OUR TEAM
The team behind Backyard/Desert.
CAST
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PAMMYRosie Dean is a multi-talented actor, writer, and musician best known for her performances in The Glass (2022), The Last Christmas Party (2020), and her upcoming roles in Backyard/Desert (2027), Final Act (2026), and Redhawk (2026). A graduate of NYU Tisch with a concentration in Musical Theatre and Screen Acting, Rosie brings precision, emotional range, and bold vulnerability to every role.
As Pammy in Backyard/Desert, she brings a raw, career-defining performance as the young border patrol agent confronting her moral awakening.
Beyond acting, Rosie is a singer-songwriter with original music available on all platforms, and the Creative Director of CK Productions Inc., where she helps shape the company’s artistic vision. With over 295K followers on TikTok, Rosie shares original sketches and behind-the-scenes insights into her creative process, inspiring a new generation of artist-activists.
Rosie Dean also serves as an Executive Producer on the project.
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JOSÉ LUISJuanes Montoya is a Colombian-American actor known for his emotionally grounded and physically compelling performances. He trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and has appeared in acclaimed shows such as HBO’s Fantasmas (Julio Torres), Poker Face (Peacock), and FBI (CBS), showcasing his range across both drama and comedy.
In Backyard/Desert, Juanes takes on the role of José Luis — a young migrant whose journey challenges everything our protagonist thought she knew.
As both a producer and performer, Juanes is deeply committed to stories that amplify Latinx voices and lived experiences. With a strong background in theatre and a growing list of screen credits, he continues to bring sharp focus, vulnerability, and truth to each role.
Juanes Montoya serves as a Producer on the project.
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RUSSEric Roberts is one of the most respected and prolific actors in Hollywood, with an Academy Award nomination (Runaway Train) and three Golden Globe nominations to his name. Over his four-decade career, he has worked with an astounding roster of filmmakers including Paul Thomas Anderson (Inherent Vice), Bob Fosse (Star 80), Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight), and David Duchovny (The Girl with the Hungry Eyes).
A chameleon on screen, Roberts is known for his magnetic presence and ability to embody complex, morally ambiguous characters. His performances have helped shape independent cinema while also captivating global audiences in blockbusters.
In Backyard/Desert, he brings gravitas and emotional weight to the role of Russ, a seasoned border patrol agent whose past and perspective collide with a changing world.
Eric Roberts serves as an Executive Producer on the project.
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BOBPeter-William Jamieson is an award-winning actor and writer originally from Australia, known for his transformative performances and emotionally layered storytelling. He wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed solo Off-Broadway play Borderless, which won Best Actor at the United Solo Theatre Festival in New York and is currently being adapted into a feature film with CK Films and his production company, Street Kid Collective. Trained in both classical and contemporary theatre, Peter brings a unique depth and stillness to the screen, with a gift for portraying complex men navigating shifting personal landscapes.
His performance as Bob in Backyard/Desertis no exception—tapping into themes of masculinity, loyalty, and identity.
With multiple projects in development, Peter is quickly emerging as one of the most exciting voices in international independent film & theatre.
Peter-William Jamieson - along with Street Kid Collective - serves as an Executive Producer on the project.
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PHILDavid DeLuise is a veteran actor and director best known to a generation of viewers as Jerry Russo, the lovable dad on Disney Channel’s hit series Wizards of Waverly Place. With a career spanning over three decades, David has appeared in over 100 film and TV projects including This Is Us, NCIS, Shameless, Bones, and The Rookie, while also directing episodes of Wizards and other family-friendly favorites.
Son of comedy legend Dom DeLuise, David has carved out his own path with an innate warmth, comedic timing, and a talent for bringing sincerity to every role.
In Backyard/Desert, he plays the gruff but bureaucratic border agent Phil —offering a sharp contrast to the film’s emotional core.
Whether in comedy or drama, David remains a comforting, familiar presence on screen.
CREATIVE
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DIRECTOR, CO-WRITER & PRODUCEREthan Felizzari-Castillo is a multifaceted film and theater producer, director, and writer, as well as the founder of independent production company CK Productions Inc. A creative of Salvadoran descent, prides himself in keeping his projects independent and working against all odds to get them made. He studied at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and has been working professionally in the industry since 2013. Since the start of CK, Ethan has produced over 100 theatrical productions, over 85 music videos, several award-winning short films and works with recording artists on a daily basis.
