2021

Born in Sarajevo in 1974, Jasmila Žbanić is a graduate of her native city’s Academy of Dramatic Arts, Theatre and Film Directing Department. Her feature debut Grbavica won the 2006 Berlinale Golden Bear (as well as the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and the Peace Prize), the AFI (American Film Institute) Fest Grand Jury Prize, Grand Prix Odyssey of the European Council and was sold to 40 territories with great success. On the Path, Jasmila’s second feature film, premiered at the 2010 Berlinale, in the Competition section.

Cathy Brady is a two-time IFTA-winning director, having won Best Short in 2011 for her first film Small Change and again in 2013 for Morning, which was also selected for the BFI London Film Festival  and won the Short Film Nominee prize for the European Film Awards at Cork Film Festival. In 2011, Brady directed the BIFA nominated short Rough Skin. Her short film, Wasted, competed at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2013. In the same year, Brady was named one of Screen Daily’s ‘Stars of Tomorrow’.

Srdan Golubovic is member of EFA and the President of the Board of Auteur Film Festival, Belgrade.  He works as professor of Film Directing at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. His first feature, Absolute Hundred, was screened in Toronto, San Sebastian, Rotterdam, Pusan and won numerous international awards. In 2007, Srdan's second  feature, The Trap, had its World Premiere in Berlinale. The film participated in more than 50 international festivals (including Toronto and Karlovy Vary), won 21 international awards and was shortlisted for the Oscar Competition.

Emmanuelle Bercot is a French actress, film director and screenwriter. She began working in theatre after training as a dancer. She worked with Robert Hossein, and then joined the directing department of the FEMIS in 1994. In 2001, she directed her first feature film, Clément, which premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival. Her 2013 film On My Way competed at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival. And Standing Tall was selected to open the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.

Nabil Ayouch is one of the most influential directors in Morocco. He directed his first feature, Mektoub, which was the Moroccan entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards, as was Ali Zaoua (2000) which won 45 international awards. In 2012, his next feature, Horses of God, which was based on the May 2003 Casablanca bombings, screened in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival  where it received the François Chalais Award.