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Jury members at PÖFF 2024
JuryOfficial Competition jury Christoph HochhäuslerHead of the Jury, director Germany Christoph Hochhäusler, born in Munich in 1972, is a German director and screenwriter. His seven feature films have premiered in official selection in Cannes (“I Am Guilty”, 2005, “The City Below”, 2010), Berlin (“This Very Moment”, 2003, “One Minute of Darkness”, 2011, “Till the End of the Night”, 2023), Locarno (“Death Will Come”, 2024, PÖFF) and Rome (“The Lies of the Victors”, 2014) and have won numerous awards. He is married, a father of two children, and lives and works in Berlin.  Bianca BalbuenaProducer Philippines Bianca is a Filipino producer, educator and co-founder of Epicmedia which has produced over 30 features, most notably Venice Film Festival Lion of the Future “Engkwentro”, Berlinale Winners “A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery” and “Cu Li Never Cries”, Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard title “Viet and Nam”, Sundance Film Festival Midnight title “In My Mother’s Skin”, acquired by Amazon Studios, and “Fan Girl” which competed at our very own Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. She is the recipient of the Asian Film Commissions Network’s Producer of the Year at the Busan International Film Festival, and the youngest awardee of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards FIAPF Award for her outstanding contribution to cinema. She has served on the jury of film festivals such as Karlovy Vary, Busan, Sydney, Fribourg. Seashorts, Bangkok ASEAN, and Durban.  Marija RazgutėProducer Lithuania In 2008, Lithuanian film producer Marija Razgutė established M-Films, which is one of the most active film production companies in the Baltics. She has produced internationally acclaimed talents such as Marija Kavtaradze’s “Slow” (Best Director award at the Sundance Film Festival, Lithuanian contender for Oscars in 2023, The Award for Best Baltic Producer for Co-production, PÖFF 2023) and “Summer Survivors” (the Toronto Film Festival, 2018); Vytautas Katkus’ “Cherries” (the Cannes Film Festival, 2022); Karolis Kaupinis’ “Nova Lituania” (the Lithuanian contender for Oscars in 2019) and “Hunger Strike Breakfast” (TBC, 2025), Andrius Blaževičius’ “Runner” (Shooting Stars, 2021) and “The Saint” (Busan, 2016). Marija is a member of ACE Producers, EAVE, and the EWA Network, as well as a member of the European Film Academy Board 2024–2025.  Jawad RhalibDirector Belgium Jawad is known for his social and committed cinema. His realistic style centers on observation and uncompromising denunciation of the flaws of and the political, economic and religious ravages on our societies. Among his works are and documentaries and feature films such as “7, Rue de la Folie”, “Rebellious girl”, “Amal” (PÖFF 2023), “El Ejido, the Law of Profit”, “The Damned of the Sea”, “When Arabs Danced” and “Fadma, Even Ants Have Wings”.  Tomas VengrisDirector Lithuania Tomas is a Lithuanian-American filmmaker. He received his B.A. from Columbia University and completed his M.F.A at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, CA. His directorial debut “Motherland” (PÖFF 2019) won the European Audience Award at the ArteKino Film Festival, and Best Film in the Baltic Competition at PÖFF. It was a finalist at the 2020 European Film Awards. His second feature, “Five & a Half Love Stories in an Apartment in Vilnius”, is currently making its way through the international festival circuit, having started with the Best Film recognition in the Rebels with a Cause Competition at PÖFF in 2023. Tomas has worked as an editor under several internationally acclaimed filmmakers, including Terrence Malick and Kelly Reichardt. His next feature film, “Barracuda”, is currently in production. First Feature Competition jury John DurieHead of the Jury, film marketing strategies United Kingdom John is the CEO of Strategic Film Marketing, based in London and Cannes. He has worked on film marketing, international sales and/or distribution on over 800 films and documentaries with top filmmakers including Joel and Ethan Coen, Pedro Almodóvar, David Lynch, Quentin Tarantino, as well as many first-time and second-time