The Jurors of FILMFEST DRESDEN
Each year, FILMFEST DRESDEN appoints several independent juries which decide on the winners of the Golden Horsemen awards. Beside the International and the National Jury, these include the Jury for best Sound Design, for GenderDiversity and our two Youth Juries. In 2021 two new juries were added: for the film award "fully political" and for the Film Critics Award.
Here you can find our pre-jurys who preselect the nominated films for our special thematic awards.
JURY INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
BARTEK TESARZ
graduated in film and new media studies, as well as in Polish and comparative literature from the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. He is the curator of the film programme at the Polish Institute in Berlin, where he organises the filmPOLSKA Polish cinema festival, the largest event of its kind outside Poland. Since 2019, he has been deeply involved with the Krakow Film Festival, where he is currently the curator of the entire short film programme. He has published reviews in the magazines EKRANY and 16mm. Prior to this, he also worked with the CAMERIMAGE film festival.
DJAMILA GRANDITS
is a Vienna-based curator and film programmer. Djamila is part of the CineCollective and D—Arts. Currently working on the pre-selection committee of the Berlinale Panorama section. Former member of the non-fiction commission at the Zürcher Filmstiftung cultural foundation. Previously programmed with Diagonale, DOK Leipzig, Kasseler Dokfest, sixpackfilm, frameout and tricky women – tricky realities. Her practice is grounded in care and curiosity for (moving) image cultures, media practices, collective and speculative curatorial movements.
SVEN SCHWARZ
Since 2004 Sven Schwarz has worked with film festivals, starting at Filmfest Hamburg. In 2010 he became the Managing Director of the Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg, where he also curates special programmes, such as the country focus events, in addition to thematical film series. He studied American literature and media studies at the University of Paderborn and the Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, USA. Sven Schwarz is a board member of the international short film association Short Film Conference, as well as being part of the Hamburg-based artist collective A Wall is a Screen that organises and curates short film events in public spaces all over the world.
JURY NATIONAL COMPETITION
HUSEIN BASTOUNI
s an up-and-coming filmmaker and animator with Palestinian roots. He was born in Damascus, Syria, and has studied at the Kunsthochschule Kassel art school since 2020. In his debut film WHERE THE JASMINE ALWAYS BLOOMS, he explores his own personal experiences with war, fleeing and statelessness. Following its premiere in Leipzig, the film screened at other national and international festivals, such as FILMFEST DRESDEN and Go Short Nijmegen, before going on to win several awards and nominations.
INES BAUMANN
has worked for 30 years at the Chemnitzer Filmwerkstatt film workshop, establishing it as one of the most important media education institutions in Saxony. The film workshop has produced numerous short films and received the 2013 German Short Film Award together with Olaf Held. It has been acclaimed numerous times for its media education film projects.
JING HAASE
is a short film expert who has been involved in the industry for more than two decades. She is Head of Industry at the Kurzfilmtage Winterthur film festival. She previously worked as a market manager for Nordic shorts and docs with Nordisk Panorama, as well as being the festival manager for short films at the Swedish Film Institute with a primary focus on international distribution. She has also worked as a programmer and in film production. In addition, Jing frequently acts as a moderator, panellist, facilitator and jury member at international festivals and industry events.
YOUTH JURY INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
LYDIA LAUGHLAND
My name is Lydia and I am interested especially in art, literature and cultural forms of expression. In my own projects, I often deal with powerful emotions, as well as with the question of how to transform negative experiences into something meaningful. Films fascinate me because of how they combine images, language and atmosphere while permitting complex themes to be experienced directly. Being part of the Youth Jury at the 2026 FILMFEST DRESDEN is an inspiring opportunity for me to discover new perspectives and discuss creative works critically and openly.
KAI EISOLD (THEY/THEM)
Over the last few years, short films as a creative medium have interested me especially because they convey so many emotions without having to express everything: raw, dark, gentle or abstract. I have also encountered this openness and complexity in my own artistic endeavours, even though I mainly work with drawing and photography. Influenced by my experience as a non-binary person and my view of different realities of life, I appreciate films that consider diversity as a matter of course. I am looking forward to a wide array of short films at FILMFEST DRESDEN, ones that touch, bemuse and have a long-lasting impact.
RAY DÖRFEL
My name is Ray. Right now, I am completing a voluntary social year at Dresden’s municipal libraries. I love films, especially those that are made with great artistry. I also love analysing films and reflecting deeply on them. Likewise, I enjoy reading and crocheting a lot. I love being creative and working together with other people. And I am delighted to be part of this Youth Jury.
