With over 40 years in the entertainment industry, Potent PR’s founder, Jonah Blechman, has established and run festivals of all sorts, including championing hundred’s of films from first time filmmakers to prestigious studio distributors. Jonah’s vast storytelling pedigree has accentuated any of the campaigns his public relations firm has lead i.e. Oscar and Golden Globe campaigns for both Foreign and Documentary submissions, 3 Sundance Jury Prizes, Audience Awards for both Palm Springs International Film Fest and Slamdance Film Festival’s Narrative and Documentary sections, LAFF Jury Prizes, as well as multiple Grand Jury Awards at Outfest and other LGBTQ festivals. ​ Jonah has led the festival press department covering 140 films at Los Angeles’s most prestigious film festival in the heart of Hollywood, AFI Fest, including such films as LINCOLN and LIFE OF PI. He also led the press department for the 15th , 16th, and 17th annual 11 day Los Angeles based Dances With Films festival, as well as the Los Angeles LGBTQ OUT Web Fest, and Revry’s Visibility Awards at YouTube Space LA. Jonah’s festival experience also includes Toronto, Cannes, Tribeca, SXSW, LAFF, SIFF, Cinequest, Frameline, Newfest, etc. He started his career as founder of the Los Angeles Healing Arts Festival and now runs the Los Angeles QueerX festival that focuses on the LGBTQ intersection of music, film and industry. ​​ Jonah’s public relations firm, Potent PR, also proudly services LGBTQ and Disability advocacy as well as streaming platforms for niche media including Revry, the first global LGBTQ streaming network and Chopso, the first all Asian English speaking streaming network. In honor of supporting advocacy for marginalized communities, Jonah was grateful to speak to our nation’s Presidential Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities in March and help advise the President of the United States on the subject.