JURY 2026
​____________________________________
​

THEA KHITARISHVILI

BERNARD DICHEK

Dr. ANA VITANOVA-RINGACHEVA

A lifelong devotee of cinema, Thea studied cinematography in Tbilisi, Georgia, during the late 1980s. The collapse of the Soviet Union altered the course of her career, prompting a move into international law, though her affection for classic film never wavered. In 2019, she returned to filmmaking, refining her cinematography skills at the MetFilm School at Ealing Studios in London. Since then, Thea has been supporting film and cultural initiatives, driven by the quiet passion and deep appreciation of a lifelong film enthusiast.

is a Canadian-Israeli documentary filmmaker and journalist. He is the award-winning director of the National Film Board of Canada film Long Lance about the indigenous peoples of Canada; The Kalusz I Thought I Knew, about a search for his father's home in Poland and various films for the WHO and The National Geographic Channel  about  international development projects. He studied film at York University in Toronto and is a graduate of the Hebrew University Communications Institute and a fellow of the European Initiative for Communicators of Science (EICOS). Winner of the Silver Horseshoe Award at AsterFest, Strumica, 2014, for his creative documentary The Kalusz I Thought I Knew.

is a university professor, writer, and publicist whose academic research and creative work span the fields of art, literature, and culture. She is the author of several scholarly and professional books, as well as numerous papers published in national and international publications. A regular participant in international scientific conferences and symposia, she also serves as Editor-in-Chief of Zenith, an international journal dedicated to science, art, literature, and culture. Through her sustained academic, scientific and cultural engagement, she has made a significant contribution to the development and promotion of contemporary artistic and literary thought.