With CK's marketing sector, Ethan has also worked as the marketing manager on the BAFTA & Emmy-nominated, Sundance-winning documentary, BEYOND UTOPIA, and other features. Ethan's directing credits include COSQUILLAS (3-time award winning 'Best Short,') starring Gil Perez-Abraham (The Batman), TURKEYS GO ON STRIKE (Musical, Theater for the New City Off-Broadway) and BACKYARD/DESERT (Play version and feature), among many others. Felizzari-Castillo is currently working on several shorts as a producer including THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC (produced in part by the Russo Brothers/AGBO's RBIAFF Prize) and THE LAST AUTUMN.
Felizzari-Castillo is also developing several announced features like acclaimed content creator, Jessica Vill’s, Marilyn Monroe Biopic titled BECOMING HER, Peter-William Jamieson’s award-winning play turned film, BORDERLESS(for which he will also serve as Director), comedian Sunny Laprade’s trans coming-of-age feature film F IT, WE BALL and drama, written by Felizzari-Castillo, called OFFSIDES.
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AN ORIGINAL SONG WRITTEN FOR THE SCREEN BYMatthew Herbert is a singular artist who has a unique approach to building music from non-traditional sounds and instruments. Whether in the form of an orchestral film score, electronic dance record, exploration of the life of a pig or horse skeleton, or jazz big band, Matthew’s work is impossible to categorize; his groundbreaking approach makes him one of the most important British artists of his generation.
You’ve heard his work under the monikers Herbert, Doctor Rockit, Radio Boy, Wishmountain and in connection with artists like Momoko Gill, Micachu, Ennio Morricone, Quincy Jones, Björk, Moloko, REM and Serge Gainsbourg. As a film and television composer, Matthew creates a new sonic world from scratch based on the organic sounds of each narrative. The music becomes a physical extension of the story.
His film credits include the Academy Award-winning drama A Fantastic Woman, The Wonder (Florence Pugh), Disobedience (Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams), Gloria Bell (Julianne Moore), The Cave, and the forthcoming musical La Ola (The Wave). Series that feature his scores include The Responder (BAFTA-nominated), Noughts + Crosses (Ivor Novello Award-nominated) and The Beast Must Die (RTS Award-winning).
With a clear intention to disrupt the status quo, Matthew collaborates best with like-minded filmmakers who want to change the world. He wants to create work which has a positive social impact by elevating underrepresented ideas and voices and amplifying radical stories which directly face pressing issues such as climate change and social justice.
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ORIGINAL PLAYWRIGHT & CO-WRITERNancy Kelly is an award-winning playwright and educator whose work explores identity, justice, and emotional depth. Her play Backyard/Desert premiered in NYC and is now adapted for film, co-written with director Ethan Felizzari-Castillo. A Dramatists Guild member with degrees from Sarah Lawrence and UC Berkeley, she has created critically praised solo works and digital theater projects like Medea in Quarantine.
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CINEMATOGRAPHERLuke Pengelly is a cinematographer and filmmaker based out of Los Angeles, he’s a proud NYU graduate and is incredibly grateful to be a part of this team. Most recently, Luke shot “That Old Black Magic” following a grant from the Russo Brothers and AGBO, and his work can be seen on numerous short films, commercials, and additional photography on the Feature film Stakes is High (Grand Jury Winner at the Dallas international film festival) and work in the camera department in A24's OPUS (starring Ayo Edibiri)
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COMPOSERKatherine Beggs is a Chinese-American composer from Los Angeles, California. She is classically trained in piano and composition. As a multi-faceted artist, Katherine is a film composer, songwriter, music producer, and sound designer.
She has scored numerous feature films, short films, podcasts, and advertisements.
She is so grateful to be a part of the Backyard/Desert team and has loved bringing the sound of the movie to life.
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CO-PRODUCER & PRODUCTION DESIGNERAlessandra Manias brings her dual expertise as a Production Designer and Producer to Backyard/Desert, drawing from 22 years of experience as an Art Director in Europe and 45 projects completed in the U.S. over the last 8 years.
Her work spans feature films, short films, documentaries, and television series. Alessandra’s award-winning portfolio includes features like Italian for Travelers, The Runner, A Little Family Drama and The Italians, as well as acclaimed shorts such as “Carly” and “Jack & Blue”.
