Entertainment -Special Guests & Performers
Arlyne Spalla is a Mom of 4 from Yorktown, VA. She is a fitness instructor, personal trainer, health coach, entertainer at Busch Gardens, and Actress. She teaches Boot Camp, Zumba, Kickboxing, spinning, TRX, and more. Arlyne works part-time as a counselor/personal trainer for a Bariatric Surgeon. She is a seasonal entertainer at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, where she works on the Howl-O-Scream scare squad and at Christmas Town. She is a L.A.M.P. (Laughter as Medicine Production) actress. They are a comedy/theatre group that performs on stage every 3 months. Arlyne has acted in several June Daguiso short films including, "A Lyon's Heart", "Rome Must Die", and "Serial Madness." She also has acted in the short films, "Purgatory's Table" and "Raleigh Street UFO." She is passionate about acting and wants to continue to pursue it because of the creative challenge and all the amazing, talented people she gets to meet and work with.
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Angel Gathers - Model/Actress
WMIFF 2016 Best Actress Winner
DECI BEATS DANCE GROUP
William Powell
King of DC media
WMIFF Multi-Award Winners
Connie Lamothe
Writer-Producer-Director-Actor
TAMMY BARBOZA
Tammy Barboza began performing in theatrical productions 12 years ago and has acted in a total of seven independent films produced, directed and/or written by Master June Daguiso, earning WMIFF Short Film DMV awards of Best Actress in 2016 and Best Supporting Actress in 2015. Tammy served as a host of Virginia Living Television for three years and as presenter, interviewer or co-host for many WMIFF events. Employed within the healthcare industry, Tammy is an active supporter of numerous non-profit organizations.
SIKHARM SANGINTHIRTH - THAILAND
Free Style BBOY Dancer
Jane Chua - JCC Entertainment
(Philippines)
IBRAHIMA MBAH - West Guinea
Maria Amor
(Philippines)
Queen Achia Zeina Diallo
(West Guinea)
Rome Brooks:
Rome Brooks garners her namesake from Rome, Georgia. She attended the University of Alabama on an athletic scholarship. Upon moving to Los Angeles, writer-director Renji Philip saw her eating an ice cream cone in a park and immediately cast her in a short film he was directing at the time. Twelve years later, Renji and Rome have collaborated on 3 short films (Milkshake, I Love You, Dirty Laundry), two feature-length films (Cheesecake Casseroleand The Wake of Light).
DJAKIS DIARRI -West Guinea
Writer-Producer-Director-Actor
Adeyemi Lardner (Sierra Leone)
Renji Philip
Renji Philip is an award-winning writer and director. He grew up in Littleton, Colorado, flyfishing the rivers of the Roaring Fork Valley. He graduated from the University of Miami with intent to join the FBI but changed paths to the arts, studying acting at the Stella Adler Conservatory in New York for two years and with Howard Fine (and visiting teacher Uta Hagen) in Los Angeles as a full-scholarship student for four years. He's written, directed and produced 5 short films and 2 features, including THE WAKE OF LIGHT, winning the Platinum Award for Best Domestic Film at Worldfest Houston, Best Domestic Film at The Cobb International Film Festival, Best Director at the Silicon Beach Film Festival and Best Director at The Cobb International Film Festival.
His films have been featured at the Palm Springs, Raindance-London, California Indie, Ramsgate UK, Knoxville, Catalina, Hoboken, Ozark Foothills, Fort Worth, Mayday, Christian International, Worldfest-Houston, Silicon Beach, Angaelica, Frame 4 Frame, Rendezvous, Fort Worth, World Independent, Culver City, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Cinequest, Starz-Denver, Mill Valley, Bel Air, Clermont-Ferrand and the Methodfest film festivals.
Renji is passionate about films that challenge stereotypes and often suggest connections between chance, destiny and coincidence
Matt Bush
Matt Bush plays Andy Cogan on the ABC hit comedy The Goldbergs. He is well known from the film Adventureland(with Kristen Stewart and Ryan Renyolds), his AT&T Rollover Minutes commercials, Nice Guy Johnny (with Edward Burns), Margaret (with Anna Paquin and Matt Damon), Trouble with the Curve (with Amy Adams and Clint Eastwood) and Undrafted (with Jim Belushi). His additional select television credits include Anger Management, Hawaii Five-O, Glory Daze, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Scrubs and Veronica Mars.
