Juries of 53.ZFF

Per Holst (1939)

Danish film producer, screenwriter and director
He initially produced advertising spots, then later took on feature-length live-action and TV productions at his own production company. He has collaborated on films by major Danish directors of various generations, e.g. Jannik Hastrup, Nils Malmros, Lotte Svendsen and Jonas Elmer. He headed the Nordisk Film movie studios in Copenhagen for several years. He is a member of the European Film Academy.

Pavel Jandourek (1963)

screenwriter and director
He graduated in documentary film at FAMU and deals predominantly with TV productions. He is the author of nearly four dozen made-for-TV feature and documentary films, fairy tales and series. From his works we should note, e.g., Killers Ltd. (Zabijáci, s.r.o, (2005), Kingdom of Streams (Království potoků, 2005), The Secrets of the Talisman (Maharal – Tajemství talismanu, 2007), At the Sing of the Golden Dawn (Dům U Zlatého úsvitu, 2009), 4teens (2011), and Going Astray (Sejít z cesty, 2012). This director has also been involved in the successful TV projects Travelmania (Cestománie, 1999-2004), GEN (2001-2003) and Comediographer (Komediograf, 2003).

Danica Jurčová (1976)

Slovak theater and film actress
She graduated from VŠMU in Bratislava and after her studies had guest roles at the Slovak National Theater. Afterwards she worked at a number of Czech and Slovak theatres. She's played a variety of roles in TV movies and series, e.g., The Greene Murder Case (Vyvraždění rodiny Greenů, 2002), The Apartment Block (Panelák, 2011–2013) and Dr. Dokonalý (2012). In feature-length film productions she has been in, e.g. Lovers and Murderers (Milenci a vrazi, 2004), Empties (Vratné lahve, 2006), Bestiar (Bestiář, 2006) and 360 (2011).

Petri Kotwica (1964)

Finnish scriptwriter and director
He studied philosophy, literature and film at Helsinki University. He started in short format films and has shot, e.g. Tunnel Vision (Tunneli, 1996) and The Helmet (Kypärä, 1998). He established himself fully as a director with his dramatic feature film debut Homesick (Koti-ikävä, 2005), whose success led to his next film Black Ice (Musta jää, 2007). His latest film work is Rat King (2012).

Jesse James Miller (1970)

versatile Canadian film and TV director
He briefly worked as the golf professional, and a saxophone player. He established himself in movies as an editor; editing his own award-winning works as well. From his films we'll mention, e.g. the documentaries Uganda Rising (2006) and My American Exodus (2010), the feature horror The Seamstress (2009), and drama Becoming Redwood (2012).

Bernd Sahling (1961)

German director and screenwriter
He graduated from the Konrad Wolf University of Film and Television in Potsdam, then later studied in the USA. He is the author of more than a dozen short and feature-length films, focusing his productions mainly for child and teenage audiences. He's been working in television for many years. From his recent filmography we'll mention the films High School (Gymnasium, 1999), Edna's Day (Ednas Tag, 2003), The Blind Flyers (Die Blindgänger, 2004) and Upside Down (Kopfüber, 2013).

Jannik Hastrup (1941)

screenwriter, director and producer
He is described as a master of the Danish animated movie. He has made more than 60 short animated films, of which Benny's Bathtub (Benny's Badekar, 1970) and Cirkeline (1967-1971) are film classics. Some of his feature films have also been hits with audiences and award-winning, e.g. War of the Birds (Fuglekrigen i Kanøfleskoven, 1990) and The Boy Who Wanted to be a Bear (Drengen der ville gøre det umulige, 2003).

Frodo Kuipers (1976)

independen Dutch animator and director
He first studied animation in Tilburg, then moved on to the Belgian city of Ghent where he graduated with the successful film Antipoden (2001). He's also garnered awards for his short animated films Street (2005) and Shipwrecked (2005), which arose during his artistic residence at the NIAf institute of animation. Of his other short film works we'll mention, e.g. Bricks (2010) and Fata Morgana (2011).