Known for creating immersive environments, her creativity and precision consistently enhance the emotional depth and narrative of every project she takes on
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EditorStephen Phillipi is a Kentucky-based filmmaker specializing in editing, directing, and camera operation. With a background spanning narrative features, short films, music videos, and commercial content, Stephen brings a versatile and cinematic eye to every stage of production. Based in Louisville, KY, he has worked as a 1st and 2nd Assistant Camera as well as a Camera Operator, contributing to projects of varying scale and scope.
As a director, Stephen has led crews of 30+ on set, demonstrating a strong command of visual storytelling and team leadership. His editing work is known for its rhythmic precision and emotional clarity, helping shape powerful narratives in both independent and branded spaces.
Currently, Stephen serves as the editor for Backyard/Desert, an upcoming feature film tackling the migrant crisis, produced by CK Films. His multifaceted expertise across departments makes him a vital asset to any production, especially those rooted in grounded, human stories.
PRODUCERS
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EXECUTIVE PRODUCERA graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Paul Zaentz is an acclaimed producer with a decades-long career spanning some of the most celebrated films in cinema. In 1976, he co-founded The Saul Zaentz Company, which went on to produce multiple Academy Award-winning films, including One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1976), Amadeus (1984), The Mosquito Coast (1986), The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988), At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991), The English Patient (1996), and Goya’s Ghosts (2007). In 1999, he co-produced The Talented Mr. Ripley alongside Sidney Pollack, directed by Anthony Minghella.
Paul’s recent work includes Coup 53 (2019), a gripping documentary on the 1953 US/UK-backed coup in Iran, and We Are Many (2014), a powerful film exposing the misinformation campaign behind the Iraq War.
Currently, Paul is developing several major international projects, including adapting the novel Wildchilds, a love story set against the backdrop of the dark side of the fashion industry to be filmed in Paris and California, a historical series about the English royal family’s German roots post-Napoleonic Wars, a feature adaptation of Provence 1970, and limited series based on The English Patient and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, both of which will focus on parts of the novels which were not in the movies, and a film with City of God co-director Katia Lund on women’s rights in Pakistan.
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PRODUCERSince the early 1980s, Eugenia Melian has forged an eclectic and influential career as a model, agent, producer, and music supervisor, working across the creative capitals of Milan, Paris, London, New York, and Los Angeles. A true tastemaker, she has discovered, managed, and art-directed some of the most visionary talents of our time. Her career milestones include launching the careers of legendary illustrator and photographer Tony Viramontes and renowned photographer David LaChapelle, as well as co-creating and producing Malcolm McLaren’s cult album Paris.
Eugenia’s extensive body of work spans collaborations with a remarkable list of cultural icons and institutions, including Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Hardy, Helmut Newton, David Bailey, Faye Dunaway, Marlon Brando, Prince, Tilda Swinton, Vogue, Matthew Herbert, Blur, Stella McCartney, LouLou de la Falaise, Janet Jackson, Sonia Rykiel, Rocco Siffredi, and The Face magazine.
In 2018, she added author to her list of achievements with the publication of her debut novel Wildchilds, a sharp, stylish meditation on art, identity, and rebellion. In 2025, Melian’s 1989-1997 archives were acquired by Yale / Beinecke Library.
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EXECUTIVE PRODUCERSGiuseppe Tissino and Claudio Zorzenon are the CEO & COO of the award-winning production company Arte Video. Since 1993, Arte Video has been recognized for its excellence in Italy's television and film industry, constantly evolving in technology and committed to producing high-quality video, film, and multimedia content.
Its core mission is to ensure meticulous attention to every project, where quality, expertise, and versatility are essential to success. The company collaborates with major platforms and distributors like Apple iTunes, Amazon Prime Video (both of which have certified Arte Video as a Preferred Partner), Disney+, Paramount+, Google Play, Sony, and Tatatu. It manages releases for Italian & Global distributors such as Warner Bros, Minerva, Nexo Digital, Vision Distribution, IWonder, CG Entertainment, Blue Swan, and Movies Inspired, overseeing projects from concept to post-production and final platform delivery. S
pecializing in film production, post-production, conforming/color grading, and streaming services for video-on-demand, Arte Video is recognized as an "Official Encoding House" by all industry leaders. In April 2024, Arte Video earned Amazon Preferred certification in Los Angeles, becoming the only Italian company with this status. This adds to its Apple iTunes Preferred status, which it has maintained for three consecutive years.
