Ali is an award-winning writer & director. He hosts two other film festivals (Austin Under the Stars & LA Under the Stars) that donate a portion of all proceeds to Autism Society of America. 

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Leila is an award-winning actress based in Austin, TX. She has been crucial to ASFF team as a Judge & Red Carpet MC. Leila currently pursues acting in commercial & feature productions. 

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Chad is an actor in film, television, and commercials. His favorite film format is shorts; heavily influenced by Twilight Zone episodes and reading/writing Sci-Fi short stories. Chad trains in stunts, Korean martial arts, and advanced calisthenics.

As a graduate of the University of Texas, Madison handles daily outreach & promotion within the student community both locally with the Department of Radio-Television-Film & nationally.

As a graduate of the University of Texas Radio Television & Film Program, Nick currently works on commercial productions with heavy focus on documentary storytelling. 

Actor/producer/director, Ryan has written multiple stage plays and films. His production company specializes in commercial work, along with short/feature films, with a focus on community impact.

An accomplished screenwriter & actor, Thomas continues working numerous positions in film to satisfy his creative expression. With 6 years of judging experience, Thomas has been a crucial to the festival team.

Independent filmmaker/ Digital Compositor, Xiaoli brings a wealth of expertise and experience to the judging panel. She has been involved in numerous Emmy Award TV shows, lending her creative vision and technical prowess to enhance storytelling on the screen.