FESTIVAL JURY

Kudret Sabancı

Jury President, Director

Kudret Sabancı is a prominent Turkish film and television director, known for his strong character-driven narratives and distinctive visual style across many acclaimed productions.

Noushin Meraji

Director, Screenwriter

Noushin Meraji was born in 1980. After dropping out of university due to financial issues, she completed her film studies at the Iranian Cinema Youth Society. Since 2005, she has continued her professional career in filmmaking by directing several short films and one feature film. The short film "After Father" is her most recent work as a director.

Sweilem Sweilem

Actor, Director, Producer

Born on 5 August 1991 in Palestine, Sweilem Sweilem is a professional actor, director and producer based in Istanbul. Having started his artistic career at a young age, he is known for his work that focuses on dramatic narratives and human stories.

With more than a decade of professional experience, he has taken part in numerous cinema and television productions across the Middle East, often in leading roles. Among his most notable works is the widely recognized feature film "Priceless Souls". In the field of documentary, he has worked on projects for TRT Documentary, and in advertising he has appeared in national and international campaigns for brands such as Sensodyne.

Sweilem has also garnered attention for his performances in short films such as "El-Garîb (The Stranger)" and "77", and he maintains a prolific career on stage. His best-known theatre work is the play "Gaza Among the Ashes", which addresses the humanitarian tragedy in Palestine. In his work, Sweilem Sweilem places human rights, justice, freedom and the lived reality of the Palestinian people at the center, producing powerful and socially engaged works.

Mahmoud Atassi

Director, Screenwriter, Cinematographer

Mahmoud Atassi is a Syrian–Turkish director, screenwriter and cinematographer. His films document war crimes and human suffering, focusing on untold stories from the ground. Through his work, Atassi sheds light on the harsh realities of conflict, hoping to inspire a path toward peace and reconciliation.

Selected works include: "Eyes of Gaza" (2024, 50 min), "Under the Rubble" (2024, 50 min), "Mandela and His Friends vs The State" (2025, 57 min), "Syria and the Blood Merchants "Wagner"" (2022, 47 min), "The Disappear of Mazen Hamadah" (2023, 26 min), "Kidnapping the Activist Abdulwahab" (2023, 26 min) and "I Don't See" (2020, 26 min).

Sadullah Şentürk

Director

Sadullah Şentürk is an experienced director in cinema and television, particularly known for his work in action and drama, reaching wide audiences through various successful projects.