Category “Narrative Film”
JURY:
– Arian Krasniqi (1981) is a playwright, screenwriter, and critic. He was born in Pristina.
He graduated from the Faculty of Arts at the University of Pristina (UP), Department of Dramaturgy, where he also completed his Master’s studies. He earned his PhD at the Faculty of Languages, Cultures and Communication at the South East European University (SEEU) in Tetovo, North Macedonia.
He is a professor at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Pristina.
Krasniqi is the author of numerous theatre plays and film screenplays across various lengths and genres. His plays have been staged in theatres both within and outside Kosovo.
He has published several collections of plays and books of critical essays.
Feature films based on his screenplays have been screened at dozens of international film festivals.
From 2008 to 2009, he served as the General Director of the National Theatre of Kosovo.
He also writes criticism and reviews in the fields of drama, theatre, and film.
He lives and works in Pristina.
– Mark Gerstorfer studied photography at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna before beginning his directing studies at the Vienna Film Academy under Michael Haneke. He received the START scholarship from the Federal Chancellery as well as the annual scholarship from the state of Salzburg.
He completed his directing studies at the Vienna Film Academy in the master class of Prof. Michael Haneke with distinction.
His film The Invisible Border won international awards, including the “Student Academy Award” in Gold, making Gerstorfer the first Austrian citizen to receive this award. The film was on the 2024 Oscar shortlist for short film and won the Austrian Film Award in the category “Best Short Film.” Since 2022, he has also been teaching at the Vienna Film School.
– Anisa Ismaili (1973, Kosovë) is an actress, activist, and author. She has performed in numerous films and theatre productions in Kosovo and abroad. In 2024, she won Best Actress at EtnoFest. She is the author of two prose books and producer of the documentary The Light of Darkness. Since 2020, she hosts the children’s show “Our Adventures” on RTK.
Category “Documentary”
JURY:
– Anisa Ismaili(1973, Kosovë) is an actress, activist, and author. She has performed in numerous films and theatre productions in Kosovo and abroad. In 2024, she won Best Actress at EtnoFest. She is the author of two prose books and producer of the documentary The Light of Darkness. Since 2020, she hosts the children’s show “Our Adventures” on RTK.
– Mark Gerstorfer studied photography at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna before beginning his directing studies at the Vienna Film Academy under Michael Haneke. He received the START scholarship from the Federal Chancellery as well as the annual scholarship from the state of Salzburg.
He completed his directing studies at the Vienna Film Academy in the master class of Prof. Michael Haneke with distinction.
His film The Invisible Border won international awards, including the “Student Academy Award” in Gold, making Gerstorfer the first Austrian citizen to receive this award. The film was on the 2024 Oscar shortlist for short film and won the Austrian Film Award in the category “Best Short Film.” Since 2022, he has also been teaching at the Vienna Film School.
– Alban Beqirajstudied theatre directing and intermedial studies in Kosovo and Austria. Since 2018, he is a co-founder of the organization Stralli and the art festival “Under the Plow of Time” in Kosovo. He works as a director and collaborator on various theatre productions and projects in Prishtina and Vienna.
Category “STOPMOTION – ANIMATION”
JURY:
– Adrian Asllani (1998, Switzerland) is a filmmaker, screenwriter, photographer, and editor. He studied screenwriting by Prof. Robert McKee in New York. His short-thriller Lullaby (2023), which he wrote, directed, and produced, has won multiple international awards. He works at Diogenes Publishing in Zurich and has collaborated with artists like Alberto Venzago and the band Pablo Infernal.
– Dituri Neziraj (1987, Kosovo) is a playwright and screenwriter with a postgraduate degree in Dramaturgy from the University of Prishtina. Her plays and film scripts have been widely produced and published. Notable works include the award-winning films Dita e pensionimit and Çmimi i të qenurit, grua, as well as the plays Eli, Revolta e Presjes, and Jam unë ajo. She currently works as an assistant lecturer at the Faculty of Arts in Prishtina.
– Labinot Morina (born 1986) studied mechanical engineering in Kosovo and Vienna. Since 2012, he has been writing film scripts and acting in various film productions in Vienna (Austria) and Prishtina (Kosovo), including Tatort (TV series, Vienna 2012), Die Mücke (monodrama, 2017), The Funeral (short film, 2020), and Die Unsichtbare Grenze (2021).
