Meet Our Featured guest
Kiim Watson
Author, Photographer, Writer/Director
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A New York native, now based in Los Angeles, Kim is a multifaceted author, photographer, and writer/director with over two decades of experience.
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Focused on creating Art as a Catalyst for Change, he's worked in TV, film, advertising, and digital content; including co-writing Universal Pictures' Honey, and directing over 30 music videos while earning MTV and Soul Train Awards nominations.
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Kim received NAACP (New York Chapter) accolades, consulted for PBS's Independent Lens', and lectured at institutions including USC and Occidental College before embarking on Trespass, an impactful multi-pronged exploration of Los Angeles’ homeless.
His book of photography and essays, Trespass… Profiles of Unhoused Life, Love and Understanding (Broadleaf Books 2024), is a moving reveal of the Unhoused, and followed two multi-media exhibitions of TRESPASS photographs.
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The completed Trespass documentary short, is one third of a multi-platform distribution strategy, and will be followed by the feature length version, currently in post-production.
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Website: kimwatsonart.com
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Instagram: kimwatsonart
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Facebook: Kim Mwatson
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X: KimWatsonArt
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Steven Ulllman
Producer
Steven is producing In the Name of Hope, with J. Todd Harris, President of Branded Pictures Entertainment, as Executive Producer, and Christine as the Director.
An award-winning producer/ director based in Los Angeles his mission is “to provoke thought, evoke feeling, and create community through inspired storytelling and creative entertainment.”
His professional goals are to improve the quality and profitability of productions by optimizing organizational performance along fiscal, operational, and creative metrics. He strives to deliver the best possible productions including in his roles as:
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Producer, Miss Lillian: More Than a President’s Mother, a feature length documentary including interviews with President Jimmy Carter, Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, journalist Sam Donaldson, and LA Dodgers’ Manager Tommy Lasorda
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Three-time winner, Los Angeles Ovation Award for Best Musical
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Producer, Hurlyburly, Los Angeles, starring Sean Penn, Danny Aiello, and Mare Winningham
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Former Producing Artistic Director, Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities and Hermosa Beach Playhouse
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Producer, Greater Tuna, San Francisco, with a 6-year run
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Steven is devoted to projects that have a positive impact in our society.
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Instagram: Inthenameofhopefilm
Website: IntheNameofHope.com
Gabriel Diamond
Filmmaker & Innovator
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Gabriel is a filmmaker, dancer, and transformational experience facilitator. As the staff filmmaker at The Skoll Foundation, he has made hundreds of films about changemakers. He will be joining us just after the annual Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University.
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Gabriel enjoys exploring the intersection of radical vulnerability, social justice, connecting strangers, and dance. He co-founded Vulnerable Rally, Blindfolded Contact, and Dance Roulette. His indie narrative feature film Less is an urban fairytale about a man living on the streets in San Francisco, and works created under his mentorship won top prizes at dozens of national festivals, including an Emmy.
A Featured Guest of one of our second screening salon series, Connection & Belonging, in the Fall of 2020, we are thrilled to have Gabriel back with us!
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Tess Cacciatore
GWEN, Global CEO/Founder
Tess is a multiple best-selling author & award-winning director / filmmaker, multimedia creator and executive producer with over 25 years in the entertainment, technology and philanthropic arenas.
Last year, to great critical acclaim, her films won 21 film festivals in the U.S. and abroad including at Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, Red Movie Film Festival, City of Angels and Whistleblowers.
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On April 30th, we will be experiencing her heart-pounding short film The Rescue, based on a true story about human trafficking. Among other laurels, the film garnered the Social Justice Award at the Cannes World Film Festival and the award for Best Female Director at the Whistleblowers Film Festival in Washington, DC.
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Tess has worked as a UN Media Accredited Journalist for the United Nations and has traveled the world for the past 25 plus years, doing humanitarian outreach on 5 continents for social injustices and human rights.
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Website: Gwen.global
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Instagram: Tess Cacciatore
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Facebook: Tess Cacciatore
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Linked In: Tess Cacciatore
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Screening Salon Basics
Stone Soup Ripple has produced and hosted over 50 online screening salons. The goal is to brings people together for inspiring, authentic experiences that connect us to move forward, personally and professionally.
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This is our give back and our way of building community among content creators and others.
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Using a series format, these interactive online gatherings are hosted by Christine. Featured Guests join the group to introduce their film, which the group watches.
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Afterward, the group reconvenes for more conversation and sharing, with the Featured Guests participating as well.
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We are always open to screened content and featured guests ideas. Your suggestions add richness to our evolving community!