Juries 2023

Katarina Launing/Sweden
Director.

She studied at the Norwegian Film School. She co-directed the film Magic Silver (Julenatt i Blåfjell, 2009), her other films include Cool Kids Don't Cry (Kule kidz gråter ikke, 2014), Battle (2018), Dragon Girl (Dragevokteren, 2020) and Girl's Trip (Jentetur, 2022).

Jitka Schneiderová/Czech Republic
Popular film, TV and theatre actress.

She studied at JAMU and DAMU. She's had dozens of successful film role, e.g. in Queen of the Lake (1998), Loners (2000), Hany (2014) and Bet on Friendship (2021), in the series The First Republic (2017–2018), Anatomy of a Life (2021), etc.

Simon Crowe/United Kingdom
Film producer and sales manager.

He began his career at director and actor Mel Gibson's Icon Entertainment. He founded the SC Films International company, which sells, distributes and produces films, and is behind the creation and international introduction of many successful animated films.

Jerzy Moszkowicz/Poland
Theatre director, author of plays, TV films, and programs for young people.

He works in art management and sits on festival juries. He is the artistic director of the International Film Festival for Young Audiences Ale Kino! in Poznań. Former President of CIFEJ and member of ECFA leadership.

Hana Vagnerová/Czech Republic
An acclaimed Czech actress.

She’s worked in film, TV series, and theater. As a screenwriter, she made her debut with Tomasz Wiński's Borders of Love (2022), in which she played the lead role. She is also represented by agencies abroad, where she has also made a name for herself.

Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson/Iceland
Screenwriter and director.

He studied art and scriptwriting. His short and feature films have been screened and awarded at many major international festivals (e.g. Cannes, Berlinale, Venice). He is the founder and co-owner of the production company Join Motion Pictures.

Tomáš Danay/Slovakia
Animator and director.

He studied at VŠMU in Bratislava, where he teaches computer animation. He’s the lead animator at VFX studio Blue Faces. Since 2019, he has been the program director of the BAB International Festival of Animated Films for Children and Youth.

Alexandra Májová/Czech Republic
Director, screenwriter, animator and illustrator.

She studied at FAMU. Her short films Swimming Pool (2010), Mythopolis (2013) and Washing Machine (2020) have won many awards. She co-directed the cartoons Hooray! Fairy Tales! (2019) and Hungry Bear Tales (2020). She illustrates children's books.

Vassilis C. Karamitsanis/Geece
President of Animasyros International Animation Festival and ASIFA HELLAS - Greek Animation Association.

He graduated from universities in Greece, the Netherlands, France and Germany. He is the president-elect of CIFEJ, the International Centre of Films for Children and Youth. He received the title of the Knight in the Order of Letters & Arts of France.

Martin Kudláč/Slovakia
Independent film journalist focused on the audiovisual industry.

He works with Cineuropa and ScreenAnarchy and his words appear in Mubi's Notebook, Film International, China Film Insider, Filmatique, Offscreen, De Filmkrant and Senses of Cinema. He also works in education and publishing.

Ursula van den Heuvel/Netherlands
Festival distributor with many years of experience.

At the Netherlands Institute for Animated Film (NIAf) she has built a strong network base for national and international animation for institutions and festivals. Later she founded Kaboom Distribution and has been expanding its catalogue.

Šimon Holý/Czech Republic
Director, screenwriter and film music composer.

He studied directing at FAMU and made the feature authorial dramas Mirrors in the Dark (2021) and And Then There Was Love... (2022) premiered at KVIFF. For Radio Wave, he wrote and directed for two podcast series, Rehearsal and Breakup.

Marion Røst Heimlund/Norway
Program director.

Program director of the Kristiansand International Children's Film Festival and board member of the Norwegian Association of Film Clubs, representing children and young people. She has long worked in the film industry and has worked with Tromsø International Film Festival.

Nils Andersson/Sweden
Head of Acquisitions at Smorgasbord Picture House, a distribution company.

Head of Acquisitions at Smorgasbord Picture House, a distribution company specialising in films for young people. He studied at Stockholm University. He has worked for the Stockholm Film Region in the area of film and media literacy and in the distribution of films for children and young people.

Samina Gul/Germany
Film programmer.

Film programmer focused on film education and project work with the youth. She works in festival coordination and programs. She holds senior positions related to films for children and young people at the Oberhausen International Short Film Festival and the documentary festival doxs! in Duisburg.

Gundi Doppelhammer/Germany
Culture scientist focused on literature and film.

She studied Social Psychology and German Literary criticism at Leibniz University Hannover. She is involved in the working group ‚Church and Cinema‘ of the Protestant Church Hannover, and works for their Church and Cinema projekt, too.

Théo Péporté/Luxembourg
Member of the SIGNIS Cinema Desk.

He’s the former head of the Communications and Press Office and spokesperson for the Catholic Church in Luxembourg. He’s a member of the SIGNIS Cinema Desk, the SIGNIS Jury in Venice, and various ecumenical juries. SIGNIS coordinator of the ecumenical jury in Cannes (2016 to 2021).

Ida Tenglerová/Czech Republic
Minister of the Protestant Church.

Minister of the Protestant Church of Czech Brethren in Olesnice and Prosetin. She studied theology in Prague and Atlanta. In her ministry she takes a particular interest in pastoral care and work with youth. She is preparing to counsel youngsters at a time of bereavement.