European directors. After 10 years with film sales outfits in London, he founded his own company Strategic Film Marketing in 1993. For the last 25 years he has served as a long-term marketing consultant for film institutes in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland, collaborating with local producers, directors and distributors in developing a strategic plan to find their audience and getting their ideas from script to screen. John was a pioneer of European film marketing training, and was the Head of Studies of Creative Europe’s Strategic Film Marketing Workshops in Luxembourg which he ran for 15 years. He has done film marketing Master Classes around the world. John is the co-author of “Marketing and Selling Your Film Around the World” and holds a Master of Science degree from the Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse, New York.  Daniel GreenDistributor United Kingdom Daniel is the distribution operations director at MUBI, a global streaming service, production company and film distributor dedicated to elevating great cinema. MUBI creates, curates, acquires and champions visionary films, bringing them to audiences all over the world. Some recent and upcoming MUBI Releases include: Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance”, Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla”, Ira Sachs’ “Passages”, Pedro Almodóvar’s “Strange Way of Life”, Molly Manning Walker’s “How to Have Sex?” (PÖFF 2023), Aki Kaurismäki’s “Fallen Leaves” (PÖFF 2023), Kevin Macdonald’s documentary “High & Low – John Galliano”, Rodrigo Moreno’s “The Delinquents” (PÖFF 2023), Felipe Gálvez’s “The Settlers”, “Aftersun” from Charlotte Wells, Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave” (PÖFF 2022), Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World”, Lukas Dhont’s “Close” (PÖFF 2022), and Céline Sciamma’s “Petite Maman” (PÖFF 2021).  Carles TorrasDirector, producer Spain Carles is a Barcelona-based producer and director known for his nominations at the Film Independent Spirit Awards and the Goya Awards. As the founder and owner of Zabrisõkie Films, he has produced films that have been celebrated at prestigious international festivals such as South by Southwest, San Sebastián, BFI London, Shanghai, Sitges, and Tallinn Black Nights. His works have earned over 50 international awards. Among his most acclaimed films are “Callback” (2017), which won Best Film at the Málaga Film Festival, “The Paramedic” (2020), which reached No. 2 worldwide on Netflix, and “Upon Entry” (2022), a multi-award-winning film that received 27 international awards, including the FIPRESCI award at PÖFF in 2022. “Upon Entry” also garnered 40 nominations, including three for the Independent Spirit Awards 2023 and three for the Goya Awards 2023.  Karolin JüriseActress Estonia Karolin is an Estonian theatre and film actress who studied acting in the University of Tartu Culture Academy in Estonia from 2015 to 2019. She has completed several workshops all over the world: “Michael Chekhov Europe Training” in Istanbul, “Character-based Improvisation” with Robert Marchand in Tallinn, “Physical Lab” with Yorgos Karamalegos and Yoshi Oida in Paris, etc. Since 2021, she has been a member of VAT Theatre. And since 2023, she has been a regular cast member of the TV series “Dads” which won the Estonian Best TV Series award in 2024 (EFTA). In 2024, Karolin also played the lead role in Helen Takkin’s debut feature film “Life and love” and is now finishing another lead role in German Golub’s debut feature film titled “Our Erika” which is the life story of the Estonian track bicycle racer and Olympic gold medallist Erika Salumäe. “Our Erika” is going to premiere in 2026. Baltic Competition jury Mikko FritzeHead of the Jury, head of the Finnland-Institut Germany Mikko is currently the director of the Finnland-Institut in Berlin. As a graduate of Hamburg University majoring in German, biology, and education, Mikko Fritze has had a varied career including social work, business, marketing, and public relations, as well as teaching, translating and interpreting. Mikko Fritze has worked for the Goethe-Institute since 1990, and has four times served as the director of the Institute, first in Estonia (1998–2004), then in Uruguay (2004–2007), in Finland (2010–2017) and in the Netherlands (2017–2021). In 2007–2010, he was the CEO of Foundation Tallinn 2011, in charge of the European Capital of Culture 2011 in Tallinn, Estonia. Since June 2021, he has worked for the Finnland-Institut in Berlin.  