Jukka-Pekka LaaksoFINLANDFestival director of Tampere Film Festival since 2002. As a festival director he shares the responsibility of strategic planning and programming with a co-director. Jukka-Pekka acts also as the executive director for Pirkanmaa Film Centre - a local film centre in Tampere. The film centre is a non-profit organisation that runs an art-house cinema, distributes films in Finland and works extensively with media education. Jukka-Pekka Laakso is a member of European Film Academy.

Carla Maria LoschAUSTRIAProgrammer & festival coordinator at VIS Vienna Shorts where she also counsels the curating process and heads the film education section. Carla Maria Losch studied philosophy and film theory in Vienna and Helsinki and holds a diploma degree in film and media studies. Carla freelanced as a production manager and coordinator for film projects and programmed the international short film competition at /slash Film Festival in Vienna.

Marie-Elaine RiouCANADAAfter studying film production in Barcelona, Spain where she was involved in several cinematographic and cultural projects, Marie-Elaine went back home in Quebec to pursue a bachelor's degree at the Université du Québec à Montréal in cultural and media production strategies. She produces a few short films, a web series and coordinates some cultural events.In 2012, Marie-Élaine joined REGARD Saguenay International Short Film Festival and now is working as the Festival Director. She has been a member of the jury at festivals in Barcelona, Montreal, Busan.

Marc WilkinsSWITZERLANDIn 2003, he was chosen to be one of Saatchi’s 25 top Young Directors in the world and won his first Golden Lion in Cannes for a commercial for the Doctors Without Borders. Marc’s short film Hotel Pennsylvania had its world premiere at the Clermont-Ferrand festival, screened all around the globe and was awarded with jury and audience prizes.His recent short film drama Bon Voyage premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival where it won jury award for the best fictional short film. The short won 12 awards all around the world and was shortlisted for the 89th Academy Award. Marc Wilkins currently resides in Berlin where he is developing his first full length feature film.

Sophie GoyetteCANADAWriter and filmmaker of five awarded short films and a first feature in competition in Sundance, Locarno and TIFF Toronto festivals. Premiered at Locarno Film Festival, her fourth short La Ronde (2011) won six prizes along with the Best Short Fiction Award of Rendez-vous du Cinéma Québécois in Montreal. Her fifth short Le Futur Proche (2012) won six prizes in festivals and was in international competition at the 2013 Sundance Festival.Mes Nuits Feront Écho (2016) is her first fiction feature, winner of the Bright Future Award at Rotterdam Festival 2017 for its international premiere in competition.

Krzysztof SienkiewiczPOLANDOrganizer and coordinator of Film Podlasie in Attack! Reloaded, a project that helps to promote films and filmmakers from the Podlasie region of Poland. Krzysztof works for the Bialystok Cultural Center where he runs and organizes festivals such as the ZUBROFFKA International Short Film Festival and the Underground/Independent. He is a co-organizer and tutor of several film workshops and youth exchange programs with Ukraine, Czech Republic, Georgia and Poland, as well as of hundreds of film screenings in Europe. Additionally, as independent filmmaker Krzysztof Sienkiewicz is a co-author of shorts and documentaries.

Dana LererISRAELIsraeli director, writer and actress based in Tel Aviv. After finishing her acting studies she studied film in the Film&Television department in Tel Aviv University. Dana was selected to the directors program based on her short film Screen Test. The Fine Line is Dana Lerer’s graduation film nominated for the Israeli Academy award that won 4 best film awards at festivals around the world.

Stanislav DanylyshynUKRAINEIn 2008, he got degree in physics and mathematics at the National Technical University of Ukraine "Kyiv Polytechnic Institute". Stanislav studied at the School of Documentary Film and Theatre of Marina Razbezhkina and Mikhail Ugarov and since 2010 he has been studying film production at the German Film and Television Academy in Berlin (dffb). Participant of the Berlinale Talents. Founder of Cinemaclub in Kyiv and co-founder of the Berlin based film production company Faktura Film. Since 2008 Stanislav Danylyshyn has been a producer of eight short films. He currently works as a Technician Supervisor at the dffb.

Luca TóthHUNGARYStudied animation both at the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Budapest, and Royal College of Art, London. After finishing her RCA graduation film The Age of Curious - earning prestigious awards like Annecy’s Jury Distinction, Special Mention in Stuttgard - she participated in the international animation program Animation Sans Frontiér.While working on a political activist web series, she started developing short film Superbia at Open Workshop in Viborg, Denmark, which premiered in Cannes in 2016, in the competition of Semaine de la Critique. She is currently developing her new short animation.