YOUTH JURY NATIONAL COMPETITION
TOBIAS RÖSEL
As I see it, cinema is the ultimate discipline of the arts. For the filmmakers, it is a powerful means of expressing their feelings; for the viewers, it is an opportunity to see the world through different eyes or immerse themselves in other worlds. I personally am passionate about films and have been making my own in my free time for half my life now. Which is why, as a member of FILMFEST DRESDEN’s Youth Jury this year, I am looking forward to seeing lots of innovative short films and getting to know other filmmakers.
BUG HÖPFNER (NO PRONOUN PREFERENCE)
My name is Bug, I am 18 years old and in the middle of my voluntary social year at the Pirna-Sonnenstein Memorial. Films have always been a way for me to grasp my identity as an adolescent, as a transgender person and as a human being. But especially, growing up in a rural area, they have given me access to a more diverse, colourful and magical world. I am delighted to now gain a new perspective on films and have exchanges with other film enthusiasts.
KIRA SCHÖNFELD
I am called Kira and I am studying media and communication science. During my volunteering work at FILMFEST DRESDEN, for the first time ever I became intensively involved with the medium of short film, which strengthened my interest in the media and in film especially. What fascinates me about short films is their diversity and adaptive creativity, as well as their ability to convey such deep emotions despite their limited length. As you can imagine, I am all the more delighted to be part of this year’s Youth Jury and have an opportunity to discover many impressive films together with my fellow jury members.
JURY FOR THE GOLDEN HORSEMAN SOUND DESIGN
ALMA WEBER
is a freelance animation filmmaker, illustrator and musician. She was born in Halle in 1992 and grew up in Weimar. After studying at the KhK Kunsthochschule Kassel college of art (with sojourns in Berlin and Ghent), she ended up in Dresden. She is a co-founder of the animation production studio ANIMAUZ and plays drums in various bands.
EDUARDO MAMEDE
Originally from Maranhão, Brazil, Eduardo Mamede is a Berlin-based DJ whose sound bridges the vibrant pulse of the Brazilian Northeast with global dance floors. Living in Germany since 2019, Mamede uses music to explore ways to express his diasporic perspective. In addition to his DJ career, Mamede have worked for more than 10 years in the audiovisual industry. He co-directed the film IT IS NOT THE BRAZILIAN HOMOSEXUALS WHO ARE PERVERSE, BUT THE SITUATION IN WHICH THEY LIVE, winner of the Short Film Award of the German Film Critics Association and the LUCA Film Award at FIILMFEST DRESDEN in 2022.
EYUP KUŞ
is an independent filmmaker, multimedia artist and musician based in Vienna. With a background in theatre, film and media studies, he has specialised in experimental filmmaking that merges sound, image and movement into immersive narrative spaces. His abstract short films have been featured at international festivals and are distinguished by their powerful interplay of the sound, moving image and emotional depth. Under the alias KARGA, he produces atmospheric electronic music, which he combines with his visuals in live A/V performances. As a sound designer, Kuş sees sound not merely as an acoustic element but as a central means of expression – and, as a dedicated vibe creator, he relentlessly pursues the perfect audiovisual balance.
JURY FOR THE FILM AWARD LUCA
BERNADETTE KOLONKO
(born 1985) is a queer-feminist filmmaker, author and artistic researcher. After studying film directing at Babelsberg film university, she began conducting research at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) in 2019, before publishing her book “Unsichtbares und Ungesagtes: 10 Female*Feminist*Gazes” in 2023. In 2024-25, she co-curated the Panorama programme at the IFFF international women’s film festival and, since 2021, she has curated and presented the Diversity Cinema series at ZHdK. She works as a lecturer at ZHdK and at the DFFB film school in Berlin, as well as being a dramaturgical advisor specialising in queer feminism, class issues and essay film, in addition to conducting lectures and workshops. Her short films UN_SICHTBAR and DEINE SCHÖNE GESTALT have screened at the Palm Springs Festival, the Max Ophüls Priz and FILMFEST DRESDEN, among others. Bernadette enjoys writing, and especially essays (for Dears Magazine, TOTALE, and so on).
MAKSIM AVDEEV (he/she/they)
Maksim Avdeev ist ein:e unabhängige:r Filmemacher:in und Schauspieler:in aus Berlin. Maksims Arbeit dreht sich um persönliche und kollektive Erfahrungen, die in queeren und nicht-traditionellen Erzählungen oft verschwiegen werden. Maksims Debüt-Kurzfilm MONUMENT über die eigene Beziehung zum Vater unterstreicht die Kraft persönlicher Wahrheiten auf der Leinwand. Maksim nutzt das Filmemachen und Geschichtenerzählen als kreatives und emotionales Mittel, um Themen wie Familie, Identität und Heilung zu erforschen.
