JURY

Ilinca Manolache was born in Bucharest, in a family of actors. She studied acting at UNATC and since then she has been playing on the main stages in Bucharest. Even though she is employed in a state theater, she has never stopped collaborating with emerging or independent artists who engage in more radical art. In cinema, she collaborated especially with Radu Jude, and her leading role in “Don’t Expect Too Much from the End of the World” (2023, Special Jury Prize – Locarno) was highly appreciated by international critics.

Ilinca Manolache created the Bobitza avatar, using a snapchat filter of a toxic, daring man with unibrow, as a performative empowerment exercise through which she recycles the language that men use to control, dominate and objectify women. She does it to free herself from this social dynamic, but also to criticize it.

Olga Török is a theater and film actress. After completing her acting studies, she joined the prestigious team at the German Theater in Timisoara. Here she collaborated with some of the most distinguished directors and choreographers in Romania, including Alexandru Dabija, Radu Afrim, Eugen Jebeleanu, Florin Fieroiu and Razvan Mazilu. With three nominations for the UNITER Awards, Olga Török has won the Audience Award twice.

In the world of cinema, she made her debut in Romanian short films such as “Contrabanda”, directed by Adrian Serecuț, and “When I Occupy the Present”, directed by Mădalina Zaharia, and is the protagonist of the feature film “Clara” (2023), directed by Sabin Dorohoi. She was chosen at the first edition of “10 for Film” at TIFF Romania, a program for the promotion of actors in the world of film.

Adrian Sitaru is an established Romanian director and screenwriter, famous for his five successful feature films and several short films. “The Fixer” (2016, Toronto IFF, Tokyo IFF) was Romania’s proposal for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards. “Illegitimate” (2016) won the C.I.C.A.E Award in the Berlinale Forum, “Domestic” (2012) was selected in the Official Competition of the Mar del Plata International Film Festival, “Best Intentions” (2011) is the winner of two Silver Leopard Awards at Locarno, while his first feature film, “Hooked” (2008), was selected at Venice Days, Toronto IFF and BFI London.

Among the short films in Adrian Sitaru’s filmography are “Waves” (2007, Sundance, winner of the Golden Leopard at Locarno), “The Cage” (2009; 27 awards, certificate of excellence from BAFTA/LA), “Art” (2014, Venice Film Festival – Orizzonti). Adrian Sitaru is now in post-production with “Blindsight”, his sixth feature film, supported by the National Center of Cinematography and Creative Europe – MEDIA Slate Funding. His experience also includes directing part of the series “In Treatment” – first season.