KSENIA ILINA
Ksenia Ilina is a film critic. After studying at the Smolny Institute’s master’s programme in Cinema Theory and Critique she now regularly writes for publications such as ‘Sobesednik’, ‘Kinoafisha’, ‘Kinoreporter’ and ‘Kino TV’.
Ksenia is also a lecturer on seminal cinema at Ochta Lab and the founder and curator of the Invisible Film Festival at ‘Poryadok Slov’.
“Contemporary queer cinema is a fascinating phenomenon. It attempts both to stay connected to the roots, to continue the traditions of world cinema by finding a new cinematic language to talk about old questions, and at the same time tries to bring to the fore really important questions about identity and equal rights. To be immersed in that incredible journey is always a great joy for me.”
MICHAEL STÜTZ
Michael Stütz has been head of the Berlinale Panorama section since June 2019. He is also project leader for the TEDDY AWARD.
Alongside his work at Panorama, Stütz has been involved in numerous other festivals as guest speaker, curator and jury member, including at the Guadalajara International Film Festival, Crossing Europe, Mix Brazil and the Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival. From 2011 to 2017, he was co-director of the XPOSED International Queer Film Festival in Berlin where he was responsible for curating numerous programmes with a particular focus on Austrian avant-garde and experimental film.
"It is always fascinating to explore a festival personally together with the local community, something that always offers new perspectives we all need to be open to in order to grow. Side by Side is exemplary in combining a thoroughly curated program with resilience and passion, displayed each year by the wonderful organizers. I am honoured to serve on this year's jury and cannot wait to dive into the program that will hopefully spark heated discussions among the jury members on the manyfold possibilities of contemporary Queer Cinema."
TIMUR ALIEV
Timur Aliev is a film critic and editor-in-chief of the online CinemaFlood magazine, as well as a writer for ‘Isskustvo Kino’.
“Many in Russia are desperate to pretend that LGBT people don’t exist. Taking part in the Side by Side jury is a chance to get deeply involved in something that supposedly doesn’t exist on 1/9 of the planet’s landmass. To be able to witness an allegedly nonexistent social group with its own culture on both sides of the screen is an interesting experience for a psychologist and film critic.”
SVETLANA ZAKHAROVA
Svetlana Zakharova is a feminist, LGBT activist and member of the Russian LGBT Network and the ILGA-Europe Council.
Svetlana has been working at the Russian LGBT Network since 2014. She holds human rights and human dignity as the highest values.
“Side by Side Film Festival is a special kind of magic. I remember buying tickets to a Side by Side screening at the movie theater ‘Pik’ long ago, at the very beginning of my activist journey. All screenings were canceled then – the venue must have succumbed to pressure and threats. I remember how bitter I was about giving up my tickets. It must have been one of the last little pushes I needed to become an activist. And today I am so glad to see the festival thriving despite everything, that hundreds of people in different cities can come to this special space and watch movies and touch something new. I am thrilled to be part of the magic this year.”