Jihan Bougrin
Film Critic
Morocco
Jihan Bougrin
Jihane Bougrine has spent the last 10 years covering every level of cultural expression in Morocco and internationally. She is a cultural journalist and a film critic for VH Magazine as well as a host on the weekly segment Jazz Station for Radio 2M. As a film critic and journalist, she has been a correspondent at the Cannes Festival, La Mostra di Venezia, The Berlinale, Geneva’s Filmar en America Latina, the International Short film festival in Clermont-Ferrand, the Annecy International Animated Film Festival among others. Her extensive expertise granted her the opportunity to be a member of several festival juries, including the Tangier National Film Festival (short film category) in 2018, the Meknes International Animated Film Festival and a member of this year’s pre-selection committee of the Tangier National Film Festival. She has interviewed the most prestigious film, music, art, and literature personalities. Her one on one interviews include Robert De Niro, Guillermo Del Toro, Joaquim Phoenix, James Gray, Antonio Banderas, Marion Cotillard and Juliette Binoche (Full Interviewee List Upon Request). As a moderator, she has participated in several events such as a Luca Guadagnino Masterclass and Nabil Ayouch Masterclass in Marrakech in 2019 and 2021.
Julien Fouré
Editor & Director
France
Julien Fouré
Julien develloped a thirst for travel after spending his childhood in different countries (Irland, Portugal, Lybia and Germany). He is fluent in 5 languages. After graduating from film school in 2004, he edited his first documentary. The edit started in Paris and ended in Los Angeles where he got to shoot and edit for young filmakers. He than settled in Morocco where he joined a « Film Industry » for a year. 30 feature television films were shot and cut in one year. In that time, he had the chance to grow up in the industry editing for upcoming morrocan film directors such as Hicham Ayouch, Talal Selhami, Yassine Fennane, Brahim Chkiri, Hicham Lasri… His encounter with editing legend Herve de Luze (Polanski and Resnais editor) on « Whatever Lola Wants » by Nabil Ayouch was a major breakthrough as he was recommanded to Jerome Cohen Olivar for the editing of « Kandisha ». His first feature film as an editor got him the award for best editing in Morrocan film awards in 2009. This lead him to edit several feature films with morrocan directors Narjiss Nejjar, Nourredine Lakhmari and the Noury brothers. In 2013, he flies to Paris to edit his first french film « Fevers » by Hicham Ayouch which was released in theaters in 2014. The film will go on to win best male interpretation in Marrakech Film festival. Award given by jury president Martin Scorcese. He continues editing french films with notably the horror flick « Achoura » by Talal Selhami. He also starts a directing carreer in Morroco where he gets to shoot commercials for Absolut Vodka, Nescafé, Danone, Renault and morrocan brands. In 2018, he creates Free Monkeyz, production company based in Casablanca. Commercials, music vidéos, short films and digital content are produced since then by the young company. He wins another best editing award at Morrocan Film Awards in 2019 for his work on « The Punch » by director Amine Mouna. Finally, in 2020, he joins Pavillon Noir as Editing supervisor. Production & events company created by his childhood friend Ghislain De La Chaise. Friend who once told him when they were in highschool : « One day, we’ll work together in our own company ».
Afifa Hassainate
Writer & Film critic
Morocco
Afifa Hassainate
– Writer, film critic, poetess and translator.
– PhD Researcher, gender and visual culture studies in cinema.
– Diploma in International Law and Political Sciences Studies in South Thames
College London.
– Studied LLB law at SOAS University, London.
– Masters in semiotics of the word and image.
– Member of the University Chair Fatima Mernissi.
– General Secretary of the Moroccan Association of Image.
– Member responsible for the English section of the editorial board of “Theatre”
magazine.
– Advisor, interpreter, translator and consultant at the Refugee Aid Organization
in London, England.
Her Publications:
– Collective Art-Book in Arabic, French and English: “Moroccan Authentic
Horse. “Nakhwa Maghribia”, with Mustafa Meskine, and critic El Kerri Driss.
Dar Bouregreg, Rabat, 2021.
– Translation of the book “Introduction to Visual Culture” by Nicholas Mirzoeff,
Bouregreg Publishing House, Rabat, 2019,
– Poem Collection: “Her Stories…” Fikr 2020.
– Book: “from Opera to Cinema”, Ministry of youth, culture and
communication, Rabat 2023. In English and Arabic.
– Published a number of articles and studies on different platforms in Morocco,
England and internationally.
-Member of a number of juries in different festivals.
-participated in a number of conferences, seminatrs and panels nationally and
internationally.
Danar Omer Faris
Producer & Film festival director
Kudistan Iraq
Danar Omer Faris
Danar Omer Faris, born in 1983 in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, is a Kurdish film producer and founder of the Slemani International Film Festival. Since the beginning of his filmmaking career, he has worked in various filmmaking aspects, such as sound recording, production design, editing, special effects, and producing. In 2016 the first Slemani IFF was held and Faris started his work as the festival’s Artistic Director. After holding five editions, the festival has become one of the most renowned film festivals in the Middle East, as well as attracting famous filmmakers around the world. In accordance, Faris has gained his reputation and success locally and internationally.