Megan Rene
Richard Senkbile -Model/Actor
Frank "Steel" Anderson
Multi Grammy Nominees
WMIFF 2017 Best Supporting Actor Winner
Brian Conteh (Sierra Leone)
Writer-Producer-Director
Adrien Boublil
WMIFF 2 Times Winner of Best Actress & Supporting Actress - Bessey Ikem (Nigeria)
Writer-Producer-Director
Vigil Bose (India)
Gwen Rogers
Ms. Josie Moralidad Ziman, 46, a cancer survivor, serves as a staff writer for Manila Mail, the longest-running Filipino-American newspaper in the Washington DC area. Ms. Ziman is a radio correspondent and White House correspondent for Radio Mindanao Network (RMN), Iloilo City, Philippines. RMN is the largest network in the Philippines with almost 65 company-owned AM and FM radio stations around the country. Prior to her affiliation with RMN, she served as a crime, political and celebrity correspondent for Manila Broadcasting Company, Aksyon Radyo Iloilo in which her news beat included live on scene radio reporting throughout Western Visayas and other cities and provinces in the Philippines. She also served as Vice-President of the Iloilo City Hall Press Corps in the Philippines.
During the November 2016 United States Presidential Election, Ms. Josie Moralidad Ziman was one of the first Filipino reporters to report live on radio the election of Donald Trump to the Philippines before major news outlets. In January 2017 she was invited by The US State Department to brief a delegation of Filipino journalists on the state of relations between the United States and the Philippines. Segments of the briefing were broadcast on Philippine news television and other media outlets. In March 2017, Ms. Moralidad Ziman's article in Manila Mail on a contestant Anatalia Villaranda for "The Voice" television show.
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Betty Cooper is from Goldsboro North Carolina, She acts in Indie films and Author of eight books. She is an investor of IGNITE/Voyage Media-Hollywood California. Former Runway Model at John Casablancas-Modeling & Career Center in Cary North Carolina. She is a Gold Member of Strathmore's Who's Who Worldwide, for her books and other achievements, also an Honor Member of Covington Who's Who Worldwide. She was featured in More Magazine 2012. The New Times featured her book The Healing Hands of Jesus. She found so much Joy and Strength in her belief in God and reaching out to other people, to tell her story.
Patrick Elizabeth Sims is:
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a #1 bestselling author of EYEWITNESSED: BELIEVE WHAT YOU CANNOT SEE and more
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an actor and model for MTM Agency for John Casablancas’ Centers
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owner of Kingdom Designs and Services LLC
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co-founder and inspirational speaker for Manna Ministries of Oklahoma
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gospel singer
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designer for Vida Signature Collections
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martial artist
RADIO/TELEVISION HOST:
American Family 2006-2007
Fidelity Network 2008-2009
Christian Freedom Network 2013
Sally Steele is Publisher, Founder, CEO Editor- In-Chief of Vegas Rocks! Magazine which she founded in 2004. In 1980 Sally moved to Hollywood where she formed her band that played on the famous Sunset Strip. Sally landed several roles on television and in movies, along with lead and featured roles in several MTV videos which included “Hungry Eyes” with Eric Carmen and the lead role in “Little Lady” by Duke Jupiter. In 2008, Sally founded VEGASROCKSTV.COM interviewing major stars in the entertainment world. In 2010, Sally created and launched the VEGAS ROCKS! Magazine Music Awards. As producer, creator and executive producer, Sally oversees the entire events which have featured and honored national artists such as Sammy Hagar, Vince Neil, Scorpions, David Coverdale, Nicolas Cage and hundreds of other superstars. In 2016, Sally directed, filmed and produced her first Film “Raised on Rock” – The Burnette Family Legacy”. Affectionately known as “The Publishing Queen of Rock N’ Roll.” She continues her work as head rock photographer and journalist for her publication as well as pursuing her film career. Sally sums it up best by saying: “I live and breathe rock n’ roll 24 hours a day!”
Sally Steele - Las Vegas
Ethan A Locke, aka the rapper "Veracity" was born in Winchester, VA in the summer of 2002. Ethan began pursuing music at age 9 and began writing his own original material at age 10. In 2015, Ethan took 4th out of 40 artists in Richmond, Virginia in the largest interactive Artist Showcase in the World, Coast to Coast Live. Two years later, he returned and took 3rd in the same competition. In Spring 2017, Ethan picked up a cash prize and a third place in Winchester Virginia's Apple Blossom's Got Talent, he took yet another 3rd the following year in 2018. Since that time, Ethan has been performing live and working on his music and writing and is working towards releasing his material in 2020. He looks forward to performing again at the WMIFF this year. Ethan is managed by Connie Lamothe of CCLTalent. .
