Mr. Denis Bojic (born in Bjelovar, Croatia) is a film director, scriptwriter, and journalist from the Republic of Srpska. He graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy in Banja Luka, specialising in journalism, and completed a master's degree in political analysis focusing on the role of civil society in Bosnia and Herzegovina's democratic processes. Since 2013, he has worked in the documentary department of RTRS (Radio Television of the Republic of Srpska). Currently, he is the director of the Memorial Center of the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bojic is the author of several documentaries, including "Vukovar Blues," "Children," and "Face of Laphore”. The film "Face of Laphore” (2017) follows a family's fight against the rare genetic disease Laphore disease and has been presented in the French Senate and the European Parliament. It won the best film award in the Health category of the 18th International Red Cross and Health Films Festival.

His film "Children" received the main "Golden Vyatiz" award at the Russian festival of the same name. In 2021, Bojic received a special recognition from UNICEF for the film “Some New Broadway," about young people with Down syndrome participating in a theatre troupe. In 2023 it won the Prize for the Best Feature-lenght Documentary Film on the 20th International Red Cross and Health Films Festival and the award for Best Documentary on Health at the "Golden FEMI" International Film Festival in Sofia.

Denis Bojic is a two-time winner of the Best Director award at the International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films (IFRCHF). His work is characterised by deep humanity, social engagement, and a desire for change through the power of documentary cinema.

Prof. Martichka Bozhilova is a lawyer, theologist, art manager, curator, and lecturer in "Film and Television Producing." She is the founder and director of AGITPROP, one of the most innovative film companies in Southeast Europe, with numerous international awards.

She produced documentary films such as "Georgi and the Butterflies," "The Mosquito Problem and Other Stories," "Corridor No. 8," "Concrete Pharaohs," and "Hotel Ray"—the first original Bulgarian productions for HBO. She is also one of the producers of the first Bulgarian omnibus film "15."

She is winner of the prestigious International Trailblazer award, presented by Robert Redford and Sundance Channel in 2006 in Cannes, for contributions to contemporary documentary cinema.

Prof. Bozhilova is director of the Balkan Documentary Center, lecturer at European workshops, official representative of the European Documentary Network (EDN) for Bulgaria, and producer of the documentary "Bear with Me" ("Grandmother and the Bear")—the first Bulgarian finalist at Warsaw Content Forum.

Zlatina Teneva is a Bulgarian documentary filmmaker, director, and producer. She graduated in journalism from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" and has worked as a director and researcher on projects for ARTE and Deutsche Welle. In 2020, she participated in the prestigious European documentary workshop DOC Campus.

Her directorial debut, "A Provincial Hospital" (2022), co-directed with Iliyan Metev and Ivan Chertov, was presented in the main competition program of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and won the Ecumenical Jury Prize. The film was awarded Best Film at the International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films (IFRCHF) in 2023.

Zlatina Teneva is part of the new generation of socially engaged authors in Bulgarian documentary cinema, combining journalistic insight and cinematic sensitivity.

Dimitar Dereliev – Darzi is a Bulgarian producer, screenwriter, and director, born in Asenovgrad. He graduated in law from Sofia University (1980) and specialised in electronic media in London (1995).

He is the founder and director of the National Film Center (1991–1999, 2002–2003). Over the years, he has held numerous key positions in the cultural and film sphere: member of the interim National Council for Radio and Television (1992–1997), chairman of the "Filmautor" Association (2000–2001), member of the Board of Directors of "New Boyana Film" (2006–2009, 2011–2018), lecturer at NATFIZ "Krustyo Sarafov" in the discipline "Entrepreneurship in Audiovisual Production," as well as founder and member of the Management Board of the Bulgarian Film Institute.

He is also the founder and director of Studio Zmei – an animation studio inspired by Balkan folklore and traditions. Dereliev is a member of the Bulgarian Association of Film and Television Directors (BAFTRS). In 2009, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Culture in the government of Minister Vezhdi Rashidov, responsible for cultural policy and creative industries.

In 2016, he participated as an assistant producer in the short documentary film "Bulgaria: Cradle of Civilization."

Dimitar Dereliev is the author of more than forty documentary films, editor of over a hundred films, and in recent years has been a consultant for documentary and feature films.

Paraskeva Dzhukelova is a renown Bulgarian actress with a long career both on the theatre stage and in cinema and television. She is well known to audiences for her roles in films such as "Vazvishenie" (Elevation), "Gundi – Legend of Love," "Bez krila" (Wingless), "Izpепelyavane" (Burnout), "The Naked Truth About the Zhiguli Group," among others, in which she portrays characters that have left a deep imprint on contemporary Bulgarian cinema.

She has performed at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre (1992–1997), the Aleko Konstantinov Satirical Theatre, the Municipality Theatre "Vazrazhdane," and the Bulgarian Army Theatre. Her roles include performances in productions such as “Forever... and One More Day” by Milorad Pavić, Skin and Sky by Dimitar Dimov, The Elder Son by Aleksandar Vampilov, and Running Strangers by Alexei Kazantsev, among many others.

She has also appeared in foreign film productions such as "Vercingétorix" (2001), "Air Marshal," and "I Am David" (2003), Icon, 2005, co-starring Patrick Swayze, "The Abandoned" (2006), as well as in television films and series.

