Competition for Feature Films

Shawkat Amin Korki

Film Director Iraq

Born in Iraqi Kurdistan in 1973, Shawkat Amin Korki and his family fled from military oppression in 1975, living in exile in Iran for 24 years. During his years in Iran and then when he returned to Iraqi Kurdistan, he began to work for the theatre, television and the cinema. His short films, made between 1997 and 2005, have been presented at several international festivals, winning awards. Korki wrote, directed and produced his first feature film in Iraqi Kurdistan, Crossing The Dust, in 2006. was shown at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam in 2007. The film went on to win many international prizes including the Best Director and NETPAK Award at Singapore International Film Festival. His second feature Kick Off (2009) won twelve international awards including the Busan International Film Festival New Currents Award and FIPRESCI Prize. His third feature, Memories on Stone (2014), has won fifteen awards internationally to date including in 2014 Best Film from the Arab World at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival and the coveted APSA UNESCO Award.He lives and works in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan.

Sonja Prosenc

Writer/Director Slovenia

After the university diploma Sonja attended Berlinale and Sarajevo Talents and was selected to TorinoFilmLab. Her acclaimed debut feature film The Tree was developed at EAVE and Baltic Event and premiered at Karlovy Vary IFF 2014. In its festival run the film received FIPRESCI Prize and other awards, and excellent reviews. It is the Slovenian OSCAR submission 2016. Her awarded short Morning was broadcasted in 31 countries. History of Love is her second feature film.

P Vasu

Film Director India

P. Vasu is an Indian director, writer and actor who works in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam films. In a career spanning three decades, Vasu has directed over 60 films. Vasu has won recognition for his work from the film fraternity and the state government. He won state awards for three years in a row from 1990, for Best Screenplay and Dialogues in Nadigan, in 1991 as Best Director in Chinna Thambi, and in 1992 for Best Screenplay and Story in Walter Vetrivel. He was awarded the Filmfare award for Best Direction in the movie Aaptha Mithra. He was awarded the Kalaimaamani Award in 2004, with his father Shri M. Peethambaram who was an awardee for his contribution in the field of make-up. Vasu is a member of the state award selection committee and jury member of the committee for tax-free movies.

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR DOCUMENTARIES

Dalton L

Film critic/essayist India

Dalton L is a film critic/essayist, and co-author of the book, ‘Indian Film Culture: Indian Cinema’; the founder of the ‘DIY Film Academy’; and the president of the ‘Cinema Society of India’.He began his journalistic odyssey writing for ‘The Hindu’. A few months later, he was invited to be the associate-editor of a music magazine, ‘Raga To Rock’, and remained for a year. He then wrote for the ‘Times Group’.His film-reviewing stint spans almost a decade, and includes such publications as ‘Rediff.com’, ‘The Film Street Journal’, ‘DearCinema.com’, ‘Upperstall.com’, the ‘Deccan Chronicle’, and ‘The Asian Age’.In addition to being a writer, he is also a prolific cameraman with over ten years of experience as a documenter of reality, and has briefly captured in moving images a variety of performers ranging from Pt. Jasraj and Trilok Gurtu to Remember Shakti, José Feliciano, The Blues Brothers, Michael Learns to Rock, America, Shaggy, Enrique Iglesias, Jethro Tull, Uriah Heap, and Dire Straits.He is presently setting up a film studio, ‘House of Illusions’; and shooting five cinematic essays: ‘Everyone has a right to free education on the alphabets of cinema’, ‘Understanding a twin subgenre: new- and mixed-gen cinema of Malayalam’, ‘The legacy of Khemchand Prakash’, ‘The writings of Nabendu Ghosh’, and ‘The cinema of Ritwik Ghatak’.He is on the verge too of editing-publishing a film magazine, ‘Illusions’.

