Arnaldo Casali (Italy)
Journalist, author and playwright. He graduated from the University "La Sapienza” in Rome, works for ISTESS, the Institute of Theological and Social History Studies in Terni and is the artistic director of "Popoli e Religioni" (People and Religions) – Terni Film Festival. He collaborates with the Mediaeval Festival in Gubbio as well as with Pontifical Council for the Family, magazines such as BenEssere-la salute con l’anima eWorldpass.it. Among his publications there is a play entitled Il “Giullare di Assisi”, a volume of interviews entitled “Between Heaven and Earth. Cinema, artists and religion”, historical novel “Valentino. The secret of the saint in love”.
Fr. Marek Lis (Poland)
Father Marek Lis is catholic priest in the diocese of Opole (Poland), professor and vice-dean of the Theological Faculty of Opole University. After completing his theological studies in Nysa/Lublin and Paris, he continued his studies at the Faculty of Sciences of Social Communication (Salesian Pontifical University in Rome, PhD in 2000). Author of books and articles concerning theological meaning of the cinema: Audiowizualny przekład Biblii. "100 filmów biblijnych" [100 Biblical Films] (Kraków 2005), "Krzysztof Zanussi. Przewodnik teologiczny" [Krzysztof Zanussi. A Theological Guide] (Opole 2015) and many others. Member of the Ecumenical Juries at several film festivals (Bratislava, Cannes, Fribourg, Warsaw, Yerevan); president of SIGNIS Polska; program director of the "Niepokalanów" International Film Festiwal in Wrocław (since 2016), cooperator of film festival Sacrofilm in Zamość (Poland) and Journées Cinéma et Réconciliation in La Salette (France, since 2010).
Katia Malatesta (Italy)
After graduating in ''Conservation of Cultural Heritage'' and a PhD in History of Visual Arts at the University of Pisa. She is a member of the Trentino Society for Studies of Historical Sciences. She represents the Autonomous Province of Trento on the Governing Council of the Center for International Cooperation in Trento and she is Vice President of the Trentino Forum for Peace and Human Rights. She teaches cinema, music and religion at the Romano Guardini Institute of Religious Studies in Trento and collaborates with the Terni Film Festival and with the Religion Today Film Festival, of which she was artistic director from 2008 to 2017; in this quality she has collaborated to the organization of annual seminars on cinema and religions at the Salesian Pontifical University and the Institute of Religious Sciences of the Bruno Kessler Foundation of Trento. She collaborates with SIGNIS, the Catholic World Communications Association, attested in over 140 countries around the world, which she represented in the Interfaith jury of Tehran's Fajr Film Festival in 2017 and in the 2018 jury of the San Sebastian International Film Festival.
Tamara Tsotsoria (Russia)
Graduated from the Yaroslavl State Theater Institute (1989). Producer and director of the cycle of television movies "Cinema without makeup." Coordinator and author of scenes about the cinema program "Cinema" of the NTV-Plus television company. Director and presenter of the diary of art and culture, author of scenes about the cinema and the radio of Mayak Radio 24 and Radio Mayak. Was filmed in a movie.
Fr. Yevgeny Glazunov (Russia)
Priest of the Russian Orthodox Church since 1994. In 1994, one of the organizers and host of the TV program "Sakhalin Orthodox". Since 1996, TV host of the program "Father's house" in Rybinsk. Co-producer and participant of several documentaries. Since 2014, Deputy Chairman of the organizing Committee, permanent member of the jury of the international Youth film festival "Light to the world", since 2019 - Director of the festival.
Tatevik Ayvazyan (The UK)
She is a London-based filmmaker and curator. She participated in Fresco Festival last year, presenting Taniel, a short film by London-based Rebel Republic production company. Tatevik was the poetry production of the film, which is based on poet Taniel Varoujan’s last days and death. She is currently working on adapting a screenplay based on Iris Murdoch’s The Italian Girl and several other projects. Tatevik is also the Director of the Armenian Institute in London, an arts and culture charity.