Annika PhamJournalist, editor United Kingdom Annika is a London-based freelance film and TV reporter, regular contributor to Variety, covering in particular film and TV news from the Nordic region. Her previous roles include editor/writer of the newsletter and online news service nordicfilmandtvnews.com published by the Nordic fund Nordisk Film & TV Fond, UK-Nordic correspondent for Cineuropa, and international editor for the French trade publication Le Film Français. She also serves as a Nordic TV scout for the Festival de la Fiction la Rochelle in France.  Fernando E. Juan LimaCritic, ex-Mar del Plata International Film Festival's President Argentina Fernando is a lawyer, doctor in law, administrative chamber judge, journalist and film critic. He has written in the magazine El Amante and in numerous newspapers and specialised publications and he has been the host of the radio show La Autopista del Sur since he created it in 2010. He has been on the juries of multiple festivals around the world, e.g. Chicago, Shanghai, Beijing, Mar del Plata, Lima, Torino, and Uruguay. Fernando is the former vice-president of the Argentine Film Institute (2017–2018) and the former president of the Mar del Plata International Film Festival (2020–2024). Competition programme 'Rebels with a Cause' jury Marica StocchiHead of the Jury, producer Italy Marica graduated from the Sapienza University of Rome in philosophy and ethics in 2002. She started her career in 2003, working with major Italian theatres such as Teatro Argentina and India, Teatro Eliseo in Rome and Teatro Franco Parenti in Milan. Later on, she collaborated as a journalist with Il Messaggero, one of the main newspapers in Italy. Since 2013, she has been working as a cinema producer. In 2018, she started her own Italian independent production company Rosamont, where she is the CEO and main producer. Graduated from EAVE and ACE, Marica has mainly focused on the international arena and has produced 11 features for Rosamont, of which nine were international co-productions. She has just wrapped up her first TV series for Rai Fiction.  Bradley LiewProducer Philippines Bradley is the CEO of Manila-based Epicmedia Productions Inc. As a Producer, he focuses on championing both seasoned and upcoming auteurs with distinct and uncompromising voices. He has produced a trio of Lav Diaz’s films: the anti-musical “Season of the Devil” (Berlinale Competition), his 16mm film noir “When the Waves Are Gone” (Venice Out of Competition), and “Essential Truths of the Lake” (Locarno Competition), as well as Kenneth Dagatan’s Sundance Midnight Section’s “In My Mother’s Skin”, which was sold to Amazon. In 2024, his films include “Cu Li Never Cries” by Pham Ngoc Lan (Berlinale Best First Feature), “Directors Factory Philippines” (Cannes Directors’ Fortnight), “Viet and Nam” by Truong Minh Quy (Cannes Un Certain Regard) and “Electric Child” by Simon Jaquemet (Locarno Piazza Grande).  Marko RaatDirector Estonia Marko is an Estonian writer-director. Since the mid-1990s, he has made documentaries and feature films and participated in art exhibitions as an author of works of video art. Marko has curated and designed art and architecture exhibitions, directed plays at the Von Krahl Theatre, written film criticism and given film lectures, and organised regular screenings and meetings with filmmakers at his personal summer cinema Võrgukuur (Fishing Net Shed) since 2010. He is the designer of the new permanent exhibition at the new house of the Estonian National Museum titled “Estonian Meetings”, and the author and implementer of the concept of its audiovisual solutions. Marko’s latest documentary, “Funeral Diaries”, was the opening film at DocPoint Tallinn, and his feature film “Views of Lake Biwa” premiered at the Rotterdam Film Festival in spring 2024. He’s currently working on the documentary “I’m a Bird Now”. Critics’ picks competition jury Miroslav MogorovicHead of the Jury, producer Serbia Since 1995, Miroslav has been working at the European Film Festival Palić and has for many years been the festival’s Programme Director. In spring 2004, he founded the motion picture company Art & Popcorn and entered the film production market independently. He is the owner of Bioskop Abazija in Palić, Subotica, the oldest cinema in the territory of ex-Yugoslavia, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2025.  