Kulikar Sotho

Director/Producer Cambodia

Kulikar is the Director of ‘The Last Reel’, a Khmer-language feature film due for release in 2014. She is also a Producer on the award-winning ‘Ruin’, which won the special Orizzonti prize at the Bienniale Venice Film Festival. She is also one of the most experienced Line Producers in Cambodia and worked on feature films ‘Tomb Raider’ and ‘Wish You Were Here’. She has also worked on countless television documentaries for BBC, Discovery and other leading channels, plus several globally important commercials. Kulikar can facilitate all filming permissions, all accommodation and transport requirements, temporary import/re-export of equipment and assist with the recruitment of local crew. Add to that her excellent contacts with leading politicians and filmmakers in the region and she can keep your production on course.

A. Sahadevan

Journalist India

A. Sahadevan is a veteran journalist with over 33 years of experience in Print & Visual media. A post graduate in malayalam literature he has been a Program consultant for Indiavision news, Associate editor of Mathrubhumi Daily and Periodicals and Assistant Editor at Mathrubhumi Weekly, Week¬end Edition, Grihalakshmi, Reporter in Chennai. He enjoys being a lecturer at Colleges and is involved in anchoring program World War II SafariTV. Currently he works as a Consulting Editor at SouthLive.in

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR SHORT FILMS & STUDENT SHORT FILMS

Simone Mariani

Actor/Producer Italy

Born in Rome, Simone Mariani is a professional actor, producer and author, working professionally in Cinema, Television and Theater. Recently work as actor in a Hollywood production for the film “Inferno” directed by Ron Howard, starring Tom Hanks. He love to practice Sunmudo an ancient Zen martial art, practiced by Korean Zen monks. His short films have participated in numerous national and international festivals including the Festival film market in Clermont – Ferrand (France). He is the author of short film “The Bicycle” (2005) which won numerous festivals in Italy and which focuses on exploring the integration of people and diversity on a thematic level. In 2006 he produced and acted in a short film “Iram la città dalle alte colonne”, which is an interpretation of a text by Kahlil Gibran. This film won a Critics Award Akab film Festival in 2006. He is the author of “The Juggler” (2007), a tribute to street artists; this film was selected for a world tour by IFCT Festival 2007 in Miami (USA ). In 2008 he debuted as a director with the short film ” The Artist ” where he also played the leading male part. He is the author, producer and performer of the short “The Father ” (2011) on the subject of pedophilia. “A Journey on the Tabla”(2015) is his first documentary film. All his work has been selected in National and International film festivals. Currently, continues to carry out its activities as an actor, creating works, particularly focusing on the integration of peoples and diversity.

Dan Wolman

Film Director Israel

Wolman was born in Jerusalem, in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine. Dan Wolman's films have been presented at competitions at Cannes and Venice film festivals and many others winning awards and prizes the world over. His last film "Valley of Strength" which was released in 2011, was a big success in Israel and won prizes in Berlin, France, Rumania, India and China. Dan received a “Life time achievement award” at Jerusalem International film festival and "The Silver Hugo" award at the Chicago International Film Festival for "Unique vision and innovative work”. Wolman has been a judge in several international and Israeli film festivals.

Ajita Suchitraveera

Film Director India

AJITA SUCHITRA VEERA is an Indian Film Director-Producer-Writer-Illustrator, Photographer and Actor. She is one of the most significant modern Directors to emerge in the contemporary New Indian cinema from India. Ajita, studied Science, Theatre, Photography & Cinema at the prestigious National Film Institute India,( FTII) Pune India and worked as a freelance Director, till she founded IMAGINEM CINEMA Pvt Ltd in 2009 -a Motion Picture Company for Producing imaginative, innovative and original cinema from India.