For her role as young Lily in the film The Canary Season, directed by Evgeni Mihaylov, Paraskeva Djukelova received the Grand Prize "Golden Rose" for Best Actress (Varna, 1994). Ten years later, she again won the same award for her role in the film Burnout, directed by Strahil Blagoev (Varna, 2004). Among her other accolades are awards from theatrical festivals and recognition from the industry and audiences.

Apart from her acting career, Djukelova actively supports various social, cultural, and humanitarian causes. She participates in initiatives related to human rights, access to education, healthcare, and social justice. She is also among public figures who use their voice and influence to support civic initiatives and cultural policies.

"With great enthusiasm, I join the jury of this festival, which has a unique significance in supporting the values of solidarity and humanity. Cinema is a powerful tool for social change, and I am glad to be part of this important initiative," shares Paraskeva Djukelova.

Eli Skorcheva is a Bulgarian actress with a bright presence in cinema, theatre, and television. From her first roles, she ranks among the most memorable faces of Bulgarian cinema from the 1980s.

Her career began with exceptional success and led to participation in emblematic films such as "Boris I," "Ladies Choice," "Hotel Central," and "Adio, Rio." Among her most famous roles are Veronica and Tony in the films "Adaptation" (1979) and "Eva on the Third Floor" (1987), for which she won the awards for Best Actress at both editions of the International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films. She combines her artistic strength with screen charisma, which makes her one of the most recognisable actresses of her generation.

After a long hiatus from the stage and cameras, Skorcheva makes a remarkable return with the lead role in "Blaga's Lessons" (dir. Stefan Komandarev, 2023) — a film that wins the Grand Prize "Crystal Globe" for Best Film at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. For her role, Skorcheva received the award for Best Actress, which confirms her status as an actress of exceptional class. Recognition is not delayed in the public sphere either – she is declared "Person of the Day" by Radio Free Europe.

Lluís Valentí is a Spanish director, screenwriter, producer, and cultural organiser with a long-standing contribution to European and Latin American cinema. He is the founder and director of the Girona Film Festival, which since 1989 has established itself as one of the most prestigious platforms for discovering new talent in cinema, with a focus on films with humanistic and social themes.

Valentí is the founder of the Catalan Film Academy, as well as several significant awards: Premis Barcelona, Premis Carles Duran, Premis Xavier Cugat, and Mexican Talents Awards. He is the director of the College of Film Directors in Catalonia and represents Catalonia in the Assembly of the Federation of European Film Directors (FERA).

As a producer, Valentí has worked on over 60 films, including the last three films by director Josep Maria Nunes and "Azaña" by Santiago San Miguel. In 1992, he founded the production company Valentí Films, which focuses on auteur and reflective cinema. In 2005, he merged the activities of this company with the distribution company Versus Films, specialising in the distribution of dramatic, comedy, and documentary films in Spain.

Valentí holds a doctorate in art history from the University of Barcelona. He has taught cinema at prestigious institutions in Mexico, including the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), La Salle University, and the Center for Cinematographic Training (CCC).

His work is aimed at promoting cultural diversity and social engagement in cinema, providing a platform for new voices and perspectives in world cinematography.

Kamen Balkanski is an art historian and cultural manager with diverse interests in the field of contemporary art. He holds a Master's degree from the National Academy of Arts, which he graduated from in 1994. From 1997 to 2002, he was the executive director of the CIS Foundation for Contemporary Art, and in 2002-2003 he lectured at the National Academy of Arts in Sofia. In the same year, he became the administrative director of "Television MM", and from 2004-2006 he was an advisor to the managers of the same television.

In 2004, he started working as the director of the MEDIA program office of the EU in Bulgaria. From 2015 to 2017 and from 2021 to the beginning of 2022, he was the executive director of the National Film Center. He is currently the head of the "Creative Europe MEDIA" office – Bulgaria.

Giuseppe Cuscuzza is an Italian cultural activist, an established expert in the field of marketing and communications, with extensive experience in the political and institutional sector, sports, and cinema, president of the APS Pianeta Empatia association.

He is a producer, as well as the founder and president of COLIFFE – Coliseum International Film Festival in Rome – a forum dedicated to independent cinema and new voices in directing, which emphasises the social role of the seventh art.

An active advocate for social and environmental causes through cultural platforms, in 2024 Cuscuzza is a member of the jury of the 36th edition of the Girona Film Festival in Spain. In addition to his activities in cinema, he is also involved in sports civic participation through the MyROMA – Supporters Trust organisation, where he holds a leadership position.

Ivelina Martinova was born in Varna in 1974. Her first contact with cinema took place at the magical Summer Cinema in the city. She graduated from French Philology in Sofia. She works as an assistant director of feature and documentary films in France, Italy and Lithuania. In Bulgaria, she works with the production companies Sofilm, New Image, Eyevision, Belle Epoque. She writes and translates for Bulgarian and French publications: Dolce far’niente, Perfect day, le Monde, I’Express. Since 2014, she has been working on the project to create a university television at the Medical University - Varna and is currently responsible for the specialized program of the media. Outside of work, she can most often be found with her phone turned off in a far seat in a darkened cinema.