Jury
Heike Gnida
Film Editor
Juror for: Short film, Mid-length film & Animated film
Heike Gnida graduated from Offenburg University of Applied Sciences with a degree in Media and Information Studies. Between 2004 and 2007 she was part of many productions as a trainee and intern in the field of picture editing, including a stint at Cine Plus in Berlin. She has been a freelance film editor since 2009 and works on cinema, documentary and TV films and series. She was nominated for the German Television Award in the editing category for the TV series “BLOCHIN”. She was also nominated for the editing of the feature film “TORE TANZT” (German Film Critics’ Award) and for the feature film “PELIKANBLUT” (German Film Award). At this year’s Berlinale, the feature film “STERBEN”, which she edited, will premiere in the competition.
Florian Strandl
DoP
Juror for: Short film, Mid-length film & Animated film
Growing up in a small Bavarian town, Florian came to film via music. In 2015, he began studying image design at the HFF Munich. There he found his focus in fictional and documentary work, which he supplements with regular excursions into the world of music videos. The short film “Goldilocks” was nominated in the Film & Art School Etudes competition at the world-renowned Camerimage Festival. With his camera work for “Lost And Found”, he was awarded the prize for best cinematography at the SHORTS Offenburg.
Maya Duftschmid
Screenwriter & Directress
Juror for: Short film, Mid-length film & Animated film
Born in Munich in 1994. In 2020, she completed her screenwriting studies at the HFF Munich with the dark feature STORY OF FEAR. Her films have screened at the Max Ophüls Film Festival, the Hof International Film Festival and the Short Tiger in Cannes, among others. The short film GÖR, which she co-wrote, won the Golden Lola at the German Short Film Award 2021. Maya has been studying feature film directing for two years. She is currently developing her graduation film.
simon schneckenburger
Screenwriter & Director
Juror for: Short film, Mid-length film & Animated film
Born in Freiburg. 2017 Bachelor of Arts at Offenburg University of Applied Sciences. His graduation film was awarded the German Newcomer Film Prize. He is currently studying Scenic Directing at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. His first film during his studies, BORZAYA, screened at festivals worldwide and was shortlisted for the Student Academy Awards 2022. His new film EVERYBODY LEAVES IN THE END is a co-production with SWR and ARTE and won the German Camera Award 2023.
elena weidt
Multimedia Editor-in-Chief | Religion and World SWR
Juror for: Documentary film
Born and raised in Ortenau, Elena Weidt studied environmental sciences in Frankfurt and Helsinki. She completed her training at SWR, where she has been making films since 2014. Elena Weidt has a wealth of experience in a wide range of formats, from TikTok to documentaries. She is currently working as an author for the ARD documentary format “Echtes Leben” (Real Life), where she tells stories very close to people, honestly and sensitively without a lot of text.