New GM for Babelgum’s Film Division

LONDON/NEW YORK, October 10: Interactive
web-TV platform Babelgum has named indie film veteran Karol Martesko-Fenster as
general manager and publisher of its film division and managing director of the
Babelgum Online Film Festival.

Martesko-Fenster
will oversee all aspects of the film offerings on Babelgum, expanding
programming acquisitions and partnerships as well as global film industry and festival activities. For
the Babelgum Online Film Festival, he will work closely with creator
Stefania Valenti and jury chairman Spike Lee. Martesko-Fenster will be based in Babelgum’s New York
office, headed by Ethan Podell, the president of Babelgum U.S.

Most
recently, Martesko-Fenster collaborated with filmmaker Morgan Spurlock to
launch the three-minute stories film publisher CINELAN. He was also the general
manager/head of film for Palm Pictures and the president of Palm’s RES Media
Group. Martesko-Fenster co-founded and launched indieWIRE.com, FILMMAKER
Magazine, RES Magazine, the Virtual FilmFestival and filmmag.com.

“Babelgum’s
film programming is mainly focused on people who are passionate about indie
film,” said Valerio
Zingarelli, the CEO of Babelgum. “And Karol’s passion for this material is
just what we need to build a vibrant independent film community on the Babelgum
platform.”

“The people behind Babelgum
have consistently championed independent programming and have established the
public beta of Babelgum as a premier alternative online destination,” commented
Martesko-Fenster. “I am looking forward to working with the international team
to position Babelgum as a market leader amongst the international independent
filmmaking and emerging creative community.”

—By Kristin Brzoznowski