Gust Van den BergheDirector, curator Belgium An accomplished writer, film and stage director, as well as a co-curator at the M Museum in Leuven, Gust made his feature film debut in 2010 with “Little Baby Jesus of Flandr” (PÖFF 2010), followed by his second film, “Blue Bird” (PÖFF 2011), both of which premiered at the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes. In 2014, he directed his third feature, “Lucifer” (PÖFF Grand Prix), and in 2023, he released his fourth feature film, “The Magnet Man” (PÖFF 2023). Beyond his own directorial work, Gust has produced several notable short films, including “Tomorrow Is the Water Palace” (2022) and “The Jungle Knows You Better Than You Do” (2017) by Juanita Onzaga, “Sun Dog” (2020) by Dorian Jespers, and “Peer Gynt” (2018) by Michiel Robbrecht. These films, created by diverse and promising filmmakers, have premiered and won awards at prestigious film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, and Rotterdam. Gust is also the co-founder of Fenakisto, a Brussels-based production company he established in collaboration with producer Maarten Schmidt. The company is dedicated to author-driven films. Currently, Gust is preparing for the production of his next feature film, “Unknown Master”, scheduled to be shot in 2025.  Elisa Fernanda PirirProducer Guatemala Elisa was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala. She moved to Northern Norway in 2007. Elisa has been working with several acclaimed international directors such as Thomas Arslan, Ciro Guerra, Cristina Gallego, Nabil Ayouch, César Díaz, Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Laura Mora, in addition to some of Norway’s most acclaimed directors. In 2023, she founded her own company STÆR in Northern Norway. In early 2023, her first feature documentary “Calls from Moscow” premiered in the Berlinale International Film Festival Forum, Hotdocs and MoMA, co-production “The Hypnosis” (PÖFF 2023) by Ernst De Geer won three prizes at Karlovy Vary and her first short film “Almost Invisible” was nominated for the Best Norwegian Short at Kortfilmfestivalen, the Bergen International Film Festival, the Tirana International Film Festival, the Tromsø International Film Festival and the Morelia International Film Festival 2023. New films currently in co-production include: Nabil Ayouch’s “Everybody Loves Touda” (Cannes 2024), Inadelso Cossa’s “The Nights Still Smell of Gunpowder” (Berlinale Forum 2024), Selma Cervantes’ “Yume”, Juan Andrés Arango’s “Where the River Begins”, Ester Martin’s “A Sweetness from Nowhere”, Levan Koguashvili’s “Guria”, Carlos Reygadas’ “A Wake of Umbra”, Vytautas Katkus’ “The Visitor”, and Annemarie Jacir’s next feature “All Before You”. The production of Norway’s first joik musical “Árru”, directed by Elle Sofe Sara, starts in autumn 2024. Doc@PÖFF Competition jury Tinatin GurchianiHead of the Jury, director Georgia Tinatin studied directing at the University of Film and Television Konrad Wolf (HFF) in Potsdam-Babelsberg, Germany. “The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear” was her first feature film, screened and awarded at numerous festivals in over 140 countries, including IDFA, Sundance, Hot Docs, MOMA, Dok Leipzig, Thessaloniki IFF, Viennale, AFI Docs, Visions Du Reel Nyon, Busan International Film Festival, etc., and won Best Director at Sundance in 2013, Filmmaker Award at Hot Docs 2013, It’s All True Award in Brazil, etc. Tinatin Gurchiani lives and works in Tbilisi and Berlin.  