Pune International Film Festival

Malaya Goswami

Malaya Goswami is one of the living legends from the north-eastern state of Assam. Her debut film was ‘Agnisnaan’, an acclaimed work from the great Assamese filmmaker Dr. Bhabendra Nath Saikia. She is the first Assamese actress to win a National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in the Assamese film ‘Firingoti’, directed by another great director from Assam – Jahnu Barua. Her other notable films are ‘Uttarkal’ and ‘Siraj’. Malaya Goswami is working as an Associate Professor and head of the Department of Education at Jagiroad college, Marigaon, Assam. She is also associated with All India Radio since 1977 and has participated in many radio plays as well as popular television serials. Malaya Goswami has also served on the jury panel for the Feature Film Category in the National Film Festival.

Nils Malmros

Nils Sigurd Malmros is a film director and screenwriter, a leading auteur of realism in Danish cinema, known for his detailed focus on the growing pains of adolescence and the loss of innocence. Malmros, is a self-educated filmmaker, a 4-time recipient of the Bodil Award for Best Danish Film and a 3-time recipient of the Robert Award for Danish Film of the Year .In 1973, Malmros’s film Lars-Ole, 5c was hailed as "a little film miracle." Malmros followed this by Boys (Drenge). In 1981, Malmros released Tree of Knowledge (Kundskabens træ), which was selected by the International Film Guide among the 10 best films in the world in 1983. Malmros made Beauty and the Beast (Skønheden og udyret) in 1983. In 1992, he made the dramatic tragedy ‘Pain of Love’ (Kærlighedens Smerte). ‘Barbara’ (1997) is an adaptation of the Danish novel set in the Faroe Islands. In 2009, Malmros released another coming-of-age story, ‘Aching Hearts’ (Kærestesorger). About his last film Sorrow and Joy wrote Film Comment New York: With Sorrow and Jo he has created one of the most Shattering and elevating expressions of love in film history.

Reza Dormishian

Born in 1981 in Tehran, Reza Dormishian has studied English Language and then he was involved in film journalism. He was an assistant to some prestigious Iranian filmmakers like Dariush Mehrjui and Alireza Davoudnejad and he’s also been credited as a scriptwriter for some films and TV productions. Reza Dormishian started making short films since 2002 and “Hatred” (2012) was his first feature film, fully produced independently in Istanbul and screened at many international events around the world like Montreal and Warsaw. “I’m not angry!” (2014) was his second feature film which turned to be very controversial at home and had its world premiere at Berlinale’s Panorama section and one of most successful Iranian films in world festivals in 2014 & 2015. Mr. Dormishian is involved in post-production of his third feature film, “Lantouri” (2016) now.

Pablo Cesar

Pablo César is an Argentinean filmmaker and producer. He started working in Super 8mm at the age of 13.In 1987 he started making 35mm. He has directed 10 long feature films. Pablo is an international pioneer in developing co-productions between his home country Argentina and Tunisia, Mali, Benin, Angola, Ethiopia, India and Namibia. His films have been awarded at different festivals. He has been the Jury of International Film Festivals such as Amiens (France), Montréal (Canada), Kelibia (Tunisia), Huy (Belgium), Hyderabad (India), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), Fest Film Arab in Buenos Aires (Argentina), IFFI Goa (India) and Nador (Morocco). As a Professor of Direction and Production teaching in the University of Buenos Aires, he contributes to various seminars since 1992.

Dhvani Desai

Dhvani Desai is an international award-winning animation filmmaker and a poet. She is best known for her animation film ‘Manpasand - the Perfect Match’ produced by the Children's Film Society of India, which won a Bronze World Medal in 2008 at the New York Festival's Film and Video Awards. Her film about promoting awareness of India's Right to Information Act (RTI) was produced by the Films Division. Her animation studio ‘Metamorphosis’ has produced numerous animations and special effects for advertising films. Desai co-directed a short animation film ‘The Mahatma’ with her elder brother depicting the principles of Gandhiji, which was produced by the Mahatma Gandhi Foundation. The film was selected at the Tehran International Animation Festival in 2001 and at the Mumbai International Film Festival. Dhvani Desai has also worked on cartoon and animated titles produced by the National Film Development Corporation of India.

Meena Karnik

Meena Karnik has been a journalist for the past 30 years and also continues to write for films as a freelancer. She has been reviewing films every Friday for the Marathi news channel IBN Lokmat. As a film critic she has attended many national and international film festivals including the prestigious Berlinale and Rotterdam film festivals. She has been a jury member at the Delhi Osians Film Festival and selection committee of the Asian Film Festival. She was also a FIPRESCI jury member at Bengaluru in 2013. Karnik co-edits the magazine called Akshar Diwali, the magazine has won all prestigious literary awards for Diwali numbers. She is also the owner of a publishing house called Akshar Prakashan which has more than hundred titles to its credit and has written a biographical book on Gautam Rajyadhyaksha in Marathi called ‘Gautam’.

Jury 2016

Jury 2016

Animation Jury

MTDC Jury

Festival Office