International Jury
Camille de Casabianca – Godmother
France
Camille de Casabianca started out as a screenwriter and actress, and has received a number of awards, including the César for original screenplay and adaptation (1987), the Prix Frédéric Rossif and the XXIst Century Filmmaker Award in New York. Her filmography includes PékinCentral, a comedy filmed in China, Après la Pluie, a comedy about humanitarian aid in Africa, Le Fabuleux Destin de Madame Petlet and Vive nous!
She has also directed Octavio, which follows an adopted child in Colombia and Alaska, Tatami, which follows a judo champion preparing for the world championships, and two documentaries on political life: C’est parti and Ça marche!
In the wake of the pandemic, her latest film, L’Heure du départ, sparked off numerous public debates in France and Belgium.
She is also a writer, with several novels and short stories to her credit.
James Gerard
Australian actor, producer, assistant director, screenwriter
James Gerard is an experienced bilingual actor who has been working on stage, television and film since 1989. Originally from Australia, he pursued his career in the UK and Europe, before settling in Paris for the second time in 2000, where he is now based.
James is currently appearing on the big screen as Simon, an English lawyer, alongside Zoe Saldana in Jacques Audiard’s multi-award-winning Emilia Perez(4 Golden Globes and two Oscars). On TV, he plays Tancredi, a mercenary and spy, in La Reine des Serpents on Amazon Prime.
James has received several awards for his performances, notably in France, where he was named Best Actor for Fort comme un homme (Festival de Luchon, 2007) and Best Actor for Powerless (Festival de Menton, 2018). Internationally, he won Best Supporting Actor for Pet Killer (Seriesland Bilbao, 2019), shot in Australia.
Long committed to environmental causes, James starred in one of France’s first ecological films, Coline Serreau’s La Belle Verte (1996). He also took part in a campaign to raise awareness of the effects of global warming, in which he parodied an iconic scene from Titanic.
Among his upcoming projects, James will be assistant director on Shine, a Thai TV series filmed in Paris, where he will play a New Zealand detective investigating the Rainbow Warrior scandal. He will also appear as an American policeman in the French sci-fi film Just After Dawn, and as a British military investigator hunting down a Nazi in Serge Avédikian’s Armenian-Turkish co-production Dernier Round à Istanbul, to be shot in Armenia this year.
At the same time, James will resume his activities as scriptwriter and actor for Louis Vuitton’s in-house films, and will continue to offer his negotiation training to green companies such as NEOEN and EDF Renouvelables.
A jury member at the Festival de films fantastiques in Menton and the Festival des Antipodes in Saint-Tropez, James was recently appointed Oceania’s representative for FIFES, a responsibility he is proud to share with his eco-friendly brother in Australia.
Maji-da Abdi
Director, producer, Images That Matter festival director, therapist
Maji-da Abdi is a director, producer, festival director, therapist, coach and facilitator. Known for her socially conscious storytelling, she has won acclaim for The River That Divides, a Canadian Human Rights Award-winning documentary, as well as for her production work on iconic African films such as Heremakono and Bamako.
Maji-da also guides and supports Andelay, a French-based association whose name derives from the Amharic language and means “together”. Andelay is committed to breaking the stigma attached to menstruation, empowering individuals and improving access to education for girls in regions where limiting beliefs and lack of resources hinder their future. Andelay emphasizes access to drinking water as an essential pillar of community health and education. Although focused on Africa, the association pursues a long-term mission of conscious inclusiveness and intercultural collaboration.
Founder of the Images That Matter festival in Addis Ababa, Maji-da created a platform where over 100 international short films were screened, 150 filmmakers trained, and diverse global narratives highlighted. The festival also raised awareness of female genital mutilation (FGM) through a major conference featuring FGM ambassador Waris Dirie, and the premiere of the film adapted from her book Desert Flower.
Co-founder of Living Cities Earth and representative ofEco-Civilization, Maji-da integrates her learning as a traditional Kasala facilitator under Jean Kabuta. She blends therapy, coaching and voice work to inspire personal and creative transformation. She leads sessions where participants share their visions of a desired future.
Currently, Maji-da is researching, writing and developing an intercultural festival concept focused on the evolution of consciousness through cinema, proactive workshops and collective experiences. Emerging from an introspective phase, she is returning to the public arena to expand her work, and has recently joined festival juries in line with her eco-social values.
Guilaine Londez
French film, theater and television actress
Originally from the Camargue region of southern France, Guilaine Londez developed a passion for theater and cinema from an early age. She made her stage debut in her village’s youth club, before perfecting her art at the Conservatoire de Nîmes, then at the Conservatoire de Montpellier, and finally at the École Professionnelle de Saint-Étienne.
Driven by unwavering ambition, Guilaine moved to Paris to pursue an artistic career. After starting out in a variety of small jobs, she caught the eye of director Chantal Akerman, who gave her her first leading female role in Nuit et Jour. This landmark role launched a prolific film career, in which she worked with such renowned directors as Étienne Chatiliez, Bruno Podalydès, Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, Paul Verhoeven and Zabou Breitman.
On television, Guilaine distinguished herself in acclaimed series and unitaries, including Dix pour cent and Les Bracelets rouges. At the same time, she pursued her career in theater, playing a variety of roles that testify to her versatile talent.
In 2025, Guilaine will star in Marc Arnaud’s creation at La Pépinière Opéra in Paris. She will also appear in Catherine Cosme’s film Sauver les meubles, while pursuing new film and TV projects.
A passionate and committed artist, Guilaine Londez is now a key figure on the French artistic scene, captivating audiences both on screen and on stage.
