ZEPSTONE ENTERTAINMENT: BY ARTISTS FOR ARTISTS

We are a film production company and festival organizer. We love movies - we love movies so much that we can’t get enough of watching them, making them, and showcasing them!

Mission: Our mission is to connect artists within the film and music industries and to showcase talent locally and beyond.

***Note: Some team members and jurors have chosen to remain anonymous.

Meet the Team

Alicia Oberle Farmer, CEO & founder

Dr. Alicia Oberle Farmer is the founder and director of Zepstone Inernational Film Awards and Zepstone Festival. She is also an international award-winning film director/producer and is known for her work on Rite of the Shaman (2022), Algea: God of Pain (2022), City of Salt (2020), and The Witch of Wander Lane (2023). Alicia is from Salt Lake City, UT and has a PhD in Education. She has been in the entertainment industry since she was 11-years-old, starting as a cover model before discovering the film industry.

Alicia grew up in Salt Lake City, UT, and has been an artist all of her life. Winning many different awards from an early age, including a Daughters of the American Revolution Citizenship Award when she was only 12, she strived for lifelong learning and a passion for helping others. During this time, she also began modeling and got her first taste for the entertainment industry.

During Alicia's adolescent years, she became a teen mother at the age of 15. After escaping an abusive relationship and struggling as a single teen mom, Alicia decided to continue her quest for learning and went back to school to set an example for her children. She graduated with a BA in English in 2011 (Westminster College), a Master of Education in 2013 (Westminster College), and a PhD in Education: Learning, Instruction and Innovation in 2018 (Walden University).

In 2016 Alicia founded her film production company Zepstone Media, and subsequently Zepstone Film Awards and Zepstone Festival. An avid lover and supporter of the arts, her goal is to empower independent filmmakers, musicians, and visual artists around the world.

John D. Farmer, president

John D. Farmer has been in the music industry for over 30 years, beginning with touring and concert promotion and evolving into music production. In 2009, John started a local radio station that promoted only local music. Within the matter of a few months, word spread to other countries. After two years, his company spread to 47 states and 43 countries - highlighting independent music from across the world. John’s goal is to showcase local independent music and to bridge music and film together to connect artists with one another.

Kim Stone, BOARD & ACTING JUROR

Award-winning actress Kim Stone has been acting for the past (almost 40) years. She took state for drama in high school, and her passion and forte lies within the mechanics of the performance and the realism an actor can bring to the screen.

She enjoys spending time with her two beautiful children and lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Lucas Hardy, BOARD & POST-PRODUCTION JUROR

This multi award-winning editor has over 20 years working in post-production in the film industry and I loves it! He’s worked for Disney and other post-production houses in Hollywood, working on shows such as Shameless and Southland.

Along with editing, Lucas specializes in post-production workflows and media management.

ANNA THOMAS, JUROR

Anna participated in judging youth events such as the Idaho Invention Convention, Scholastic Bowl, First Lego league and other events in her community. 

Through her work at Zepstone, as well as her work in marketing at INL she has developed a love and appreciation for projects and the many pieces that it takes to put together a film. 

She is excited to see the projects put together by people of varied backgrounds.

RACHEL KOKO, JUROR

Rachel Koko lives in Layton, Utah with her husband, four sons, and her fur baby a rescue shelter dog. Her hobbies include spending time with her family, travel, family history research, and binge watching anything Star Wars. Rachel was adopted as a baby. Her love for family research came from her adoption journey searching for her biological parents. In the past several years, Rachel was able to find  and meet her birth parents. Rachel loves to interact with people from all over the world trying to understand different cultures and beliefs. She likes to help others discover their unique personal stories; especially those who are on their own personal adoption journeys. Rachel’s travels have taken her to Europe, New Zealand, throughout the islands of Micronesia, and to multiple states throughout the United States. If Rachel ever won the lottery, you would find her heading to the airport to continue exploring this beautiful world we live in!

Antonio Palacios - Reviewer

Antonio is the Producer and Host of The Cultworthy Cinema Podcast, The Cultworthy Classic Podcast and The Milf and Me Podcast -  as well as the creative director and writer for THECULTWORTHY.COM - a website and blog dedicated to cult cinema and obscure film.  Antonio spent his younger years in the film and theater industry here in Utah, acting in Sundance Film Lab productions including the role of Ricky in Tamara Jenkins' lab production of SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS.  A life long cinephile - Antonio brings a wealth of film knowledge and critique to the Zepstone Film Awards and is excited to be a part of the team!