Team
Kristof Deák
Screenwriter, director
Kristof Deák is a screenwriter and director. Born in Budapest and an alumni of University of Westminster, he has earned a global profile with his short film ‘SING’. Working across features, series and short form, Kristof’s varied portfolio has a recurring theme: regular people finding each other to team up against systemic injustice. His 1951-set feature ‘Captives’ and his contemporary thriller ‘the Grandson’ were both awarded in Hungary and at festivals around the world.
The story of Cooking Up A Country landed on his doorstep after a serendipitous meeting with producer Muriël – and Kristof hopelessly fell in love with Seborga’s charm during a subsequent visit.
Muriël horst
Creator, LEAD producer, Royal Guard
Muriël Horst is the founder and executive producer of Equs Film, a social enterprise committed to nurturing new talent and preserving the art of short film making by reinvesting profits from commercial projects. Travelling in Italy, Muriël discovered the small, self-proclaimed principality of Seborga — a place with its own princess, anthem, and guards.
Cooking Up A Country started as a novel – but captivated by its charm and spirit, Muriël envisioned turning it into an international feature film. As the founder and producer of Cooking Up a Country, Muriël has been the driving force behind the project, bringing her passion for original, socially engaged storytelling to every step of its development.
Mark foligno
Excecutive producer, uk
Mark Foligno (Sankara Pictures) is a renowned film and television producer with a career spanning over three decades. He has been involved in a wide range of acclaimed projects, including Oscar-winning The King’s Speech and BAFTA-winning Moon. Known for his creative vision and commitment to quality, Mark continues to work on major films such as Freud’s Last Session starring Sir Anthony Hopkins.
For Cooking Up a Country, Mark joins the team as UK
executive producer, bringing his extensive industry
experience and passion for distinctive, human-centered
storytelling. Being half Italian and a lifelong enthusiast of
Italian food and culture, the project holds a special personal
connection for him.
Sander verdonk
executive producer, nl
Sander Verdonk is a founding partner of New Amsterdam Film Company and has produced more than 20 feature films and documentaries, including Strike a Pose, The East, Hardcore Never Dies, and Anton Corbijn Inside Out. He’s a graduate of the Dutch Film Academy and an alumnus of the EAVE Producers Workshop and the MEDIA Business School.
Sander is a member of the Dutch Academy for Film, the European Film Academy, and serves as an advisor to the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts. Outside of work, he’s an avid snowboarder and kitesurfer.
Sander was drawn to Cooking Up a Country because it is author-driven, socially engaged, and keeps humanity at its core — values that are central to the films he produces.