COMPETITION SECTION OF NETPAC AWARD

Vinod Sukumaran

Film Director and Editor India

Vinod Sukumaran is an Indian filmmaker who has won the National Film Award for ‘Best Non-Feature Film of a Director’ for his film ‘Diary of a Housewife’ (2001). He is an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India. He has won the Award for Best editor in 2007 for the Malayalam Movie Ore Kadal(Kerala state Film Awards). Vinod holds a Master’s Diploma in Film Making with the specialisation in Film Editing from Film & Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. Vinod has actively worked with the Theatre Groups for many years. His major works are involved with well-known theatre luminaries like Kavalam Narayana Paniker, B.V Karanth, Alakananda Samarth and S. Ramanujam etc. Vinod has worked in Bollywood as an editor for films like Papa Kahte Hain, Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin and Pardes. His idea and screenplays of 90 second themed films were selected for Commonwealth Vision Award in 2003 and in 2005 and awarded 1000 pounds for each screen play. He has worked with veteran director Shyamaprasad as an Associate director for the film ‘Agnisakshi’. The pair has since worked together on several other projects. In 2015 Vinod directed ‘Haram’ a feature film in Malayalam.

Paul Douglas Grant

Vice President - CAMIRA philippines

Paul Douglas Grant holds a PhD in cinema studies from New York University. He teaches graduate cinema studies at the University of San Carlos, co-chairs the School of Architecture Fine Arts and Design Research Committee and is the vice-president of CAMIRA (Cinema and Moving Image Research Assembly). He is the author of Cinéma Militant: Political Filmmaking and May 1968, co-author of Lilas: An Illustrated History of the Golden Ages of Cebuano Cinema, the editor in chief of Sinekultura Film Journal and an editor at La Furia Umana. He is also the translator of Serge Daney's Postcards From the Cinema and his writing has appeared in, among others, La Furia Umana, Situations: Project of the Radical Imagination, Film International, Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society and Senses of Cinema. He is currently editing a collection of writing on Visayan cinema by the late D.M. Estabaya and a monograph on Philippine regional cinemas.

Houshang Golmakani

Film Director Iran

Starting professional career: 1972 as a journalist and film critic. Graduate of cinema and television from College of Dramatic Arts, Tehran (1982).Editor and one of the founders of FILM Monthly (1982), the oldest and most prestigious film magazine of Iran, and FILM International (1993-2012), the sole English magazine about Iranian cinema. Books: Translation of screenplays Paris, Texas; The White Sheik, Variety Lights, La Strada, Cinema Paradiso, La Notte, The Sound of Music (The Making of America’s Favorite Movie), The Gentleman Actor (original about well-known veteran Iranian actor, Ezzatollah Entezami), Book of Dead-Lock (monography on Amir Naderi's second film, 1973) and From Sam Alley (collection of film reviews, 2014). Film: STARDUST-STRICKEN; Mohsen Makhmalbaf: A Portrait (1996, Documentary).

COMPETITION SECTION OF FILM CRITICS CIRCLE OF INDIA AWARD

Manoj Barpujari

Film Critics India

Manoj Barpujari, a journalist based in Guwahati, received Swarna Kamal for the best film critic at the National Film Awards 2011. He has written and edited twelve books including three titles on cinema. He is also a member of FIPRESCI, the Paris based international federation of film critics, and founder trustee of Mumbai based Indian Film Critics Association. Representing these pioneer organizations including the Film Critics Circle India, he served as juror at several reputed film festivals across the globe, namely the festivals of Port of Spain, Almaty, Dhaka,Kerala, Kolkata, Bengaluru etc. His travelogue Touching the Trinity is widely acclaimed and featured in a column at The Guardian (Trinidad & Tobago) and reviewed in The Telegraph (India). He conducted a workshop on film criticism at the University of West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad in 2012 and presented documentaries from the North-East India at the media and communications department of Goldsmiths College, London in 2008. He has several research papers on cinema to his credit and written a chapter in the Routledge Handbook of Indian Cinemas (London, 2013). He is an accomplished Assamese poet and won the prestigious Munin Borkotoky Literary Award in 2003.

