Aneta Erznkyan
Film critic / Armenia /
Film critic, professor, the member of the Filmmakers Union of Armenia, member of the Film Critics and Film Journalists Association of Armenia. From 1973 to 1989 worked in the Department of Cinematographers Union of Armenia as president of the creative branches. From 1977 taught in the film and television chair of the cultural department at the Pedagogical Institute after K. Abovyan. From 1996 has been teaching at the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography. From 2000 has been the head of the film critics’ studio at the same institute. Is the author of articles and books about cinematography and television. In 2006 was appointed vice chancellor of academics at the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography.
Maya Vapcarova
Director, writer / Bulgaria /
Vapcarova is the author of 52 documentaries, 3 feature films and 5 books. Has worked with various international film companies and festivals; received many awards in European countries. She also has active community participation.
Karine Janjughazyan
Actress / Armenia /
Born on February 22, 1962. In 1983 graduated from the acting department of Yerevan State Institute of Fine Arts and Theatre. Starting from 1979 has starred in numerous TV shows and films. Has worked in Experimental, National, Metro, Musical Chamber and Goy theatres of Yerevan. She is an author of journalistic works and a composer-singer of many songs. Has received a Union of Theater Figures diploma for best female role in 1989. In 1990 she became a laureate of the Theatre of the Absurd festival taking place in Yugoslavia. She was awarded a gold medal of the Ministry of Culture of Armenia. In 2012, she was granted an “Artavazd” award of the Union of Theater Figures in the nomination “Best female character role”, as well as a title of an honoured artist of RA.
Zviad Dolidze
Doctor of Historical Sciences, Doctor of Arts / Georgia /
Film historian, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Doctor of Arts. He has published five books (three
manuals and two monographs): “Georgian Cinema”, “The History of World Cinema. Silent Movie”, “Western – History and Cinema”, “The Film World of Akira Kurosawa” and “History of the World Cinema. 1930-1960-ies”, as well as 40 scientific articles in the Georgian and foreign periodical press.
Is the member of Georgian Cinematographers’ Union, participated in international conferences, was a jury member of several international film festivals, over the years was the author and host of TV programs on various TV channels of Georgia: “Through the Eyes of Documentary Filmmaker”, “Illusion”, “Old Film Classics”, “Oscar” on our screen”.
He is a lecturer at the Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film at the University since 1992. Lectured on the Georgian and World History, Foreign Film History, Georgian Film History and Film Studies. Currently is a full professor of the University, the Head of the Film History direction, a lecturer in the History of the World Cinema at the BA level, supervisor of MA and PhD
Paul Carey Jones
Musician, actor / UK /
Paul Carey Jones was born in Cardiff, Wales and studied at Oxford University, the Royal Academy of Music and the National Opera Studio in London. In 2013 he was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music
in recognition of his contribution to classical music.
His career as a principal guest artist has included major roles for opera companies including the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera, Northern Ireland Opera, the Beijing Music Festival, the Shanghai MISA Festival, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Teatro Comunale Bolzano, Teatro Rossini di Lugo and the Wexford Festival in Ireland.
As an actor, he has appeared in the television dramas ‘Austin’ and ‘Pobol y Cwm’, and on film in ‘Man on the Moon’ and ’The Little Prince’, as well as many stage appearances. His songs have been used on the soundtracks of films including ‘The Shadow Behind You’, ‘Closure’ and ‘Bodhisattva’.
Farid Dms Debah
Actor, director, producer / France /
At the age of 24, Farid Dms Debah founded his “DMS DEBAH Films” feature films production company and decided to devote his life to cinematography. He is the director of a number of full-length and short-length, animated films, commercials, as well as producer of music videos. He is a laureate of some international festivals and a jury member in others.
Davit Hakobyan
Stage director, actor / Armenia /
In 1991 founded the “Triangle” studio-theatre. In 1992 was invited to the National Theatre of Yerevan as an actor and stage director, where he was headmaster from 2000 to 2003. Since 2006 he is the head of the State Chamber Theatre of Yerevan. Has played more than 60 roles in a number of plays. Has participated in many international and republican theatre festivals as a director and international jury member. Has worked as an actor at the National Theatre and the Theatre after H. Malyan. From 1988 has been teaching at the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography as a professor in the directing and acting mastery chair. Has received the “Artavazd” award of the Theatre Workers Union of Armenia in the “Best actor” nomination for three times. In 2008 was titled as an honoured artist of Armenia.
Anatol Durbala
Actor, director / Moldova /
Born in 1970; graduated from the Theatre and Cinematography department of the Academy of Fine Arts of Moscow; has a PhD degree. Durbala has worked with a number of international film companies, wrote the scenario of two feature films. “What a Wonderful World” is his first work, which was screened in the Warsaw film festival.
Arthur Elbakyan
Actor, stage director / USA /
Studied at the studio attached to the Academic Theatre after Gabriel Sundukyan. Afterwards, was admitted to the course run by people’s artist of USSR, Khoren Abrahamyan. As an actor worked at the Academic Theatre after Gabriel Sudukyan, the Experimental Theatre of Yerevan, and the Yerevan State Youth Theatre. From 1985 to 1990 took part in a number of television and radio performances. Is the author of many programmes on Armenian television, as well as many films.