Fernando Valdivia Gómez
Social communicator, documentary filmmaker and Amazon defender
Fernando Valdivia Gómez, originally from Peru, is a passionate social communicator and documentary filmmaker, trained at the Universidad Nacional Major de San Marcos and Cuba’s Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión (EICTV). He devotes his career to the Amazon, exploring themes such as socio-environmental issues, ethnomedicine and audiovisual democratization.
His work is marked by award-winning documentaries that highlight rich, committed stories:
- Grompes, Curumí y la Niña de la Papaya (Best Feature Documentary, APRECI 2023)
- Aguchita (Cardinal Juan Landázuri Ricketts National Social Communications Award 2020-2023)
- Amahuaca Siempre (Best Documentary at the 11th Festival de Cinéma Péruvien de Paris)
- Iskobakebo, un Difícil Reencuentro
- La Travesía de Chumpi (Gillo Pontecorvo Prize, Rome 2010)
- Buscando el Azul (Grand Prix ANACONDA 2004)
In 2014, Fernando Valdivia was awarded the Pachamama-Cinema de Fronteira Trophy in Brazil for lifetime achievement. His achievements were also honored at Bolivia Lab and the 7th CINESUYU in Cusco in 2017. The following year, he received recognition from the Congress of the Republic of Peru and a special tribute at the 5th Latin American Meeting of Community Cinema “Chacchando Sueños”.
In November 2023, he was awarded the Great Andean Medal by the Andean Parliament in recognition of his outstanding contribution to cinema and culture. His expertise also led him to take part as advisor and producer in the Filming in Peru with Werner Herzog project in 2018.
Fernando now runs TeleAndes Producciones and the Amazon Film School, where he continues to pass on his knowledge and promote authentic voices from the communities he brings to light.
Geneviève Young
Writer, director and producer
Geneviève Young is an accomplished author, international speaker, director and passionate producer. With more than 15 books, several television programs and documentaries to her credit, she has established herself as a leading figure in committed media creation.
In 2022, Geneviève directed Les Sœurs du Monde, an inspiring documentary celebrating diversity and amplifying women’s voices. This project reflects her commitment to themes close to her heart: love, peace, joy and individual and collective empowerment. She is currently working on a new documentary exploring the transformative power of love and alignment.
A member of Femmes du Cinéma, de la Télévision et des Nouveaux Médias since 2009, Geneviève has made her voice heard in the audiovisual industry. Between 2009 and 2011, she produced and hosted a program broadcast in Quebec, dedicated to helping women realize their life projects. From 2014 to 2016, she produced Ubuntu, a series highlighting the richness of cultures and the inspiring journeys of people around the world.
Geneviève explores profound themes through her literary and media works, including unconditional love, intergenerational healing and harmony with nature. Her 13th book and first novel, Génération 5, marks a turning point in her career, combining her narrative talent with a spiritual vision to invite readers to reconnect with their inner guidance.
A freelance journalist and columnist, Geneviève is a member of the Association des Journalistes Indépendants du Québec (AJIQ). She has collaborated with such influential figures as Guy Corneau, Jacques Salomé and John P. Strelecky, and has had the privilege of interviewing such renowned humanists as Dr. Patch Adams and Martin Luther King III. She has also taken part in discussions at the United Nations on the future of African descendants, and collaborated on a project with the Oprah Winfrey Network.
Su Ching Teh
Screenwriter, producer and cultural entrepreneur
Based between Singapore and Bangkok, Su is a renowned screenwriter and producer, whose work spans international platforms such as Audible, Netflix and HBO. Founder of production company Purple Tree, she has produced acclaimed films that have premiered at prestigious festivals including the Cannes International Film Festival, Telluride, Tokyo Short Shorts, Berlinale, Venice and Locarno.
In addition to her cinematic activity, Su plays a key role in the cultural and artistic milieu. She sits on the boards of the Singapore International Film Festival and the Neilson Hays Library in Bangkok, two important institutions that support cultural creation and dissemination.
Su is also deeply committed to personal and community well-being. A certified vinyasa yoga instructor and end-of-life doula, she combines creativity and compassion in all aspects of her life. A mother of two, she embodies a harmonious balance between artistic career, community involvement and personal life.
Christophe Fustini
Writer and director
Christophe Fustini began his career in the film industry as a technician for 7 years, before directingTutto o niente, a short film produced by Rezina and broadcast at various festivals and on 13ème Rue in 2007.
A two-time winner of the Fondation Beaumarchais, Christophe won awards for Euro-Krona, an animated short, and for Dromomania, a historical feature inspired by the first man diagnosed as a “traveling madman”. A versatile creative, he writes in all genres and formats, from fiction to documentary to animation.
After selling a comedy script to Arcadia, Christophe co-wrote several animated shorts, including Le Chant des grenouilles (stop-motion), Les Bienfaiteurs (2D) and Aube (3D). He has also worked on short fiction films such as O Mà! (drama), broadcast on OCS and awarded at numerous festivals, and Duplicata (fantasy comedy), widely broadcast on BE 1, Ciné+ and OCS.
In 2025, Christophe has two new short films in post-production: Le temps d’une cigarette (slice of sentimental life) and À pic ! (2D animation).
In recent years, he has devoted most of his time to writing for other directors. He is currently developing two feature film projects: Nagata, a sentimental story exploring environmental issues through two parallel worlds, and SmartHouse, a work of anticipation that questions the impact of new technologies on married life.
At the same time, Christophe puts his expertise at the service of other productions, festivals and grant commissions as a reader.
