Jury

Vadim Abdrashitov

Head of Jury, Russia

Obtained his first university degree in physics. Graduated from All-Russian State University of Cinematography (VGIK). All Abdrashitov’s films received numerous awards, including awards at international film festivals, such as Venice IFF, Berlinale, Locarno IFF, etc. People's Artist of Russia. Vice-president of Nika Award. Professor at VGIK.

Cristina Velasco

Head of Jury, Mexico

Producer. Head of production of the Mexican Film Institute (IMCINE) that runs the FOPROCINE fund and the Mexican National Film Commission. Producer of “Eisenstin En Guanajuato” (“Eisenstein in Guanajuato”), “Liwa Mairin”, “Tropical Carmine”, “The Naked Room”, “Tijuana, Sonidos Del Nortec”(“ Tijuana, the Sound of Nortec”).

Bence Fliegauf

Head of Jury, Hungary

Writer, director, production and sound designer. His movie MILKY WAY (2007) won Locarno’s Golden Leopard. The JUST THE WIND (2012) received the Jury Grand Prize at the Berlinale and his latest movie LILY LANE (2016) won the Golden Olive Tree of Lecce.

Yuri Goroulev

Head of Jury, Belarus

Graduated from the film-engineering department of the Leningrad Institute of Film Engineers and from the camera department of VGIK. Directed about 40 documentaries. The winner of the State Prize of the President of the Republic of Belarus “For spiritual Revival”. Organizer and director of the IFF of Christian films and TV programs “Magnificat”.

Andrei Zagdansky

Head of Jury, USA

An independent producer, documentary filmmaker. Graduated from Kyiv Theatre, Cinema and Television University. Worked at Kievnauchfilm production studio. Since 1992 has been living and working in US. Host of authorial program on Radio Liberty. Awardee of international film festivals.

Ludmila Saenkova

Head of Jury, Belarus

Graduated from the faculty of journalism of BSU and from the department of film studies of VGIK. Head of the department of literary and art criticism of the Institute of Journalism of BSU. Holds a PhD in philology, associate professor. Film critic. Author of two books on the MIFF “Listapad”.

Kai S. Pieck

Head of Jury, Germany

Writer and director. For a long time worked in the field of puppetry, held several exhibitions with self-made
puppets and wrote a book about making nd manipulating marionettes. Co-founder of the first Super8 movie theatre of Germany in Hannover.

Edvinas Pukšta

Lithuania

Senior programmer of the Vilnius IFF. A former member of the Film Board at the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture (2008-2012). Attends 15-17 film festivals around the globe per year. Jury member in various IFF such as Cannes, Busan, Berlin, Wroclaw, Transilvania, Plsen, Bucharest.

Nele Savichenko

Lithuania

Theatre and film actress. Received award for best female lead at “75 years of Odessa film studio” festival, “Mask of Gratitude” award, “Silver Crane” award, three “Golden Cross of the Stage” awards. Received Lithuanian Government Award for contribution to Lithuanian culture and art. Teaches at Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre.

Stefan Laudyn

Poland

Director of the Warsaw International Film Festival. Founder and general manager of “Warsaw Film Foundation”. Founder of “CentEast Market”. Member of European Film Academy and Polish Film Academy. Co-wrote seven books of poetry. Recorded two CDs with classical music. Played concerts in ten European countries as a member of “The Festival Band”.