FEATURE FILMS

Fred Breinersdorfer, writer and producer

An award-winning writer. In addition to novels and short stories, he writes for film, television, theatre and radio. His credits include a long list of novels, short stories, theatrical productions, radio plays, and films. He was President of the German Writers’ Association (VS) and is currently a member of the German P.E.N. and the German Film Academy. He has received the German Film Award and the Adolf Grimme Award in Gold. He became world-renowned as the writer and co-producer of the Oscar-nominated Sophie Scholl: The Final Days.

Andreas Dresen, director

Andreas Dresen is one of Germany’s most esteemed and successful contemporary directors, whose career took off after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Since 1992, he has been working as a writer and director for film, TV, and theater. His diverse filmography with many award-winning films includes Night Shapes (1998), Policewoman
(2000), Grill Point (2002), Summer in Berlin (2005), and Stopped on Track (2011). His latest feature, As We Were Dreaming (2016), was screened at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.

Mira Staleva, Deputy Director, Sofia IFF

Mira Staleva has been involved in different areas of audiovisual world in the last 20 years. She is Deputy Director of the Sofia IFF and Head of Sofia Meetings, a co-production market within the festival. She works in consulting, development, production, distribution and exhibition, the main activities of Art Fest Ltd. In 2016,
she co-produced The King of the Belgians by Jessica Woodworth and Peter Brosens that premiered in Venice. She is a member of the European Film Academy and the LUX Prize selection board.

SHORT FILMS AND CHECKERS

Daina O. Pusić, director

A Croatian writer and director based in London. She studied Film and TV Directing at the Academy of Dramatic Art in Zagreb before relocating to the UK to study at the London Film School. In 2013, Daina received the Jelena Rajković Award for best Croatian filmmaker under the age of 30. Her short film, The Beast, has screened at over 20 festivals, winning numerous awards, including the Golden Pram at the ZFF, Jury Honorable Mention at the Slamdance FF and Best Short Fiction at the LA FF. She is currently developing her first feature.

Nora el Hourch, director

Nora El Hourch is a French screenwriter and director. She started writing very young, but professionally at a later age. Her first short film, A Few Seconds, was screened at the 2015 Zagreb Film Festival and won the Golden Pram for Best Short Film. Her future projects include making a second short film, as well as a feature
film for which she is currently writing the screenplay.

Vanja Kaluđerčić, festival programmer

An advisor and selector at different film festivals, including the Motovun FF, Human Rights FF, CPH:DOX, and Sarajevo FF. In 2008, she got a job at the Coproduction Office in Paris. She also managed project markets in Paris and at the European Film Festival Les Arcs. She is a currently a member of the Selection Committee at the Cinéma du Réel in Paris and she is running the project market Holland Film Meeting at the Netherlands Film Festival in Utrecht.

TOGETHER AGAIN

Tomislav Pavlic, editor (Croatian Society of Film Workers)

Born in 1973 in Zagreb. He graduated in Film and TV editing at the Academy of Dramatic Art in Zagreb. His body of work includes 15 feature films (The High Sun by D. Matanić, On the Other Side by Z. Ogresta), as well as several short and documentary films and TV series (Road Patrol by Z. Jurić and The Paper by D. Matanić). He has won three Golden Arenas at the Pula Film Festival and two awards for film editing at the Croatian Film Days. He is a member of the Croatian Society of Film Workers and the European Film Academy.

Jure Pavlović, director (Croatian Film Directors’ Guild)

Born in 1985 in Split. He graduated in Film and TV directing at the Academy of Dramatic Art in Zagreb. He has participated in various international film workshops, such as Berlinale Talents, Sarajevo Talent Campus,
Sources 2, and Maia Workshops. His short films have been screened at several hundred festivals, including Berlinale and Clermont-Ferrand, and won numerous awards. His film Picnic is the first Croatian majority co-production which won the European Film Award for Best Short Film.

Vanja Sremac, producer (Croatian Producer Association)

Born in Zagreb where she graduated in Production at the Academy of Dramatic Art in 2009. She has worked in theater – for Teatar EXIT, at the Eurokaz Festival, at the World Literature Festival, and as a theater tour organizer. From 2007 to 2009 she worked as the executive producer of the Motovun FF. Since 2009 she has worked as the Senior Advisor at the Department of Festivals and Promotion of the Croatian Audiovisual Center, and later at the Chief Executive’s Office. She is a member of the Croatian Producer Association.

PLUS

Lucija Katarina Šešelj

I am 17 and a student of the Classical Gymnasium in Zagreb. I love film and theater – so far, I have tried puppeteering participated in the Ragusina project in Dubrovnik, and I am currently attending Film Art Classes in the Tuškanac Cinema. I was a young jury member at the 21st Youth Film Festival and 9th Four River Festival. With the film Tarek, created as part of film classes, I have taken part in the Croatian School Film Festival.

Maja Oskoruš

I have loved the Seventh Art since I was a child. I remember my first visits to the cinema. The old hall of the Culture Center, the musty smell, the slightly rickety chairs, and the chilly hall in wintertime didn’t prevent me from watching a wide film repertoire. Independent films are my favorite. I try to watch at least one film a day, and complement my passion by participating in various film festival events.

Luka Premer

I am a student of the Private Art Gymnasium and a huge film buff. I particularly enjoy the film period from the 1990s onwards, although I also like older films, especially the German film M. The main reason I love film so much is that I consider it the best way of expressing oneself, as I have personally done in some of my films. It is my great honor and pleasure to be a jury member of the PLUS program.

Marta Grubačević

I am a fourth-grade student of the Tituš Brezovački Gymnasium in Zagreb. I spend my free time searching for films I haven’t seen yet and I can’t decide which genre is my favorite. Being a member of such a jury is an entirely positive experience and I am very happy to have been given this opportunity.

Darija Matagić

I am a second-grade student of the XVIII Gymnasium. I visit the ZFFl every year and am really excited to be participating in a different manner this year. In school, I attend film art as an optional subject, and participate in Film Art Classes in the Tuškanac Cinema. I think this is an excellent opportunity to perfect my knowledge.