JURY

INTERNATIONAL MID-LENGTH FILM COMPETITION AND BALTIC SHORT FILM COMPETITION JURY 

    Uldis Cekulis, Latvia

Founder of VFS Films that specialises in documentary films, TV, author programmes and videos. In 2007 received the prestigious International Trailblazer Award MIPDOC at Cannes. Has worked as a producer for films of Peteris Krilovs “Upper Daugava” (Augšdaugava) as well as “Lump. The Wrong Latvian” (Klucis. Nepareizais Latvietis) un “Obliging collaborators” (Uz spēles Latvija). All of the mentioned films have received the prize of “Lielais Kristaps” for the nomination of the best documentary film. The film of Laila Pakalnina “Dream Land” (Leiputrija) in 2005 was nominated for the European Film Academy award. The film he produced in 2015, R bondarchuk “Ukranian sheriff” won the prize of the biggest documentary jury of IDFA. Uldis has workd on many films that have received a world- class recognition.

    Jemma Desai, United Kingdom

Jemma Desai is Film Programme Manager at the British Council, where she looks after their activity with short filmmakers and their global touring initiatives. She also programmes for BFI London Film Festival and has contributed to various film publications including Sight & Sound and BFI online. In 2012 Jemma founded 'I am Dora', a curatorial initiative exploring how women identify with one another through film, which encompasses a screening series, a printed publication and discussion events.

    Katarzyna Gondek, Poland

A hunter for the surreal. A graduate of film studies and documentary course in Wajda School. An author of films and literary forms. Has written and published two novels “Horror Vacui” and “Otolith”, one poetry book “Plexus” and a couple of short stories. Alumni of Sundance Institute and Berlinale Talents 2016.

INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION JURY

    Anu-Laura Tuttelberg, Estonia

Anu-Laura Tuttelberg (1984) graduated MA degree in animation at Estonian Academy of Arts in 2013. She made her first animation Fly Mill/ Kärbeste veski a puppet film as her graduation film. It has screened in numerous festivals around the world and won about 20 prizes. Her first film after graduation On The Other Side Of The Woods/ Teisel pool metsa mixes puppet animation and pixilation techniques and is shot with natural light giving it a special feeling of the presence of time in the film. It has won three First Prizes and a Best Debut prize at festivals so far. At the moment she is developing her new puppet film which will be shot outdoors with a 16 mm camera.  

    Eroll Bilibani, Kosovo

Eroll Bilibani is a producer, photographer and communications manager – currently the executive director of DokuFest, Prizren Kosovo. He is extensively involved in developing programs that use cinema and storytelling as platforms for social change designed to inspire young people. He is also involved in the promotion of documentary cinema in rural villages of Kosovo through DokuFest’s traveling cinema “Cinema at Your Door”. In 2014 “New Europe 100” an initiative of Google, Res Publica, Visegrad Fund and the Financial Times, enlisted Eroll amongst 100 people who have inspired change in Central and Eastern Europe.

    Wim Vanacker, France

After studying psychology in Belgium, Wim Vanacker moved to Dublin to work as a psychologist in the field of drug addiction. Three years later, he picked up studying again at EICAR where he made two shorts : Endgame and The Naked leading the Blind. After graduating, he discovered NISI MASA – European Network of Young Cinema where he became the Head of the Script Department and the Project manager of the MEDIA funded project, European Short Pitch. Recently, he founded Sireal Films, a Brussels based production company where he produced the VAF funded short film empire. As a writer/director, he’s currently developing the short film [ˈsɪə.ri.əl ], produced by the Paris based production company In Vivo Films.