Kacper CzubakCinematographer Poland Kacper is the cinematographer behind the multi-prize documentary film “Call Me Marianna” that was awarded the Premio Zonta Award at the 68th Locarno Film Festival, the Golden Horn at the 55th Kraków Film Festival and numerous other prizes at international film festivals. He has twice received the award for best cinematography for the film “Theatre of Violence” – at the 20th Millennium Docs Against Gravity Festival in Warsaw, and the Polish Society of Cinematographers award for best cinematography in a documentary film in 2024. He divides his professional work between documentaries and fiction films. Among his main artistic interests are human rights and nuanced psychological portrayals of protagonists. He is a graduate of the Krzysztof Kieslowski Film School in Poland and a Berlinale Talents alumnus. Kacper is a member of the Polish Society of Cinematographers.  Carlos E. LesmesDirector Colombia Carlos (1987) is a Colombian film director based in Estonia. He has been an active member of the Estonian film community since his arrival in 2011 to pursue his M.A. at Tallinn University. His debut documentary film, “A Loss of Something Ever Felt”, was screened in several festivals around the world and received the award for Best Documentary at the Estonian Film and Television Awards 2021. At the moment, Carlos is filming his second documentary feature and developing his first fiction feature film. Carlos is interested in people, comic books, and particle physics, most of all in how to combine them to try and tell stories about the experience of being a human, inside and outside of the screen. FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) jury Bernard BesserglikHead of the Jury, critic France Bernard is a Paris-based bilingual English writer and critic. A former journalist and foreign correspondent (20 years with Agence France-Presse), he has reviewed French cinema for The Hollywood Reporter for the past 15 years and made regular appearances on the France-24 television channel to speak about British cinema. He covered the French cultural beat with AFP, attending the Cannes film festival for several seasons, and later, as a film critic took part in FIPRESCI juries at festivals in Moscow, Vladivostok, Perm, Minsk, Ljubljana, Wiesbaden, and Cottbus. He was posted as a correspondent to Moscow for four years (2000–2004), reporting on all things Russian. In addition to screenplays, he has also written for the stage, with two productions professionally staged in Paris and New York, the latter being a musical comedy titled “A Night in the Kremlin”.  Rita Di SantoCritic United Kingdom Rita is a London-based film critic, historian, programmer, script developer, and broadcaster. Her writing has appeared in the Daily Mirror, Morning Star, The Tribune, and Culture Matters. She is the editor of FilmnewsUK and a former editor of 35mm Magazine. She is a member of the UK Critics’ Circle, FIPRESCI, the European Film Academy, a Golden Globes voter and a Tomatometer-approved critic. Rita Di Santo has been a jury member at some of the most venerated film festivals, including Toronto, Venice, Berlin, Moscow, San Sebastian, Cairo and Cannes.  Ralf SauterCritic Estonia Ralf Sauter was a freelance film critic for more than ten years. In the spring of 2022, he began working as a cultural journalist for the daily newspaper Postimees. Before joining Postimees, he wrote film articles for various publications, including Sirp, Postimees, Teater. Muusika. Kino, Müürileht, Maaleht, Lääne Elu and Reaktor. He also co-hosts the weekly radio show “Kinovärgiga mandarin” with Andrei Liimets and Maarja Hindoalla, which aired on Radio 2 from 2016 to 2023, before moving to Retro FM in autumn 2024. Last year, Sauter won the Jaan Tõnisson Award for his video reviews of Estonian film premieres.
18.11.2024 | Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival's blog Cat. : PEOPLE |
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User imagesAbout Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
As of 2014 the festival holds the FIAPF accreditation for holding an international competition programme which puts the festival into the so- called A-category of film festivals, alongside other 14 festivals in the world (including Cannes, Berlinale, Venice, Karlovy Vary, San Sebastian, Shanghai, Tokyo etc). Black Nights has an umbrella structure with two sub-festivals PÖFF Shorts and youth and children's film festival Just Film taking place concurrently with the main festival,
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