International Jury

LARSBERG (Chairman)

The Norwegian director and writer Larsberg who had learnt his craft from the A.F.I. Centre for advanced film studies and direction in 1986-87 and obtained a bachelor’s degree in filmmaking earlier, has made a large number of features, most of them for children. He began making his own feature and short films in 1983, and has own a large number of awards. He has also served on many juries. He has been Chairman and President of NFR Directors Guild of Norway during the last two years, is a Board member of the Norsk film vederlagsfond 2007-10 and a member of Amandakomiteen. 2008-10. He has been a voting member of the European Film Academy since 1998. He had earlier served in the International Jury in Hyderabad for the ICFF in 2005.

NAGESH KUKUNOOR

Nagesh, who hails from Hyderabad, has just won the Teacher's Achievement Award for Creative and performing Arts. A Chemical engineer from the United States, Nagesh gave up a lucrative career to take a series of workshops in film and television, in addition to studying acting as well as directing actors at the Warehouse Actor's Theatre in Atlanta. He then co-produced and directed a short film, "One culture at a time", in 1995. Returning to India, Nagesh redefined Indian cinema by making a successful film like 'Hyderabad Blues' on a shoestring budget. After popular and offbeat films like 'Hyderabad Blues' and 'Rockford ', Nagesh’s 'Bollywood Calling' received rave reviews. ‘Hyderabad Blues’ made in just 17 days went on to become the largest grossing low budget Indian film in English. It featured in about 10 international film festivals. Nagesh's second film 'Rockford' is very important to Hyderabadis because most of the little men in the movie are budding stars of the twin cities.

Currently busy in his next project, Nagesh divides his time between U.S. and India. With his producing partner, Elahe Hiptoola, he has started a distribution company 'Nue Cinema Inc.', which will distribute his films as well as other small independent films in the U.S. and the rest of the world.

INKA FRIESE

Inka has for the past fifteen years 15 years been a scriptwriter and director of numerous feature films and animation films for children including funny fairy-tales, poems and songs, educational programmes and children documentaries mostly for the German Public TV. She is an award winning animation director and also a director of documentaries for children. Inka is working for a well-known German Children’s TV programme.

ALI VAZIRIAN

A graduate of painting from the College of Fine Arts at Tehran University, Ali is well known as a contemporary Iranian graphic designer and painter. He made his debut short movie "Once Again Rain" in 2003 which was screened in the competitive sections of several major international film festivals all over the world and won many awards, including the Silver Elephant for Best Short Film at the International Children’s Film Festival in Hyderabad in 2005. He has served as the jury member of the 2009 Religion Today Film Festival and his film “A Span Of Heaven” has been selected for competition at the 24th Fort Lauderdale IFF(USA), and 40th India IFFI (Goa). "God is Close", Vazirian's debut feature about love from a spiritual point of view which ends up to a miraculous experience received many awards.

DR SHANTHA SINHA

An activist in the field of elimination of child labour, Dr Sinha has been actively involved in programmes for elimination of child labour through universalization of elementary education in 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh covering more than 6000 villages in 137 mandals through M. V. Foundation of which she was Secretary for many years. This has resulted in about 400,000 children in the 5 to 14 age group being withdrawn from work over the last 12 years, and also in strengthening of government schools in 1500 villages with retention of 99% of all children in schools. At present the focus is on girl-children and children engaged as bonded labourers, partnership developing with government teachers, women’s groups, youth associations, PTAs and local bodies; and training and networking with other NGOs. When the Government for the first time set up a Commission for Protection of Child Rights in the country, Dr Sinha was selected to head this Commission as its first Chairperson in March 2007. She has received the Ramon Magsasay Award and the Padma Shri in 1998 by the Government of India. She has received several other awards and much recognition.