As we gear up for the 2025 edition of our festival, we are excited to introduce the newest members of our jury panel. Coming from diverse and vibrant creative backgrounds, from film and video production to AI-generated content, international media, and live performance, these talented professionals bring a wealth of experience and fresh perspectives to the table. Get to know them below.
Daryush Shokof
Daryush Shokof is an internationally acclaimed multidisciplinary artist, filmmaker, writer, and philosopher known for his fearless approach to creativity and his pioneering role in avant-garde cinema. Originally trained in painting and sculpture, he later transitioned into experimental filmmaking, developing a distinct visual language rooted in abstraction, philosophical depth, and socio-political commentary.
His films challenge conventional storytelling through non-linear narratives and conceptual structures, often tackling themes such as identity, consciousness, and cultural conflict. In addition to his cinematic work, Shokof is also a prolific visual artist and author, who’s emotionally raw paintings and intellectually charged writings mirror the existential focus of his films.
Carla Massolini
Carla Massolini is a director and screenwriter whose work blends visual subtlety with emotional intensity. With a background in photography, fashion, and visual art, she crafts films that revolve around characters caught in moments of contradiction, desire, and inner tension. Her style leans toward minimalism, guided by rhythm, silence, and the power of performance.
Her short film To The Body (2023) was awarded at numerous international festivals and received the Best Experimental prize at the Berlin Music Video Awards 2024. She is currently developing a second short and writing her first feature-length screenplay. Across commercial and narrative projects, her work remains focused on intimacy, feeling, and the complexity of human relationships.
Arabella Bartsch
Arabella Bartsch is the founder of s-schuppach, a boutique agency representing directors and creative department leads with strong artistic identities. Since 2012, she has worked with filmmakers whose work is driven by vision, depth, and emotional resonance. Her approach is rooted in the belief that color, image, and narrative have the potential to shift perception and inspire change.
She was nominated for Best Director at the Berlin Music Video Awards 2024 for a piece that reflects her distinct sensitivity to tone and composition. Her work emphasizes authenticity over trend and supports voices that challenge the conventional boundaries of visual storytelling.
BMVA-nominated video
Website
Instagram
Joe Morel
Joe Morel is a showman and Burlesque performer known for his magnetic stage presence and luxurious, golden-era aesthetic. With a background in acting, dance, and musical theatre, his performances blend classic Hollywood glamour with bold, contemporary cabaret. His signature style combines impeccable technique, theatrical flair, and a voice as expressive as his choreography.
Beyond performance, he is also a host and producer, most recently creating Varietesque a live show fusing vintage elegance with modern variety. Joe has appeared in international media, performed for high-profile audiences, and starred in the Chilean docu-film A Place Called Burlesque alongside icons of the genre.
Roman Havrila
Roman Havrila is an AI creator behind the Instagram account @the_fear_ai, where he produces hyperrealistic, often eerie or gory video pieces. Music is a key part of his creative process; every post is carefully soundtracked to deepen the emotional impact, reflecting his long-standing connection to music as a multi-instrumentalist and former band frontman.
Originally a photographer and videomaker, he now uses AI to bring ideas to life with a different kind of immediacy. Alongside his main work, he also curates @women_of__ai, a space for lighter visuals and stylistic experiments that don’t quite fit the darker tone of his primary feed.
Christian Luoma
Christian Luoma is a visual artist and filmmaker whose work blends cinematic storytelling with AI-driven experimentation. His portfolio includes short films, music videos, commercials, and mixed-media projects, often showcased at festivals in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Berlin.
His style shifts between surreal, atmospheric narratives and bold, pop-inspired visuals, a blend that explores the tension between emotional depth and playful distortion. Whether disorienting or oddly familiar, his work invites audiences to experience a space where feeling precedes logic.
Melita Radocaj
Melita Radocaj is an art director and generative AI creator whose work explores the intersection of surrealism, elegance, and visual storytelling. With over two decades of experience in advertising and film, she now focuses on crafting emotionally layered and conceptually rich imagery using AI tools. Her visuals often balance refinement with provocation, drawing on her background in design and creative direction.
Whether working on digital compositions or conceptual campaigns, her aesthetic is marked by a high level of detail and a fascination with ambiguity. She moves fluidly across genres and styles, creating work that feels both familiar and otherworldly.
We can’t wait to see the unique perspectives they will bring to this year’s competition. Stay tuned!
