Chairman
Rashid Malikov
Uzbekistan
Born in 1958 in Moscow. In 1980 graduated from the Tashkent Medical Institute, in 1986 from the department of directing at VGIK (class of Yuri Ozerov). In 1979 he took his first lead part in film «Duel pod chinaroy». In 1988 he made his directional debut "Clinic”. His filmography includes: “An Incredible Incident” (1989), “Midnight Blues” (1991), “Secret of Ferns” (1991), “On Foot” (1997), “Vanishing Tsargrad” (2008), “Morning Breeze” (2009), “Women’s Day” (2013), “Uncle” (2014). His latest film “Fortitude” received the Russian film critics guild award and Special mention of the the Russian Film Clubs Federation Jury at the 40th Moscow International Film Festival.
Alena Babenko
Russia
She was born in Kemerevo. Graduated from school in 1988 and enrolled in the department of applied mathematic and cybernetics of TGU. During her studies in the institute she became fond of theatre and appeared on the stage of the theatre of scenic miniatures Estuts. She enrolled in VGIK (where she studies at the class of Anatoliy Romashin) and graduated in 2000. She debuted on television, playing parts in several famous TV-series («Kamenskaya», «Podari mne zhizn»). In 2002 Babenko took the part in the film by Ivan Dykhovichnyj «Kopeyka». But the real breakthrough for her became the leading female role in the picture by Pavel Chukhraj Voditel «A Driver for Vera» – for that part she was awarded with multiple prizes including Golden Eagle and Nika Award, and the prizes of the film festivals in Minsk and Alfer. In the following years Alena Babenko became one of the most popular actresses of the modern Russian cinema. She acted in very different TV-series (such as «Deti Vanyukhina», «Zolotoy telenok», «Apostol», «Once Upon a Time in Rostov», «Murka») and films, among those are: «Junk» by Denis Neimand, «Andersen. Life Without Love» by Eldar Ryazanov, «Indi» by Aleksandr Kirienko, «Ferris wheel» by Vera Glagoleva (prize of the best female role at the film festival Sozvezdie), High Security Vacation by Igor Zaitsev, Fotofraf by Waldemar Krzystek (Best supporting actress award at the Gdynia Film Festival), «Flight Crew» etc. Since 2008 Alena Babenko plays in the theatre Sovremennik, where she debuted in the role of Masha in Chekov’s play «Three Sisters». Meritorious Artist of the Russian Federation.
Anya Pencheva
Bulgaria
She was born in Smolyan, Bulgaria. She graduated in "acting" from the National Academy for Theatre and Film Art, Sofia, Bulgaria in 1980 (class of Professor Sasho Stoyanov). Pencheva started her stage career in the Youth Theater and she has been working at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre since 1987.
Pencheva started her film career as a child actor in "King Shishman" playing the part of Queen Mary. In 1979 she got her first leading part in "Typhoons with Gentle Names" TV series. Anya Pencheva became popular in USSR after her appearances Soviet-Bulgarian co-production «In Search of Capitan Grant» by Stanislav Govorukhin and leading part in «Press Center» by Semyon Aranovich. Her filmography includes Die Mahnung (1981), 681 AD: The Glory of Khan (1981), «Autumn Sun» (1982), «Crime of Passion» (1994). In 2002, she received the Asker award for Best supporting actress on a stage for her role in "Dinner With Friends". Among her latest cinema works are Lidia in Nikolay Volev’s «Out of the Road» and «Sex, Lies and TV: 8 Days a Week» (2013) TV series.