Asaf ZipporISRAELWriter, screenwriter, director and translator from Tel Aviv, Israel. For the last five years, he has been the Head of the Screenwriting Department at the Steve Tisch School of Film and Television at Tel Aviv University. Asaf Zippor significantly contributed to creation of many popular Israeli series. As screenplay editor, Asaf worked on Ajami, which was nominated for an Oscar, and Aya, which was nominated for an Oscar for short film. He directed the play The Mermaids at the Curtains Up Festival, as well as his own play Gamers at the 2008 Short Theater Festival. Asaf Zippor has written two books: The Gifted and Ma’atefet Halev, and is currently finishing his third novel.

Eva Kristine LendorphDENMARKArtist, stage and costume designer from Copenhagen, Denmark. She graduated from the Danish National School of Performing Arts in scenography - set and stage design. Eva is a founder and designer in the Danish School of Performing Arts, she heads the design work of Stine&Morfar as well.Eva Kristine Lendorph has a performative exhibition, an installation peace in cooperation with the label Count 0 and several individual projects under her belt. She also created costume and stage design for The Story of Everyman play.

Giovanni Robbiano CZECH REPUBLICScreenwriter, director and producer born in Genova, Italy in 1958. He studied film in Bologna and later at Columbia University in New York as Fullbright student. He studied with Emir Kusturica, Marcia Nasatir, Ralph Rosemblum and others.After returning to Italy Giovanni Robbiano worked as a screenwriter and directed three features: Figurine (1997), 500! (2001) and Hermano (2004). Recently he has established, together with three associates, his own production company whose one of the first projects is a coproduction with Ukraine - Nest of The Turtledove - awarded at film festivals in Odessa and Mannheim.Since 1998 Robbiano has been teaching at many universities in Italy and Europe, and since September 2015 he is the head of international department at FAMU in Prague, Czech Republic. Giovanni Robbiano is also a member of the European Film Academy.

Anna Katalin LovrityHUNGARYAnna Katalin is an independent animation filmmaker and illustrator. From 2010 to 2016, she studied at animation department of MOME - Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in Budapest. Lovrity spent an Erasmus semester in Ghent, Belgium in 2012. Anna Katalin is currently a participant in Animation Sans Frontiéres (ASF), the European animation production workshop. The premiere screening of her graduation film was at Berlinale.

Iris BlauensteinerAUSTRIAAuthor and filmmaker born in Vienna, Austria in 1986. Graduated from the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts and the University of Vienna with diploma in Film and Theatre Theory. Since 2004 Iris makes films of wide genre as a director and scriptwriter: documentary film Rest (2016), short fiction film Sweat (2014), which was awarded as the “Best Austrian Newcomer” at Vienna Independent Shorts, essay film And One of Them Singing (2011) and others. In 2016, her first novel Kopfzecke was published by Kremeyr&Scheriau. Iris Blauensteiner is also a member of the media art cooperative Golden Pixel Cooperative.

Joni MännistöFINLANDAward winning animation filmmaker and animator born in Finland in 1981. After graduating from the animation department of Turku Arts Academy in 2011 he has become an active member of several Finnish animation collectives that work on both commercial and artistic projects. Männistö is currently living and working in Tallinn, Estonia. He has directed such films as Katiska (The Trap, 2008), Kuhina (Swarming, 2011) and Electric Soul (2013). Among filmmaking Männistö is working as an artistic director for Turku Animated Film Festival.

Vassilis EconomouGREECEFreelance film critic and hardcore cinephile from Greece. Since 2010 Vassilis has been writing for his personal bilingual website 24 fois la vérité par seconde. His main expertise is in the field of art-house independent French, Italian and especially Eastern European cinema. Vassilis Economou was a member of Sarajevo Talents within the framework of Sarajevo Film Festival and he currently contributes to different international outlets, such as Nisimazine. Vassilis is an eager festival goer, as he enjoys discovering new cinematic trends.He is currently a Cineuropa correspondent and project coordinator for Nisi Masa's workshop for film critics Nisimazine.