Jaroslav Nykl (1947)

artist, animator and director in the area of animated film
He was inspired by the work of Jiří Trnka and has been successfully engaged in making animated films for some forty years; he worked for many years at the Krátký Film company in Prague. He loves to accompany his films with inspiring and strong music and they have been program elements of many world festivals. From his directorial filmography we'll mention, e.g. A Wet Tale (Mokrá pohádka, 2003), Larghetto (2009), and A Grey Fairy-tale (Šedá pohádka, 2011).

Joint International Jury of Children and Adults for Animated Films

Leonora Demiri (2000)

She is from the German city of Zschopau, where she attends the 7th grade at a local primary school. Her most favorite interests at school are art, music and sports activities, which, along with drawing, are also among her biggest hobbies. She has one younger sister and they are both coming to the Czech Republic for the first time.

Lenka Marie Herring (2000)

She was born in Toronto, Canada, where she attended Williamson Road Public School. Since moving to the Czech Republic in 2011, she has been going to an elementary school in Zlín. Since the age of seven she has been a swimming in competitions; in Toronto for the Scarborough Swim Club and for the Zlín Swimming Club. in Zlín. In her leisure time she likes drawing, reading (Harry Potter books are among her most favorite), listening to music, traveling and watching movies. Her most favorite films include those made by John Hughes.

Klára Řezáčová (2000)

She lives in Nový Šaldorf near Znojmo. She is a second year student at the Dr. Karel PolesnýGrammar School in Znojmo. Among her favorite subjects are mathematics, physics, chemistry and foreign languages – English in particular – which she improves every summer at a camp in the UK. She also attends art courses at the Art Primary School in Znojmo and is a member of the Junior Mensa club for gifted and talented children. In her free time she likes drawing, playing sports and is a fan of chess.

International Expert Jury for the European Debuts Competition

Christian Dyekjær (1971)

screenwriter and director
He studied film directing at the alternative film school Super16, then worked in television on various productions, shooting documentaries, advertising, series and live-action films. Prior to making his feature-film debut with the comedy Moving Up (Spillets regler, 2008), he made a number of short films, e.g., Salon Bitten (1999), Boxer (2000) and John and Mia (John og Mia, 2002). His latest work is the family film The Great Bird Race (Fuglejagten, 2012).

Simon Hesse (1972)

Swiss producer
He started out as an assistant producer, then later produced advertising clips on his own. At his own production company he has made successful feature-length live-action, documentary and TV movies. From his production work we'll mention the films Crazy Love Crazy (Verflixt verliebt, 2004), Day at the Seaside (Tag am Meer, 2008), Night Rush (Im Sog der Nacht, 2009) and Clara And The Secret Of The Bears (Clara und das Geheimnis der Bären, 2012).

Jakub Kroner (1987)

Slovak director
He studied animation at VŠMU in Bratislava. He made his feature film debut with the documentary film Bratislavafilm (2009), which became an audience hit. His next film, the romantic drama Love (2011), was equally successful. In the genre of animated film Kroner introduced the comedy television series Lokal TV (2011). He's been working for many years drawing comics, creating advertising, and has experience with dubbing and acting.

International Expert Jury for the European Debuts Competition

Barbora Poláková (1983)

Czech film and stage actress and singer
She graduated in drama at DAMU. She performs at several Prague theaters, e.g., Vinohrady Theatre, Švandovo Theatre, Rokoko Theatre and the Viola. She's been in a number of Czech films and TV series, such as Frankie Is a Womanizer (František je Děvkař), Flight (Útěk), District League (Okresní přebor), Primary School (Základka), Private Traps (Soukromé pasti) and Innocent Lies (Nevinné lži). She is the co-author of the variety act ONI. She composes stage music and songs and is preparing to play the main role in the musical Lucie.