Anil Zankar

Film Maker India

Anil Zankar is at present working as Professor Screen Studies and Research at Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. He has also been a free-lance film maker, writer, teacher and media consultant with 35 years of experience in Filmmaking, Teaching and Writing. He is a recipient of two national awards 1. Feature Film Script Competition Award [NFDC]. 2. National award for best book on cinema. He is an alumnus of FTII and he has made 21 short films on social issues and institutions, bio-pics and corporate themes. He is a historian of cinema. He has attended seminars on international cinema and has presented papers at International conferences in Poland (2006), Japan (2014) and has been invited as a visiting scholar by Indian Institute of Advanced Studies in Shimla (2014). He was Editor of a magazine Lights Camera Action published in collaboration with BFI, UK.His recent publications are Mughal-e-Azam, HarperCollins, 2013[ book] and a chapter on Screenwriting in Routledge Handbook Of Indian Cinema- [ 2013]. He has made contributions to Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema [Britannica] as well as several academic journals and magazines. He has been invited as a speaker in Goa Arts and Literature Festival at Panajim, at Taj Literature Festival in Agra and Pune International Literary Festival.

Madhu Eravankara

Film Maker India

Madhu Eravankara is an internationally acclaimed filmmaker, film critic, film scholar and writer. Recipient of the Indian National Film Award with Presidents Gold Medal, several State Film Awards and Film Critic’s Awards, he has directed more than twenty documentaries both in India and abroad. Author of a dozen books on cinema, Madhu has served as a member of jury in many International Film Festivals. He was also credited with senior fellowships from National Film Archive of India and Dept: of Culture, Govt. of India. He serves as faculty in Cinema in many of the State and National institutions too. Currently he is Professor and Head, Dept.of Film Studies, Thunchathezhuthachan Malayalam University, Kerala.

Films of Debut Film Makers - Competition

Rajesh Touchriver

Film Director India

Rajesh Touchriver, an internationally acclaimed filmmaker, has by now directed films that have won 18 international awards, 3 national awards and several critical accolades. His recent film, ‘Naa Bangaaru Talli(2013) that he scripted and directed, fetched what has been elusive for the Telugu film industry for more than 25 years – 3 National Awards from the Government of India. Besides, it won 8 International Awards and 8 Official selections in International Film Festivals. He has also served on the jury of 62nd National Film Awards, Govt. of India, 2014. Rajesh pursued his Masters in Visual Language/ Scenography and Direction from the Wimbledon College of Art, London, UK. Life in London as a student marked the beginning of his career as a filmmaker. His controversial debut film, a British Film, ‘In the Name of Buddha’ (2002) was based on the ethnic crisis then raging in Sri Lanka. It was premiered at the Oslo International Film Festival and was noted for the sensitive treatment of a controversial theme through a heart-wrenching story. Besides being nominated for the Best Debut Director category at the Cannes Film Festival, in 2003, the film has well received in many international film festivals and has won 8 international awards. The film was, however, banned in India, Sri Lanka and China. His first brush with the film industry was in 1996 as a Production Designer for Telugu, Hindi and Hollywood films. By then, Rajesh had directed more than 30 plays in Malayalam, English, Telugu and Hindi. Following the success of ‘In the Name of Buddha’, Rajesh strode all genres of filmmaking with ease and has won critical acclaims, recognitions and awards. He directed the music video for ‘Sunshowers’ for the Oscar nominee M.I.A. ‘Ente Malayalam’, a music video to celebrate the 50th year of Kerala formation, captured noted Malayali achievers of Kerala in evocative frames. In addition to 7 feature films, Rajesh has by now directed about 35 short films and documentaries on issues ranging from human trafficking, HIV/AIDS and communal riots, supporting the media advocacy initiatives of the United Nations and NGOs, national and international. A film for the United Nations, ‘One Life, No Price’ for social sensitization against human trafficking was well received by civil society organizations internationally. Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta and John Abraham appear in the film as spokespersons for the cause. Another success, ‘Anamika, the Nameless’ on a similar theme was adventurously shot in the red light areas of India in Mumbai, Kolkatta, Poona and Delhi. The film won the AC award under the ‘Best Foreign Award - Documentary Short Film’ category and the Best Documentary Film Award at the Hyderabad International Film Festival. The film has been included in the curriculum of National Police Academy and National Judicial Academy. ‘The Sacred Face’, a short film on child sexual abuse, sent the audience back home unsettled at its screening in Hyderabad and Canne’s Film festival.

