-instrumentalist, he has worked with major ensembles. He released a self-titled album in 2020 and 2022. His album Ravel Recomposed (2025), reimagines twelve works by Maurice Ravel. Since 2022, he has also served as musical director of the cult rock-opera Starmania.
Coraline Petit – Marketing, Communications, and CSR Director
With over 15 years of experience in art, marketing, and corporate social responsibility, Coraline brings a holistic vision to help organizations implement lasting transformation strategies, bridging science, art, philosophy, and technology to inspire meaningful change.
On May 3, she will present Reborn, a poetic short film she co-created with Alison Bounce and filmed entirely underwater, symbolizing the invisible pain, resilience, and rebirth experienced by women living with endometriosis, and aiming to raise awareness of the disease.
William “Memo” Nericcio is a Tejano Cultural Studies professor at San Diego State University. Originally from Laredo, Texas, he began his career as a Latin Americanist studying major 20th-century authors before expanding his work to include film, television, mass culture, and contemporary Latinx fiction. He holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and Cornell University. At SDSU, he directs the MALAS Cultural Studies MA program and leads SDSU Press. He is the author of Tex[t]-Mex and co-author (with Frederick Luis Aldama) of Talking #browntv, with a forthcoming book, Snapshots: Teaching Los Bros Hernandez.
Q&A moderated by
Sam Stockard, Executive Producer at KUSI News and Host of "Keepin' it Reel".
A transplant from Oklahoma, Sam has lived and worked in San Diego for the last seven years. When he isn't working, he spends his time off at movie theatres or watching films at home. You can watch the film centered podcast "Keepin' it Reel" on the TV app "Fox 5 KUSI Now", which he hosts along with Tanya Soria and Vincent Mendoza.
Favorite Genres: Drama, Musical
Favorite Director: Richard Linklater
Favorite French Films: "The Young Girls of Rochefort", "Portrait of a Lady on Fire", "Climax"
Clay Epstein, President of Film Mode Entertainment, leads a renowned global sales and distribution company with a focus on supporting producers. With recent successes like "CRYPTO," "LITTLE PINK HOUSE," and "AS SICK AS THEY MADE US," Clay's expertise spans both executive producing and representing worldwide rights. Previously, as SVP Sales & Acquisitions at Arclight Films, he played a crucial role in acquiring notable titles like "DOG EAT DOG" and "PREDESTINATION." Clay's influence extends to his position as Chairman of the Independent Film and Television Alliance, alongside roles as an instructor at UCLA Extension and a respected lecturer at film festivals worldwide.
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Olivier Pasco is a passionate cinephile and a dedicated advocate for cinema in French in San Diego. In 2017, he was among the founders of The French Film Club of San Diego, an initiative created to bring together film enthusiasts once a month to connect, exchange ideas, and enjoy films in French in a shared setting. Today, he serves as Chair of the San Diego French Film Festival, where he plays an active role in curating and selecting films, helping to shape a dynamic and engaging program for audiences.
Favorite Genres: Like all genres
Favorite Director: Klapisch, Ozon and Hazanavicius
Favorite French Films: Amélie Poulain​