Igor Soukmanov

Belarusian film publicist and festival curator
Upon completing his studies at the Belarusian State University, he graduated from film history at the VGIK film school in Moscow. He worked for many years as a film publicist on radio and TV; and since 2010 has been the program director of the international film festival in Minsk. He is also currently broadening his education in the areas of film history and reviews and also contributes to a number of movie magazines.

International Expert Jury for the Zlín Dog Student Competition

Matěj Chlupáček (1994)

starting film director
He became enchanted with the art of film when just a child. Starting with short films, he later moved on to shooting video clips, advertising, and promotional spots. He's also worked as an assistant with the Film Academy of Miroslav Ondříček. In order to fully focus on film, he left his secondary school of economics. He made his debut with the dramatic feature film Without Touching (Bez doteku, 2013), which he made in co-production with Czech Television.

Hanne Pedersenová (1955)

is one of the most respected authorities in the field of animation in Denmark
For more than a decade, this pedagogue has been pioneering new ways of integrating the production of stop motion films about science, maths, language and more into the day to day didactics of Danish schools. In recent years she has spearheaded the foundation of the Animated Learning Consortium consisting of both animators and researchers devoted to documenting the effects of animation pedagogics on learning and motivation among school pupils.

Vilém Postránecký (1986)

As the son of the famous Czech actor Václav Postránecký he’s been close to the film world since he was little and in the end it was film production that called to him most. He graduated from the Miroslav Ondříček Film Academy in Písek and founded the group V7M together with other young filmmakers where they produce films by hopeful artists. He's been behind several successful projects and has also had a victory at "Night of of Film Hopes" and his graduation film Village of the Year, in which played, e.g. Ondřej Vetchý, was nominated for best student film of 2011.

The International ECFA Jury

Marta Grzesiuková (1977)

Polish film curator
She graduated in cultural studies from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan. She been working for a number of years in the program section of the Ale Kino! International Young Audience Film Festival in Poznan, and is also the coordinator of the film program of the International Animated Film Festival ANIMATOR. She dedicates herself in particular to projects promoting Polish children's film abroad.

Gert Hermans

Belgian film distributor and journalist
He’s long been active in the Jekino distribution company and also at the Flemish Centre for Children & Youth Film. He's collaborated on many domestic and international projects aimed at the promotion of film for children and young people. He's applied his professional activities to help a variety of social groups (film professionals, young people, prisoners, and teachers). He is currently in the management of the ECFA magazine and devotes himself to writing books about children's movies.

Daniel Lundquist

Swedish festival producer
He graduated in art management. He's worked for many years in various positions for the Swedish Film Institute and has also worked for the magistrate of the city of Malmö. Since 2009 he has been part of the BUFF film festival team in Malmö.

International Ecumenical Jury

Cindy Mollaretová (1988)

is from France
She graduated in psychology from the Catholic University of Lyon, and film from the Institut Lumière. She has also participated in a training program for the secretariat of the ecumenical jury at Cannes and was a member of a number of ecumenical juries at major international film festivals. She deals in particular with theatre and acting, which she would like to fully dedicate herself professionally in the future.

Kateřina Trmačová

journalist, radio reporter and film publicist
She graduated in Catholic theology from Charles University in Prague and is currently continuing PhD studies in spiritual theology. She works for the Radio Proglas as a journalist and editor. Among the themes of her work are film reviews for young filmgoers. She represents the Czech Republic in the SIGNIS association, an international Catholic association that brings together professionals in the field of communication media.

Waltraud Verlaguetová

publicist and festival organizer
She graduated in medicine in Germany and Switzerland. She worked as a general practitioner for fifteen years in France, where she later studied theology at the University of Montpellier. She obtained her doctorate in the same field in Magdeburg. She is also a member of several film organizations. She founded and heads the international Ciné-Festival en Pays de Fayence. She has been a member of a number of ecumenical juries. She also publishes articles on mysticism and film.

International Children's Jury for Feature Films for Children

International Youth Jury for Feature Films for Youth