Hassan Nazer

Film Director Iran

Hassan has been involved in most aspects of the performing arts since he was a child. He had the opportunity to learn under the guidance of Mr. Hamid Samandarian , a native of Iran he went on to study to Scotland at the age of eighteen . he studied film and visuals culture at the university of Aberdeen ,where he obtained his degree. He created World film production which is registered in Scotland. The company is involved in producing films. Utopia has seen delving into theams of loneliness and isolation. Utopia was official entry of Afghanistan Best Foreign film to ACADEMY AWARD 2016.

Pan Nalin

Film Director India

Pan Nalin’ ANGRY INDIAN GODDESSES has been enjoying top critical and commercial success across the world. It is the first Indian film to win Audience Choice Award First RunnerUp at the Toronto International Film Festival 2015 and Prix du Public at the Rome Film Festival 2015; followed by many other awards.Pan Nalin came into global limelight with SAMSARA (Miramax/Disney) a massive commercial and critical success worldwide and won him some thirty plus international awards. Many critics and spectators considered SAMSARA a groundbreaking film. SAMSARA grossed US$ 36 million. Till date, it remains the highest grossing Indian Independent film. Nalin’s romantic epic VALLEY OF FLOWERS was pre-sold to nearly 35 countries and considered a major underground hit. It still continues to enjoy multiple-platform release with cult, critical and commercial success worldwide. As a writer, Nalin’s latest tragicomedy screenplay SLIGHTLY SANE recently won the CJ Entertainment’s Award for The Best International Project at Asia Film Market of Busan International Film Festival, South Korea. Nalin has also made several documentaries with BBC, Discovery, Canal Plus and other leading international networks. His multiple awards winning feature documentary AYURVEDA: ART OF BEING was theatrically released worldwide with major success. Nalin’s latest feature documentary FAITH CONNECTIONS was an Official Selection at Toronto (2013), won the Audience Choice Award at IFFLA Los Angeles (2014) and it has been theatrically released worldwide.In 2006 Pan Nalin was awarded Spain's highly prestigious Vida Sana Award. Also in 2007, David Flint's Triangle Media Group UK, awarded Pan Nalin as one of the Top 50 Achievers in Global Mainstream Media in the field of Film, Theatre & Drama. Nalin also made it into The Better India’s prestigious list of “25 NRI (Non-Resident Indians) Across The World Who Have Made India Proud.”Presently Nalin is filming THE DISAPPEARANCE OF EVA HANSEN, a spiritual thriller set in the Himalayas. It’s a first New Zealand – India coproduction starring David Wenham and Emmanuelle Beart.

COMPETITION FOR FEATURE FILMS & STUDENT SHORT FILMS

Jun Robles Lana

Film Director Philippines

Jun Robles Lana is one of the Philippines’ most accomplished and internationally acclaimed filmmakers. His multi-awarded film “Bwakaw” became the Philippine entry to the Oscars in 2012 and was screened at many international film festivals including Tokyo, Toronto and New York. This was followed by “Barber’s Tales” which won the Philippines’ first Best Actress award at the 2013 Tokyo International Film Festival and the Crystal Mulberry Audience Award at the 2014 Udine Far East Film Festival in Italy. His 2015 one-shot film “Shadow Behind The Moon” won Best Director, Best Actress, FIPRESCI Critics Prize and NETPAC Best Asian Film at the Pacific Meridian Film Festival in Vladivostok, Russia and won Best Director at the International Film Festival of Kerala. His latest film, “Die Beautiful” is one the highest-grossing Filipino films of 2016, and won Best Actor and Audience Award at the 2016 Tokyo International Film Festival.

Hassan Nazer

Film Director Iran

Hassan has been involved in most aspects of the performing arts since he was a child. He had the opportunity to learn under the guidance of Mr. Hamid Samandarian , a native of Iran he went on to study to Scotland at the age of eighteen . he studied film and visuals culture at the university of Aberdeen ,where he obtained his degree. He created World film production which is registered in Scotland. The company is involved in producing films. Utopia has seen delving into theams of loneliness and isolation. Utopia was official entry of Afghanistan Best Foreign film to ACADEMY AWARD 2016.

