The Team
Philippe Macridis
Founder | CEO
Solutions are the nucleus of innovation & progress. Embracing technology as a catalyst for positive change is what drives me to bring FestiVote to the filmmaking community. A hybrid mutt from Greece & Brazil, I’ve called Los Angeles home for the past 15 years. After winning numerous awards at various film festivals through paper ballot voting (!?!) and seeing firsthand the stress that filmmakers endure to get noticed, I decided to make FestiVote a reality.
Anne-Mari Macridis
Founder | COO
Living in Los Angeles and hailing from the sunshine state, being landlocked long term was not an option. With a theater background and a love for film and television, my curiosity and dedication to show business never wavers. As an actor utilizing FestiVote, I am able to combine the creative aspect of performing with a system that understands engagement. This brings ease and efficiency to the beautiful chaos of film festivals that I’ve always been enchanted by.
Uri L. Schwarz
Founder | CTO
As an experienced all-round film professional and tech innovator, my personal investment in the appreciation of films is lifelong.
Having written, directed, produced and released several short and feature films, I understand the value of audience appreciation. FestiVote is an exciting new way to engage with the audience for festivals and filmmakers alike which is why I am now dedicating my expertise to the development and expansion of FestiVote.
Festivote's Story
Paper ballots and golf pencils? To vote? In this digital age? With 45% of the world’s population owning a smartphone, we felt it was about time to digitize the voting experience for film festivals and their loyal audiences. A couple of years ago, a documentary film I had the immense pleasure of being an Associate Producer on was shining bright on the festival circuit, so I made the trip to Austin to help give it an extra dose of some good old boots-on-the-ground guerilla marketing.
I chatted with some filmmakers and mused about a digital solution to the antiquated paper ballot method and limited marketing support for films, affectionately named FestiVote, because, hey, who doesn’t love a witty pun?
They were all for it! On the flight back to Los Angeles, I scribbled my ideas to share with my beloved confidant and wife, Anne-Mari. She loved the idea and vowed to push me to make this a reality. So, we teamed up and reached out to my best friend Uri, the tech brains behind it all, and together, we bring you, FestiVote! We’re delighted to share our creation with you.
Mission & Vision
FestiVote, at its core, is a collaborative endeavor that believes no individual cog is more important than the sum of its parts. Our commitment to the team, our clients, and our community is fueled by our dedication to driving solutions with compelling technology through unique audience engagement and digital voting. FestiVote fosters the power of synergy that FILMMAKERS champion FESTIVALS desire and AUDIENCES deserve.
“For Festivals By Filmmakers”