06/05/2026
Here are the bios of the 5 judges for our 2026 Pacific Media Institute Film Competition to celebrate World Press Freedom Day. 16 of the short films we received will be shown this Saturday, May 9, at 6:30 PM at the Marshall Islands Resort Lomalo Room. All are invited, admission is free, light refreshments will be served. The winners of the competition will be announced at that time.
Alex Munoz
While attending his last semester at the USC School of Cinema and Television Munoz directed his first film " RIOT" s for Showtime (Winner of the Audience Award at Geneva Film Festival and Best Made for TV Movie by the NY Times) RIOT investigated the civil unrest following the Rodney King verdict. The film premiered at the FIRST AME Church in South Central and the screening was dramatically disrupted by a group of young black community activists who demanded that the entertainment industry do more to engage, train, and employ young people from disadvantaged communities. Munoz responded by forming FYI FILMS (Films by Youth Inside) which empowers incarcerated youth via personal story telling and digital filmmaking. Munoz went on to direct LIVING THE LIFE, an independent feature film produced by Shapiro Entertainment. Following the completion of "Living the Life" , he went on to direct the award winning "DILEMMA" which was funded by BHERC and Sandra Evers Manly. The film focuses on an unlikely friendship between a Latino and Black youth while serving time at a youth correctional facility. "Lil Scrappy Boy" a short doc focussing on one of his FYI FILMS student and his decision to quit his gang in South Long Beach won "Best Short Doc at the Urban World Film Festival.” Another web series based on two Latino youth from East Los Angeles. "AYE FOO", is a cross between "Cheech and Chong" and "Beevis and Butthead" starring Johnny Ortiz (American Crime and McFarland, USA), It won Best Comedy Webisode Series at UMFF in 2013. In 2015 Munoz won "Best Sports Doc" for "A DREAM DEFERRED", which is organized around Derrick Rose and his Brother / Manager Reg Rose's quest for excellence. "Griot's Lament" investigates social and racial injustice and uses Michael Jackson song lyrics as dialogue. The three webisodes he has completed have garnered over 20 Million views across multiple platforms. Munoz also directed SPOUT, starring Rena Owen and Lobby Boy aka Tony Revolori from Grand Budapest Hotel. Spout is an off beat quirky vampire film which premiered at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and was well received in Germany after it screened at the Deutsche Kunst Akadamie last fall. Munoz is currently prepping to shoot his feature length film "Make the Moon", which was developed at the Sundance Writer's Lab. In "MAKE THE MOON: the loss of his twin brother forces Jay to recognize that for his mother, no love was lost. The surviving favorite son decides to become the dead brother to confront his mother's unmourning. Munoz will cast two FYI FILMS Alumni to act in the film, and hire up to six FYI FILMS Alumni to work as crew on the film. The film is slated for production later this year. Alex is also known as the former stand in for Prince. When he brought his letter of acceptance from the USC School of Cinema and Television onto the set, Prince offered up four points of advice:
1) Remember where you come from. Honor your ancestors
2) Take chances and break the rules
3) Stay connected to the Creator
4) Always give back.
Don Muna
Don Muña is an award-winning Chamoru filmmaker from Guam. He co-founded the Guam International Film Festival, helps develop the local film industry, and is Executive Producer at PBS Guam. His work has been studied internationally and has earned multiple honors.
Kel Muna
Kel is the founder and Program Director of the Guam International Film Festival. As an educator, he has developed the first independent filmmaking course curriculum for the University of Guam. As a filmmaker, his works have screened in numerous countries and have been part of sociological, international and Pacific course studies at Purdue University, University of Hawaii and University of Guam.
Kel has over thirty years of experience in radio, television and film production. He currently leads the digital initiative for PBS Guam and continues to mentor at-risk youth through various scholastic and non-profit organizations.
Suzanne Chutaro
Suzanne, from the Marshall Islands, was the co-producer, co-director, editor, script supervisor, casting, makeup, set arrangements and location supervisor for 5 of the Microwave Films award winning Marshallese feature films and numerous short film projects.
She is also a former journalist for the longest running news publication in Micronesia, The Marshall Islands Journal.
Corrie M. Lejjena
The founder of the RMI Media Company, Corrieography, he was raised in Colorado and Missouri and has 20+ years in the multimedia space with a current media focus on sports and independent contracting. He is also a co-producer, co-director and Assistant cameraman for the hit Marshallese sitcom, MAJURO 5-Oh.