Films of Debut Film Makers - Competition

Matthew Helderman

Co-Founder / CEO at BondIt Media Capital and Buffalo 8 USA

Matthew Helderman is a media entrepreneur and film producer based in Los Angeles. Helderman began his career as a floor runner at the New York Stock Exchange before entering the entertainment business as a co-producer at a Paramount Studios based production company. Matthew Helderman founded Buffalo 8 Productions in 2012, as a feature film & commercial production company growing to deliver projects to clients such as Sony and Lionsgate. Buffalo 8 Productions has built a library of content – touting 4 premieres at the 2016 Sundance Festival – a roster of commercial directors, a talent management division and a full post-production facility. In 2013, Helderman co-founded BondIt to solve the multitude of financing difficulties found in the entertainment & media business — by 2016 BondIt had participated in the financing over 150 media projects. Helderman graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy with a minor in English from Lake Forest College. Helderman has been a featured speaker at the Cannes, London, and Bahamas Film Festivals as well as guest speaker at the Chinese US Business Summit.

Nawaf Al Janahi

Film Director United Arab Emirates

Nawaf Al Janahi is an actor and a film director who was born in Abu Dhabi, UAE. He started acting at 7, and at the age of 19 he moved to California (USA) to study the arts of cinema. His first feature length film "The Circle" was described by film critics as "a major turning point in Emirati and Gulf cinema". Al Janahi's second feature film "Sea Shadow" was released in 2011 and went on a global tour to 27 countries, the most remarkable tour for an Emirati feature film to date. Beside making films, Nawaf Al Janahi is also the founder of a number of initiatives such as the Emirati Cinema Campaign and Black Box Cinema.

Soo Sung Lee

Film Director South Korea

LEE Soo-sung is Executive Producer,Producer and film Director based on Seoul South Korea and his first debut feature film,’ Mr. Zombie’ was welcomed from audiences and film critics with its new film genre developing and innovating when it was theatrically released. Also he was a executive producer of Korea’s hit film, and is currently CEO of Lee Film. Inc and a film producer in Korea. For his festival award feature, LEE took a famous traditional story and turned it into the erotic Joseon Era drama . The film screened at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in 2015 and awarded best Asia feature at Hong Kong PUFF film festival. That same year he produced Death in Desert and Amor.

COMPETITION FOR DOCUMENTARIES & SHORT FILMS

KNT Sastry

Film Director India

K N T Sastry is a renowned Indian film critic, turned film director, who has received a number of national and international awards for his various films, documentaries and books. He strayed first into documentary filmmaking and has made over 20 full length documentaries, besides number of ad films. His first documentary “Surabhi” received National Award as Best Anthropological documentary. His first feature film later, “The rite .. a Passion” (Tiladaanam) has received worldwide acclaim, He has served as a FIPRESCI jury member in the International Film Festivals of Sochi (Russia), and Pusan (South Korea), was one among the the Jury of Vladivostock International Film Festival and was also appointed as chairman IFFI - Goa 2008, National Awards Jury, 2004, for Best writing on Cinema, Eastern Section of films for National award in 2012, Critics Jury, Childrens’ International Film Festival, Hyderabad in 1997 and Jury member for the AP State Nandi Awards panel.