Joseph Taylor, Actor, Singer, Dancer Young Entertainer Joseph Taylor was born and raised in Leesburg, Virginia where he and his family currently reside. Since leaving High School at age 17, the now 22 yr. old has been heavily involved in all areas of the entertainment industry. He has danced for numerous choreographers such as Mia Michaels & Noelle Marsh and has even created music videos for artists such as Zach Sawyer and Jacob Lee out of Australia. If that wasn’t all, he recently has stepped into the acting scene with his extra rolls in Suicide Squad 2, The Resident, and Netflix’s Black Lightning to add to his prior role-as a dancer in Breaking Brooklynn the movie directed by film director Paul Becker. To top it all off, Joseph was a Cappy Award winner for “Best Male Actor” in the genres of musicals and plays his senior year of High School. He is so excited to share his gift with the world. “This is for you.” - Joseph Taylor
Edrew Cardano - experimental guitar player and virtuoso. CEO of DCWI Learning Institute and an aspiring Golf Athlete and motivator.
Manila, Philippines
JEKYLL
Jekyll, owner and on-air personality of 2 Wheel Luv Radio show was raised in New Castle, Delaware. She makes a living as a Registered Nurse and attended both University of Delaware and Helene Fuld School of Nursing.
An active member of the motorcycle community, this lady is an administrator of the biker group Men and Women Who Love to Ride Motorcycles. This group boasts over 17,000 members and focuses on safe riding, community and fellowship.
Trying her hand at writing Jekyll is a bestselling author with her anthology REFLECTIONS: I Wish I’d Known presented by Eraina Tinnins. She continues to enjoy the arts by acting. She has been a part of several commercials and independent films including Water With A Slice of Lemon, Class Clowns, and Rudy by producer KA Zarr Entertainment.
Jekyll is hopeful of landing that breakthrough role. She continues to write, enjoys cooking, working out and of course catching wind on her bike while she waits.
BLAISE CHRISTIAN SITCHET - (CAMEROON)
WRITER -PRODUCER-DIRECTOR
PRESTIGE INTERNATIONAL FILM PRODUCTIONS
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OBED JOE (NIGERIA)
Writer,Producer, Director
Bob Singer began acting in high school in the 1970s and then gave it up for a while as he began serving his country in the USAF. Although dedicated to his official job in the military Bob still found time to perform and write radio plays, stage plays, and as a singer and stand-up comedian. Once married, he again gave up the theater for engineering and began a more rigorous theater career when asked by his daughter to audition with her for a play in 2006, thirty-three years after his first show. Once again bitten by the bug Bob began performing regularly in Las Cruces at both the Black Box Theater and the Las Cruces Community Theater, completing 25 performances in five years. He expanded into student films and web series, and eventually feature films such as Year One, Truth, and The Odd Way Home. He was cast in an Investigation Discovery episode and two web series, River, and Desert Wasteland. Now living in Odenton, Maryland Bob is again performing in films and plays and has added episodic shows in the DMV including American Titans, Evil Stepmothers and House of Cards as well as musicals and plays in both the Baltimore and Washington DC area. He continues to work as an engineer for NASA while pursuing his acting opportunities.
DONNA SIBLEY - MODEL/ACTRESS
ROYAL INTERNATIONAL MS. WEST VIRGINIA 2020
Lilycent Uche Ogbuagu. A Nigerian entertainer residing in the United States of America.
she has a degree in Theater Arts at the University of Port Harcourt rivers state in Nigeria.
I have been acting and dancing as a child. She danced internationally receiving awards both from Maryland Governors and senators.
Her most recent dancing award is by Lanfa 2019 in Los angels California
Jiju Nair is a Virginia based actor credited with award-winning performances for roles in short movies. He is currently in the post-production phase of a sci-fi thriller and working on the pre-production of a romantic comedy in 2020. He has also composed, performed and produced original music singles and regularly performs live in the Greater Washington region.
Crystal Goodwin
Taous Bennai
BRANDON HENDRIKSON - Writer - Producer- Director
2 times WMIFF Winners