Kristian HåskjoldDENMARKAward winning writer and director from Denmark. His short films Reception and Welcome to Paradise have been screened at 9 festivals in the States and Europe. Kristian’s recently finished short film Forever Now had its world premiere and won jury award for the Best Narrative Short at the festival SXSW in 2017. He is an autodidact director and writer who was taken under wing by acclaimed Danish directors, such as Tomas Villum and Michael Hegner, from a very young age. Kristian Håskjold attended several workshops and master classes at the Danish Film Institute, and both his films Reception and Forever Now were funded by the Danish Institute as well.

Leonid ShmelkovRUSSIAGraduated from Printing, Graphic Arts department of Moscow State University and later from Moscow school-studio SHAR in animation films directing. Since 2007 Leonid is a member of the Commonwealth of illustrators Magic Saw. He participates in exhibitions, makes pictures for children magazines and has already created illustrations for more than 10 books. Leonid Shmelkov directed several short animated films that were selected to many international festivals and awarded with prizes, including a special prize at Berlinale film festival in 2014.

Mykyta LyskovUKRAINEDirector-animator, artist born in Dnipro, Ukraine. Mykyta studied animation film direction in Kyiv National Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University. His animation pieces were screened at international festivals in Spain, Greece and Ukraine. He took part in the Film School of Wiz-Art short film festival in Lviv in 2014 where delivered a lecture on history and development of animation. In 2017, Mykyta Lyskov’s film Meanwhile directed in cooperation with other Ukrainian filmmakers was premiered at Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival in Kyiv. Recently, Mykyta founded his own School of Independent Animation Linoleum.

Sándor FegyvernekyHUNGARYProfessional photographer based in Budapest, Hungary. He got education at SAE Institute in Miami, USA. As a freelancer, Sándor has a broad client base ranging from international companies and Hungarian film production companies to advertising agencies and government institutions. Among them - Nikon, GAP, Dove, L'Occitane, Vodafone, Sziget Hungary and many others. His work has been featured in popular magazines and news web-sites. Sándor is also working as a still photographer for films and as a professional DJ.

Natália FábicsHUNGARYFilm historian working as a lecturer at the Animation Department of Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest, Hungary and as a translator of film theory and design related texts. She specializes in film festival studies and contemporary global cinema from an intercultural studies perspective.Natália is currently working on her PhD dissertation with the title “The Perception of Contemporary East Asian Cinema at European and North American Film Festivals and in Art-house Cinemas”. In parallel with teaching, she has been a communication consultant, in recent years focusing on cultural communication.

Or Lee-TalISRAELFilm editor from Israel. Or Lee-Tal holds a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Tel Aviv University. As a film editor, he contributed to seven films - four of them were internationally accepted and won awards at film festivals all over the world. His first project Return was premiered at the Cannes festival within the Semaine de la Critique and received award for the Best Short Film at Chicago International Film Festival in 2012. The film Deserted was awarded as the Outstanding Asian Film at the International Student Film and Video Festival in Beijing, and Crossroad 129 documentary was the David Perlov Documentary Work Competition winner.

Tomek PopakulPOLANDHe was one of three artists selected for residency programme Animation Artist in Residence Tokyo in 2014, organised by Japan Image Council (JAPIC). Tomek Popakul is the author of two internationally appreciated animation films. Ziegenort (2013) received 18 awards, including Grand Prix of International Short Film Festival in Oberhausen, Germany and Best Animated Film Award at Brooklyn Film Festival, USA. Black (2016) has also already won three awards at film festivals in Holland, Slovenia and Poland.

Ioseb Soso BliadzeGEORGIAScriptwriter and director born in Tbilisi, Georgia in 1986. He studied science first, but was very passionate about cinema. Ioseb joined the Georgian State University in film and television and made his first short film The Most Precious in 2012. In 2016, he directed his second film Three Steps co-written with Elmar Imanov. The duo continues its collaboration with the writing of the first feature film by Soso Otar's Death.

Or SinaiISRAELGraduated from The Sam Spiegel Film & TV School in Jerusalem. Director and writer of short fiction film Anna (2015) awarded by the Cannes Film Festival, the Toronto Film Festival and the Israeli Academy in 2016. Director, producer and cinematographer of documentary film Violetta Mi Vida (2012), which won awards at the Jerusalem Film Festival in 2012 and at the Flahertiana Documentary Film Festival in 2013. These films are telling stories about women from the outskirts of society. Or Sinai is an alumni of the Berlinale Talents 2015.