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PRODUCERStefanie has been working in film & creative arts for many years in various roles including as an actress, writer & producer. At CK Films, she oversees all creative projects and new acquisitions. Her current projects include Cosquillas (short), Backyard/Desert (feature) and serving as writer/producer for a new CK Films feature-length project titled, Incompleta.
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PRODUCER & ACTOR (José Luis)Juanes Montoya, born in Medellín, Colombia, is a trained theater and film actor who honed his craft at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. His recent television and film credits include portraying Max Villa in FBI Season 5 on CBS, Diego in Julio Torres’ acclaimed HBO series Fantasmas, Gio in GoGo on Here TV, and Mark Santos in the feature film Something of Value. In theater, he has taken on powerful roles such as Jose Luis in Backyard/Desert, Manuel in Third Wing, Oscar in Sweat, Chino in West Side Story, and Paulo in Normal People (Off-Broadway).
Beyond acting, Montoya is also a producer with CK Films, leading the charge on several projects, including Backyard/Desert and other upcoming works.
In addition to his work in film and theater, he is an accomplished commercial, lifestyle, and fashion photo/video producer, having collaborated with globally recognized brands such as Vogue and worked with high-profile talent, including Lady Gaga and Sabrina Carpenter.
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PRODUCERAdam Del Valle (aka ÖZÑ VALLE) is a Latino-American writer, recording artist & producer based in New York City. Since founding the NYC based creative collective, known as FLESH in 2020, Adam and his partners have worked together on various projects ranging from fashion, music and film.
Drawing inspiration from various genres of music, cinema, literature and life in the city that never sleeps, Adam seeks to honor the art that has made him who he is by bringing his unique perspective to the mediums that shape our culture.
Producer on CK’s upcoming feature Backyard/Desert.
Production Companies
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Primary Production Company
Established in 2015, CK Films is an independent production company & branch of multimedia creative house, CK Productions Inc. (est. 2013). With several Award-winning shorts & over 85 music videos produced, CK Films is making its mark in the independent film landscape.
Currently, CK is set to film their debut features, Backyard / Desert (in 2026) and Offisides (late 2025) in Arizona and New York respectively. CK Films is currently developing several other feature-length projects including popular YouTube Content Creator, Jessica Vill’s, Marilyn Monroe Biopic titled Becoming Her, Peter-William Jamieson’s award-winning play turned film, Borderless and comedian Sunny Laprade’s trans coming-of-age feature film F IT, WE BALL.
CK Films also has several short-form projects including “That Old Black Magic” (in partnership with AGBO/The Russo Brothers’ Italian American Filmmaker Forum Initiative), “The Last Autumn”, “Night Drive” and a short-form series by award-winning comedian, Sheria Mattis, titled Fibroids: A Love Story. CK’s latest short film, “Cosquillas”, starring Gil Perez-Abraham (The Batman, Carry-On) is now available online after several festival appearances and 3 BEST SHORT FILM wins at TINFF, Queens Film Festival & Lonely Seal Film Festival.
CK’s mission is to inspire a whole new generation of artists who consider themselves cause-based creatives; inspiring change in the communities they inhabit.
Learn more about CK Films & see our work here.
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Production Company
Founded in 2010 by partners Matthew Helderman and Luke Taylor, Buffalo 8 is a film and media company focused on production, post-production, distribution, design, and finance based in Santa Monica, California.
Buffalo 8 projects have been premiered and been awarded at Sundance, Berlin, Toronto and SXSW. Buffalo 8, prides itself as being the fusion of an entrepreneurial culture fused with a love of storytelling and the creative arts and a passion for delivering original stories. Buffalo 8 is partnered with industry leading BondIt Media Capital enabling streamlined packaging, production, financing, and sales opportunities.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
Matthew Helderman
Grady Craig
Luke Taylor
Adam Harris Engelhard
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Italy • Production Company, Encoding House
Europe/US • Production Company
Tuscon, Arizona • Production & Post-Production
Queens, NY • Production Company
Australia/NY• Production Company
VisitYuma• Production Partner
Arizona Film Commission• Production Partner