JUDGES
Best International and Local Short Documentary
EMIL SPAHIYSKI
Emil Spahiyski is а Bulgarian journalist, screenwriter and director. He has an extensive experience in print media, television, and screenwriting. His filmography as a producer and a director includes seven films. He has also worked as a correspondent for the Caucasus region and had covered the war in Kosovo. He is a screenwriter of feature films and television series, a field editor for reality formats, and a filed producer of TV shows such as “Survivor” and “Power couples”.
LEYLA DOSTALIZADEH
Leyla Dostalizadeh is a producer from Azerbaijan. She has been working in the film industry since 2006. She was the official representative of the Baku office of the Independent Filmmakers Association - South Caucasus. Since 2019, she has been holding the position of deputy director of the "Narimanfilm" production company, as well as the art director of the yearly "SALAM" International Youth Film Festival. In December 2021, she started also working as the Executive Director of the "Azerbaijan Producers Guild" public union.
RASHAD SHIRINOV
Rashad Shirinov is a professional in the field of politics, elections, civil society, and urban social movements and also is interested in arts and cinema. He has worked with OSCE missions and many other international organizations including Council of Europe, USAID, etc. He conducted a one-year project "CinemAN", promoting independent cinema in Azerbaijan. He is a founder of the "I-cafe" project, a talk-shop for intellectuals in Azerbaijan.
DANIEL BURLAC
Daniel Burlac is a producer and production manager from Romania. A graduate of FEMIS (Paris) he participated in the EAVE and ACE training programmes in 2006 and 2007. He works in Romanian cinema and was associate producer on Cristian Mungiu’s Golden Palm winner 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days and production manager on Corneliu Porumboiu’s Camera d’Or-winning 12.08 East of Bucharest. He was also promotion manager for Cristian Mungiu’s Occident and Cristi Puiu’s The Death of Mr Lăzărescu which won Un Certain Regard’s Grand Prix.
ASIF RUSTAMOV
Asif Rustamov is a director and screenwriter from Azerbaijan. He graduated from the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Art, school of filmmaking. His filmography includes shorts and documentaries, which have screened at and been awarded by many international festivals. In 2005 he participated in Berlinale Talents. In 2014 his debut feature Down The River premiered at Karlovy Vary Film Festival, participated in many festivals, and won several prizes. Cofounder of the Association of Young Filmmakers of Azerbaijan, he is one of the editors of the film magazine “Focus”.
