Jury Fiction

Jury

Fiction

Vess Chua

Film programmer and Producer I Singapore

With a focus on Southeast Asian short films, she is currently the Programme Executive at the Singapore International Film Festival. She is also the Festival Manager of the Singapore Youth Film Festival. Previously, she also contributed to the Perspectives Film Festival, first as a Programmer in 2018, then as the Festival Director in 2019.

Paola Valeria Jovinelli

Journalist and Producer I Italy

Born in Milano. After her studies in Milano, Florence, Montreux and London, she starts her career as a journalist on Italian press included Corriere della Sera. Then she becomes CEO and president of Brembana&Rolle group spa, a petrochemical, energy equipment and package systems manufacturer.

Founder of Arte del Convivio, a foundation that sponsors the new generation young chef. Vice president of MAGENTAbureau, communication company connected to IDENTITA GOLOSE, the most important International Chef Congress.

Cofounder of “Bring your chair festival “ the Cycladic cultural cozy film, music, art and reading festival in Sifnos and Serifos together with art director Faye Kazantzidou. Last, but not least, she sets up a new project, the brand Heart project Milano, producing film documentaries and also performing herself as protagonist in the film “Ho bisogno di me (I need myself)” which won the Public Award on Sguardi altrove - Milano film festival 2021.

Kobi Mizrahi

Producer - Director I Israel

Kobi Mizrahi, an Oscar nominated producer, alumnus of EAVE and Emerging Producers workshops, established KM PRODUCTIONS to focus on creating sustainable relationships with young, innovative directors in order to produce shorts, features, and documentaries. His features include The Road to Eilat (2022): 3 awards including Best Feature at Jerusalem IFF, 11 Israeli Academy nominations; The Dive (2018): 4 awards including Best Feature at Jerusalem IFF, 2 awards at Locarno; and Water (2012, Israeli-Palestinian omnibus film): Amnesty International Award, opened Venice Critics’ Week. His short films, including White Eye (Oscar-nominated) and Mission Hebron (EFA shortlisted), have been screened at major festivals worldwide such as Cannes, Venice, IDFA, Locarno, Toronto, Telluride, SXSW, DOC NYC, and sold to HBO, Canal+ and more. Two shorts he produced "White Eye" and "Butterflies" screened in psarokokalo film festival 2020.

Ashraf Shishir

Filmmaker- Scriptwriter and Human Rights Activist I Bangladesh

Md Ashraful Alam, widely known as Ashraf Shishir, is a prominent filmmaker, scriptwriter, and human rights activist renowned for his significant contributions to the global film industry. With a distinguished career spanning over a decade, he has garnered international acclaim for his directorial prowess and commitment to social advocacy. As a jury member in over 35 international film festivals, including prestigious events in the USA, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Germany, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, and Iran, Ashraf has demonstrated his keen eye for cinematic excellence and his dedication to recognizing outstanding talent in the industry. His visionary approach to filmmaking challenges conventional norms, as evidenced by his groundbreaking creation, "THE INNOCENCE" (Amra Ekta Cinema Banabo), recognized as the longest fiction film globally. Ashraf's directorial ventures, including "THE CART" (Gaariwala) and "THE INNER SOUND" (Gopon), have garnered critical acclaim and numerous awards, showcasing his ability to craft compelling narratives that resonate with audiences worldwide. Additionally, his social advocacy efforts have earned accolades, further solidifying his impact beyond the realm of cinema.

Nicolás Suárez

Writer - Researcher & Director I Argentina

Nicolás Suárez holds a PhD in Literature from Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and is a screenwriter. His short film Centauro (Special Mention, Berlinale 2017) was showcased at over forty festivals worldwide and earned the Best Short Film award at the Biarritz Festival. He co-directed the short film The Eucalyptus (Visions du Réel 2024) and the feature film Hijos nuestros (2015), which received awards at film festivals in Mar del Plata, Malaga and Guadalajara. His short film Three Cinematheques (Mar del Plata 2022) received the Cóndor de Plata award for Best Argentine short film of the year. As an essayist, he penned the books How We Look at the 19th Century: Narrative and Community in Argentine Literature and Film (2023) and The Work and Life of Sarmiento in Cinema (2017), which clinched the National Contest of Studies on Argentine Cinema. He also received the Best Essay Award from the Argentine Association of Film and Audiovisual Studies and the Best Film Essay from the Latin American Studies Association (LASA). He has been a Conicet doctoral and postdoctoral fellow, and a DAAD postdoctoral fellow. He has been a visiting researcher at institutions like the Universität zu Köln, the Ibero-American Institute of Berlin, and the Sao Paulo-based Mecila Center.