After many years of work in theatre, Mr. Clement received an MA in film production from San Francisco State University. In 1990 he directed Clowning Around, for which he received an Academy Award for best student documentary. He has since produced and directed numerous films, videos and multimedia projects. Mr. Clement is currently Director of Programming for the Taos Talking Pictures film festival, a position he has held for the last nine years. He also teaches classes in film history and production.
James Lujan
The President and Founder of TFI, Mr. Lujan is a writer and filmmaker whose credits include the acclaimed documentaries “High Strange New Mexico" (2002), about the state’s UFO subculture, “Challenger: An Exploration of Art and Spirit” (2002) about world-renowned artist Jd Challenger, and "Little Rock’s Run" (1998) about the last days of a Native American fugitive. A Native of Taos Pueblo, Lujan also pursued his undergraduate and graduate studies at Stanford University and the celebrated USC Film School.
David Nichols
David Nichols studied theater in college and then started professional experience as a director/designer. His career of designing began on the job by doing three films beginning in 1968 produced by Roger Corman who was known as the King of the B’s, films on tight, tight budgets. Corman launched the careers of Jack Nicholson, Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Scorsese and others. David then teamed up with Scorsese for four films. Some of Nichols films include MEANSTREETS, TAXI DRIVER, ROCKY, HOOSIERS, MR. HOLLANDS OPUS, and GROUNDHOG DAY, among many others.
Cynthia Straus
Ms. Straus first appeared onstage with Chicago’s Lilliput Children’s Theatre at the age of nine, and has pursued the study of the performing arts ever since. She has appeared on the New York stage in Between Daylight and Boonville and The Bachelor Party, and in the television series George and Leo, Law and Order, and Sex and the City, among others.
D. A. Zivkovich
In addition to ten years’ experience as an award-winning producer in Boston, Miami and Los Angeles, Ms. Zivkovich has taught workshops in acting, production and the art of illusion. During her tenure with the Actors’ Playhouse in Miami, she set up and administered a full slate of regularly offered workshops in all aspects of theatre craft.