Marianne Borgo

Actress France

MARIANNE BORGO is a French actress trained at the Conservatoire National D'Art Dramatique in Paris. In a career spanning over five decades, Marianne has played many classical lead roles on stage in the most prestigious French theatres. She has also worked with major film directors as Luis Bunuel, Robert Wise, Ademir Kenovic, Sandy Whitelaw, Patrick Timsit and James Ivory. She also starred as Adelaide Bartlett in Carol Wiseman's highly acclaimed BBC television series "A Question of Guilt ". This was followed by roles in many other series such "Angels", "Skorpion", "Little Princess", "Pie in the Sky", "Bergerac" etc. Marianne first discovered India in 1977, during the shooting of the documentary series "Spirit of Asia". Since then, Marianne has acted in several Indian film and stage productions, including the play "Marx My Words" directed and played by veteran thespian Tom Alter. She has also been a film festival consultant and jury member at various Indian film festivals.( Goa , Nashik , Raipur and Bengalaru ) Marianne's new film "Holy Waters" chronicles her journey to the Kumbh Mela in Nashik. Her ambition is to film a full fledged television series presenting India's ancient wisdom and healing therapies

NETPAC & Indywood Panorama

Dr. Bijukumar Damodaran

Film Director India

Bijukumar Damodaran is an Indian Director who was born in Kerala. After finding that cinema is the best possible medium to convey his angst and ideals, he turned into Direction along with being a homeopathic doctor. Dr. Biju has made a number of movies that are notable for its content and import. He made his foray into the film world with the brilliant 'Saira' in 2005, an award winning and internationally recognized film. It has won many accolades including being selected in the cinema of the world category at the prestigious Cannes film festival. Dr. Biju followed it up with 'Raman' a moving take on resistance against globalisation. This movie was internationally premiered at the Cairo International Film Festival (2009) in the section ‘Incredible India’ and has been selected to 7 major global film festivals. His film 'Veettilekkulla Vazhi' was focussed on the ill effects of terrorism from the perspective of a child. The film has bagged several awards including the National award for best feature in Malayalam. 'Aakashathinte Niram' his venture was also a noted one. His latest film 'Perariyathavar' which won the national award for best film on environment conservation. This film which delves deep into the life of the marginalised people in our society appears to be a typical Dr.Biju film. His films may not have set the cash registers ringing, but this doctor with a socially conscious heart that beats for good cinema is making his presence felt. His filmography includes Saira (2005), Raman (2008), The Way Home (2010), Colour of Sky (2012), Names Unknown (2013) , Birds with Large Wings (2015) etc..

Axel Estein

Film Director Germany

Axel Estein studied Japanology, History, Philosophy at Freie Universität Berlin. Founding member, co-publisher of Splatting Image. Organizer of Howl: Weekend of Fear film festivals (1991 – 1995). Consulting, curating, organizing festivals like Exground, Asian Hot Shots, Interfilm, Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen, Tampere Film Festival Philippine Focus and many other events since 1989. Contributor to various printed and web-based matter (national, international). Lecturer (national, international). Organized first complete retrospectives of Lav Diaz (2008) and Brillante Mendoza (2010) in Germany. Recenty curates in cooperation with Philippine governmental bodies a comprehensive Retrospective of Philippine cinema scheduled for 2014 in Berlin. Member of NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema). Served on juries for several film festivals worldwide. Lives in Berlin and Manila.

Doo Yong Lee

Film Director South Korea

Mr. Doo Yong Lee is a film maker from South Korea. He had debuted his carreer with the feature film The Lost Wedding Vail in 1969. Mr Lee had directed 60 Feature Films. He had won many prestigious accolades and recognitions like ISDAP Prize with the movie Pee Mak at Venice International Film Festival, Selected as Un Certain Regard with the movie, the Spinning Wheel in Cannes, selected as a New Film New Director (presented the movie Eunuch, The Spinning Wheel) at MOMA in New York. He has been selected as One Person of 10 Directors of Korea 40 years Film History by Korea Times in 1984. Mr. Lee has wielded as the Chairman of Korea Directors Association from 1995 to 1998. Homage of Doo Yong Lee was given (presented 8 Films) at Vesoul International Film Festival,2005. Mr. Lee was the Chairperson of Hawaii International Film Festival NETPAC Award,2009. Retrospective of Doo Yong Lee was presented at 21st Busan International Film Festival, 2016. Mr.Lee was a Professor of Dong-ah Institute Media and Arts Korea from 2008 to 2016 His recent movie; The Last Witness was selected at FORUM in 67th Berlin International Film Festival 2017.