POPO FAN
Since 2009, Popo Fan has made an impact on Chinese society through his queer documentary films. In 2017, he relocated from Beijing to Berlin. His work delves into intersectional themes such as migration and gender. After releasing several short films, Popo is currently developing his debut narrative feature. He was selected for the Berlinale Talents in 2017 and served on the jury for the 2019 Teddy Award. In 2023, he received the PorYes Feminist Porn Award in Berlin. Popo remains active in queer advocacy in China, where he acts as a committee member for the Beijing Queer Film Festival, in addition to writing regular columns for Chinese media platforms. He loves cooking and singing – and combines the two of them in his “Kitchen Karaoke” videos. He was the guest curator on FILMFEST DRESDEN’s thematic focus programme in 2025 and he created the festival trailer for the 2026 festival edition.
JURY FOR THE FILM AWARD “FULLY POLITICAL”
RAKANS
is a Middle Eastern DJ, producer, artist and community organiser reshaping the electronic music landscape in eastern Germany. Working between Berlin, Dresden and on international stages, Rakans has performed at renowned venues and festivals, including Tresor and Berghain nightclubs, as well as the Baum Festival in Bogotá. Drawing from their Middle Eastern heritage and queer identity, their work centres on creating inclusive dance floors where music, freedom and self-expression coexist. As the founder of Rawmantique and a resident DJ at Pornceptual, Rakans curates spaces that prioritise safety, diversity and radical acceptance. Their artistic approach blends traditional Middle Eastern textures with contemporary electronic sound. Beyond performance, Rakans is closely involved with community initiatives that promote representation in the arts and nightlife.
SARA NEIDORF (they/them)
is a Philadelphia-born, Berlin-based film curator and drummer. They are the co-founder and co-director of the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival, which showcases horror films made by women and non-binary filmmakers. They play the drums in heavy, genre-expanding bands, including Mellowdeath, Sarattma, Mad Kate | The Tide and Pavone Cristallo, in addition to teaching the drums to women and trans people. Neidorf drums in theatre, dance and other interdisciplinary contexts, and has in recent years begun to merge their passions for film and music by performing original live scores to horror movies with their bands. Whether through film curation, drumming or writing, they enjoy exploring tensions, crevices, the crepuscular, the cursed and the uncanny.
JURY FOR THE FILM CRITICS AWARD
BETTINA HIRSCH
Journalist and presenter. Following her architecture studies, she took a detour into film, before abandoning the building sites in 2002. As an editor and presenter, she is responsible for the MondayMovieTalk radio broadcasts on the ALEX Berlin film programme, further to the monthly podcast MondayTalk on ALEX Kosmos, added as a new format in 2025. Her film reviews have been published in Filmdienst and Screenmagazin, an independent online magazine. In addition to her work as a curator, she provides recommendations for Berlin schools for the Berlinale’s Generation section. Appointed to juries at international film festivals around the world, she was at the 2025 International Women’s Film Festival in Ankara.
HOLGER TWELE
Studied literature, theatre, psychology and philosophy (awarded his MA in 1980). A freelance film journalist and film educator, initially in communal film work, then for over 20 years as a film presenter and editor with the German Federal Agency for Civic Education. In the field of children’s and youth films, he conducts regular film work for the German Federal Association for Youth and Film, the German Children’s and Youth Film Centre, as well as for other institutions and associations. He is the author of numerous specialist articles and film education material. He has been a jury member at many national and international festivals (including for short films), such as Interfilm, FICC and FIPRESCI. He lives in Rodgau, Hesse.
REINHARD KLEBER
Journalist, born in Merzig, Saarland, lives in Bonn. He studied German language and literature, history and journalism, as well as taking theatre, film and television studies at universities in Mainz and Frankfurt am Main. Since 1988, an editor and reporter with radio stations and a news agency in Stuttgart, Cologne and Bonn. He has conducted film journalism work for trade journals, newspapers, lexicons, anthologies and online portals. A longstanding correspondent with the film industry magazine Filmecho/Filmwoche, further to being a jury member at film festivals in Oberhausen, Sochi, Amsterdam, Olympia, Zlin and Schwerin. Currently writing for Filmdienst, Kino-Zeit, Kinofenster, Vision Kino, Kinder- und Jugendfilmportal, Black Box and Welt-Sichten. His work focuses on children’s and youth films, as well as films from the Global South.