Hervé DemersCANADAFrench Canadian filmmaker based in Montreal. His earlier short films were selected by over a hundred international competitions and festivals, including the International Short Film Festival in Clermont-Ferrand, France. Lviv International Short Film Festival presented a retrospective of his body of work from the period between 2007 and 2016. Demers is currently working on the screenplay for his first fiction feature, while also writing his Master’s thesis on the aesthetics of memory in film at the Université de Montréal.

Luis LupisGERMANYBorn in Munich, Germany and raised on the shores of the Ammersee, Luis left Bavaria to study acting at the Berlin University of the Arts. While in Berlin, he performed at the Maxim Gorki Theatre, Deutsches Theater and the Konzerthaus Gendarmemarkt. Since his graduation in 2012, he has acted for various theatres, including the Braunschweig State Theatre. Luis has also created his own performances, and he has made appearances in numerous films, including Vom Graben and Im Alter von Ellen.

Anna LyubynetskaUKRAINEFilm director, scriptwriter and editor from Kyiv currently living in Prague. She is finishing her Masters in Film Directing at FAMU Film School. Anna has shot several fiction and documentary short films. Her latest films Dinner (2014), Kyiv Prague (2014) and Kiev Moscow (2016) are insights into issues of contemporary Ukrainian society. Anna’s graduation film Kiev Moscow has won Magnesia Award for the Best Student Film at Czech Lion Awards in 2016.

Olha StuhaUKRAINEDirector and producer, born in Cherkasy, Ukraine in 1988. After a gap year of travelling in 2015, she started working as a co-director and an executive producer of "Chrysanthemums' Time", a feature directed by Dmytro Moiseiev. The same year, she organized the first ever Weekend of Ukrainian Short Films in Cherkasy. "Face Control" (2016) is the first short film by Olha Stuha as a director.

Markosh KryzhakUKRAINEBorn in the city of Chernivtsi, Ukraine. She's been working in sphere of graphic design since 13 year. Now Markosh is a graphic designer of an independent art formation DZESTRA based in Chernivtsi and studies at Ukrainian Printing Academy in Lviv. She coordinates the work of Behance in Chernivtsi - a social platform that unites representatives of creative professions. In 2016, she co-organized the first Behance Reviews Chernivtsi. Cry Wolf is a short animated film created by Markosh Kryzhak in 2016.

Eugene KoshinUKRAINEDirector and author, born in Donetsk, Ukraine in 1987. He got a degree in philology at Donetsk National University in 2009. Eugene was working as a journalist and a screenwriter at Donetsk and Kyiv TV-channels. Since 2013, he is studying film directing at Higher Courses for Scriptwriters and Film Directors in Moscow. He was a co-director and a screenwriter at the projects Glorious Seven and Behind the Spotlight in Germany, and directed Ukrainian TV-series Real Mystics. Star Davyd (2016) is the first student fiction short film by Eugene Koshyn.

Stanislav BytiutskyiUKRAINEDirector, film critic and curator, actively popularizes independent cinema. In 2010, Stanislav founded the first Ukrainian webzine on festival and experimental cinema “Cineticle” and headed it as editor-in-chief. His articles were published in film and art magazines Séance, Colta, ШО, Kinote and others. Stanislav Bytiutskyi made his debut film “Good bye, cinephiles” in 2014, it was premiered at Molodist Film Festival. In 2016, the premier of his second film “24” took place at Odesa Film Festival.

Kristen SwanbeckUSAKristen received her MFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts graduate film school. She’s directed several short films, including Single Girl (2008), which premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival, and Between Josie and Maria (2014), which received a Hollywood Foreign Press Association grant. Most recently, her short film At Least You Are Here (2016) also premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival. Kristen makes her own art and works as an editor on documentaries, narrative features and commercial content for broadcast and the web.

Volodymyr BakumUKRAINEUkrainian director and actor, born in Vinnytsia, Ukraine in 1990. In 2013, graduated from Vinnytsia Leontovych College of Culture and Arts specializing in drama theatre and cinema acting. Volodymyr is studying film directing in Kyiv National Karpenko-Kary University of Theatre, Film and Television since 2015. Within last three years, Volodymyr Bakum has directed three short films: The Ticket (2015), Penance (2015), and High Mountain (2016).

Anastasiia Suprun

Dani Stern

Jaroslav Kratochvil

Vered Zaitman