JURORS

JURORS

Our jury line-up always consists of people of various backgrounds with a passion for cinema and expertise in filmmaking and the film industry. They are all individuals we admire and respect. Get to know them.

CHRISTINE KECHER

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY JURY

Christine Kecher is the Senior Commissioning Editor for Op-Docs, the New York Times’ award-winning series of short documentaries by independent filmmakers. Recent Op-Docs include Academy Award nominees Oscar® nominee A Concerto Is a Conversation, Tribeca 2021 selection The Queen of Basketball and the Sundance award-winning Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma.

Prior to joining Op-Docs in February 2021, Christine worked on the development, production and distribution of features and shorts for A&E IndieFilms, where she worked on a wide range of projects including Carol Dysinger’s Academy Award-winning short film Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (if you’re a girl), Matt Yoka’s Whirlybird, Matthew Heineman’s Cartel Land, Werner Herzog’s Meeting Gorbachev, Roger Ross Williams’ Life, Animated, Alex Gibney and Blair Foster’s The Clinton Affair, and many more.

CHRISTINE KECHER

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY JURY

DENA RASSAM

BEST SHORT FILM JURY

Dena Rassam was born in 1989 in Tehran to the renowned Iranian director and producer Masoud Rassam. Dena in her youth, worked as a child  actress.

Now she follows in her father’s footsteps and works as a short film director, producer and distributor. Her last film “Tattoo” qualified for the Oscars 2020 and won many awards including the Crystal Bear at Berlinale 2019, Golden Owl at Tirana International Film Festival.

DENA RASSAM

BEST SHORT FILM JURY