Vladislav Robskiy (Ukraine)
Program Director of International Orthodox Film Festival “Pokrov” (Kyiv) with 2012 year. “Wajda School” graduate, Studio Prob & Script PRO – film directing, Warsaw, 2015. Higher education: directing TV, Kyiv national University of the art, cinema and television named after I. K. Karpenko - Kary, the course of A. S. Odinets, 2013. First diploma: technical, engineer - machine gunner. Paramedic, instructor on tourism, candidate master of sports on track and field athletics and football. Author of many documentary films & TV programs in Ukraine. Married. Has a son.
Armin Ebrahimi (Iran)
He studied Graphics and film directing there. At the age of 19 he began his professional career as a film critic, writing cinema-related articles for some of the most prestigious newspapers and magazines in Iran; Magazines like ''Film Magazine'' and newspapers like Shargh Daily, Etemaad Newspaper and Tehran Today. He soon became a member of Bandar-e-anzali's branch of ''Iranian Youth Cinema Society'', and currently teaching film criticism and history of cinema. He has made 3 short films.
Beata Golenska (Italy)
Philologist, translator; she holds a diploma in English and Irish Literature. She works for the European Commission and is responsible for PR for Popoli e Religioni–Terni Film Festival. She collaborates with various public institutions, cultural organizations and embassies. She has experience in diplomatic protocol, administration and communication.
Simone Semprini (Italy)
He graduated in Computer Science and got a PhD in Software Engineering at Univesrity of Pisa. He currently works for a large IT company in the role of Head of Mobile Engineering. He is involved in the Religion Today Film Festival since 2005, first as technical advisor, then as programmer, and until 2018 as President of the association that organizes the festival; he is currently Vice-President of the same association and he collaborates with the Terni Film Festival. He has given his contribution to the first international Conference of directors of Spiritual film festivals held in Barcelona with the scientific coordination of the Blanquerna Observatories and the support of the Direcció General d’Afers Religiosos of the Generalitat de Catalunya; to give continuity to this important network experience, he collaborated to the organization of the second international meeting in October 2017, held during the celebrations for the twentieth anniversary of the Religion Today Film Festival, as well as the third edition of the initiative that took place in Terni in November 2018.
Nona Sisakyan (Belarus)
Nonna Sisakyan has worked in the movie industry since 2002. Creator of popular TV projects and documentary movies, advertisments and video-clips. She has been a producer at Wargaming since 2014 where she has been researching and gathering documentary materials about World War II (the Great Patriotic War).
Fr. Hambardzum Danielyan (Armenia)
He studied in Vaskenian Theological Academy from 2002 to2007, then continued his education in Gevorkian Theological Seminary during 2008-2009. He was ordained as a deacon in Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in 2008.
On the October 31st, 2010 he was ordained as a married priest by Bishop Ter Mkrtich Proshyan, now serves in Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin as a director of the Internet service office.
Anastasiia Robska (Ukraine)
Psychologist. Graduate of the National Pedagogical University. Administrator and film selector at the Internetional Orthodox Film Festival “Pokrov” in Kyiv. First Vice President of a public organization “Faced to culture”. Married. Has a son.
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Karen Mnatsakanyan (Armenia)
In 1991 he entered the Department of Turkology at Yerevan State University, Faculty of Oriental Studies, and graduated in 1996. He has worked in Public Television of Armenia, "Yerkir Media" television channel. Directed films by the order of Ministry of Culture of Armenia.
He has been a publisher in the press, chief editor in "Charagayt" junior magazine, and the director of daily magazine "Erkir".
Currently, he is working at the Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia, as the Head of Diaspora Relations Department, and correlates with a position of a history professor at a high school.
Irina Yaghubyan (Armenia)
She has graduated from Armenian State Pedagogical University after Kh. Abovyan, the Department of Defectology (1995-2000). Since 2000 she is a Co-director of the Manner Education at Kharberd Specialized Children's Home, run by the Ministry of Labour and Social Issues.
Manya Ghazaryan (Armenia)
Graduate of Yerevan State University. She started working at the State Television and Radio Committee in 1981, first as a journalist and then as a news presenter for the main news program.
She took part in the establishment of the ''Shoghakat'' TV studio in the Ararat Patriarchal Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in 1995, which she headed until 2001. Later she took the post again and works there till now. She is an author of various TV programs and films. Manya Ghazaryan received the Movses Khorenatsi Medal for prominent achievements in the spheres of art and culture
