ABOUT
YORK FILMS
York Films is a full-service, independent production company that finances and develops feature films for audiences all around the world. Our management team is passionate about finding and developing unique stories that aim to excite, inspire, and entertain viewers. We are uniquely positioned to understand needs and opportunities within the film industry, thanks to our team’s combined experience in the business and film world, both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. At York Films, we aim to bring together the movie industry’s biggest stars with a new wave of filmmakers and talent, in order to create a diverse collection of films that will touch and captivate modern audiences.
John Kalafatis | CEO
johnk@yorkstudios.com
John Kalafatis is the CEO and founder of York Films. He has over 35 years of entrepreneurial and business experience in New York, during which he created, managed, and developed multiple successful companies in the city’s film and construction industries. As one of the founders and senior partners of York Films’ affiliate, York Studios, John Kalafatis has invested in the future of the film and TV industry in New York by building one of New York City’s largest film studios in the Bronx, in addition to York Studios’ original location in Queens. He has quickly managed to turn York Studios into one of the top choices for large-scale productions in New York City. Movies and TV shows filmed in the Studios’ Queens location include “John Wick”, “Godzilla”, “The Amazing Spider-man 2”, and CBS’ long-running series “Elementary”.
Joanna Kalafatis | President
joanna@yorkstudios.com
Joanna Kalafatis is the President of York Films. She has 7 years of experience in the film and television industry in Los Angeles, both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. She has helped develop and produce both narrative and documentary features for media outlets in the US and abroad. Joanna holds a B.A. in Economics from Barnard College; her education and experience in both LA and international media helps her organize, finance, and develop productions both domestically and across borders.
Athan Tom Sklavos | Head of Production
toms@yorkstudios.com
Athan Tom Sklavos is the Head of Production of York Films. Athan Tom has earned degrees in both acting and directing for film as well as one in Psychology. He has 20 years of experience directing and producing numerous productions in the film and theatre world and has starred as an actor in 11 television series in Greece. He was the Artistic director of the Athens cultural program for two years and for three years, the head of industrial acting for PWC (Price Waterhouse Cooper) for the regions of Greece and Cyprus. He has also worked as an assistant director in the National Theatre of Greece.
John Battista | Manager of Studios
johnbattista@yorkstudios.com
John Battista has been working with the entertainment industry for almost twenty years. As the Commanding Officer of the NYPD Movie TV Unit he was instrumental in coordinating all exterior location shooting and stunts performed within NYC. In 2002 he was appointed as the Deputy Commissioner of the Mayors Office of Film Theatre & Broadcasting under the Bloomberg Administration. John was responsible for facilitating all filming requests citywide and worked closely with all city agencies, guilds and unions. John has been the Executive Vice President of York Studios since 2013.
Rachel Charlop-Powers | General Manager
rachelcp@yorkstudios.com
Rachel Charlop-Powers is the General Manager of York Films. Rachel has a twelve year track-record of improving efficiency and/or profitability in her work as an operations consultant in theatre production, commercial real estate, higher education and workforce development. She was the sole producer of the world premieres of two new plays at the Manhattan Repertory Theatre, a co-producer at Sink or Swim Repertory Theatre, and has worked as a line producer for numerous film projects.
She has dozens of credits as an actress and earned an M.F.A. in Acting from the Johnny Carson School of Theatre.
Andreas Ignatiou | Creative Executive
andreas@yorkstudios.com
Andreas Ignatiou has been working in the film industry for eight years during which time he produced and developed narrative features and shorts. He began his journey at New Regency, where he gained knowledge of the ins and outs of the industry. Since, he has worked in varying capacities on several music videos, commercials, tv shows and films including the Oscar-nominated film, ‘La La Land’. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Visual and media Arts from Emerson College, where he was selected for a mentorship hosted by the Writers Guild of America. In 2018, he produced his first feature “This Is My Year”, which briefly cracked the top 50 independent film chart on iTunes.
He joined York films in the summer of 2018 and now works in the company’s Creative Development department.
John Kalafatis | CEO
johnk@yorkstudios.com
John Kalafatis is the CEO and founder of York Films. He has over 35 years of entrepreneurial and business experience in New York, during which he created, managed, and developed multiple successful companies in the city’s film and construction industries.
As one of the founders and senior partners of York Films’ affiliate, York Studios, John Kalafatis has invested in the future of the film and TV industry in New York by building one of New York City’s largest film studios in the Bronx, in addition to York Studios’ original location in Queens. He has quickly managed to turn York Studios into one of the top choices for large-scale productions in New York City. Movies and TV shows filmed in the Studios’ Queens location include “John Wick”, “Godzilla”, “The Amazing Spider-man 2”, and CBS’ long-running series “Elementary”.
Joanna Kalafatis | President
joanna@yorkstudios.com
Joanna Kalafatis is the President of York Films. She has 7 years of experience in the film and television industry in Los Angeles, both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. She has helped develop and produce both narrative and documentary features for media outlets in the US and abroad.
Joanna holds a B.A. in Economics from Barnard College; her education and experience in both LA and international media helps her organize, finance, and develop productions both domestically and across borders.
Athan Tom Sklavos | Head of Production
toms@yorkstudios.com
Athan Tom Sklavos is the Head of Production of York Films. Athan Tom has earned degrees in both acting and directing for film as well as one in Psychology. He has 20 years of experience directing and producing numerous productions in the film and theatre world and has starred as an actor in 11 television series in Greece. He was the Artistic director of the Athens cultural program for two years and for three years, the head of industrial acting for PWC (Price Waterhouse Cooper) for the regions of Greece and Cyprus. He has also worked as an assistant director in the National Theatre of Greece.
John Battista | Manager of Studios
johnbattista@yorkstudios.com
John Battista has been working with the entertainment industry for almost twenty years. As the Commanding Officer of the NYPD Movie TV Unit he was instrumental in coordinating all exterior location shooting and stunts performed within NYC.
In 2002 he was appointed as the Deputy Commissioner of the Mayors Office of Film Theatre & Broadcasting under the Bloomberg Administration. John was responsible for facilitating all filming requests citywide and worked closely with all city agencies, guilds and unions.
John has been the Executive Vice President of York Studios since 2013.
Rachel Charlop-Powers | General Manager
rachelcp@yorkstudios.com
Rachel Charlop-Powers is the General Manager of York Films. Rachel has a twelve year track-record of improving efficiency and/or profitability in her work as an operations consultant in theatre production, commercial real estate, higher education and workforce development. She was the sole producer of the world premieres of two new plays at the Manhattan Repertory Theatre, a co-producer at Sink or Swim Repertory Theatre, and has worked as a line producer for numerous film projects. She has dozens of credits as an actress and earned an M.F.A. in Acting from the Johnny Carson School of Theatre.
Andreas Ignatiou | Creative department
andreas@yorkstudios.com
Andreas Ignatiou has been working in the film industry for eight years during which time he produced and developed narrative features and shorts. He began his journey at New Regency, where he gained knowledge of the ins and outs of the industry. Since, he has worked in varying capacities on several music videos, commercials, tv shows and films including the Oscar-nominated film, ‘La La Land’. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Visual and media Arts from Emerson College, where he was selected for a mentorship hosted by the Writers Guild of America. In 2018, he produced his first feature ’This Is My Year’, which briefly cracked the top 50 independent film chart on iTunes. He joined York films in the summer of 2018 and now works in the company’s Creative Development department.