1980
Kevin studied drama at St-Lucas College. Young television viewers will know him as De Pretman, a character on Ketnet, a Flemish children’s television channel. De Pretman is a hero who invents funny solutions to solve all kinds of problems that children have to face.

He is also working in the world of film, television and advertising. He played the leading part in a number of children’s stage plays (eg. Stip van 4Hoog) and appeared in various television series including en daarmee BASTA, Mega Mindy, Vermist and De Rodenburgs.

1976
Giedre was born in Vilnius (Lithuania) and completed her Master’s degree at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater, with a specialty in television directing. Since 1997, she directed and wrote six fiction and documentary short films and worked as an assistant with the established Lithuanian film directors. Since 2007, she is teaching script writing at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater.

In 2005, Giedrė Beinoriūtė’s film Egzistencija (Existence) was nominated for the Les Lutins Prize (Paris, France) for best European short film. In the same year the director was awarded a prize for the film Vulkanovka (After the Grand Cinéma) from the Lithuanian Filmmakers Union. In 2002 she was awarded a prize from the Lithuanian Cultural Ministry for the best professional debut in the arts. The author’s newest documentary film Gyveno senelis ir bobutė (Grandpa and Grandma) earned awards at film festivals in Ukraine, Belorus, Canada, Lithuania, and was also awarded the Lithuanian Filmmakers Union prize as the best Lithuanian short film in 2007.

Giedre is the director of The Balcony, which will be screened as part of the Slalom programme at this year’s festival.

1974
Michiel is a freelance documentary maker and lives in Amsterdam (the Netherlands). He studied Audiovisual Production at the Hogeschool Limburg and Film and Television Studies at the University of Amsterdam. Since 2000 Michiel Brongers has been working as a production assistant for various children’s films and children’s television programmes. He worked for example for Bos Bros Filmproductions, a reputable production company (eg. Minoes), Villa Achterwerk (Dutch children’s television programme) and as a producer for Cinekid, The International Film, Television and New Media Festival for children and young people.

Since 2007 he has mainly been working as a documentary maker. He directed a number of children’s documentaries including DJ Bram (EBU/AVRO 2008) and Morgen ben ik groot (VPRO 2009). Michiel Brongers also makes films for adults. His films are screened at various international film festivals

1947
In September 1969 he enrolled as a film student at the Dutch Film Academy in Amsterdam. His nickname ‘Willum Fillum’ goes all the way back to that time. During his years as a student he established a distribution firm (true to Flemish tradition) for “less commercial” films, Fugitive Cinema Holland, and worked as a producer of small film projects.

From 1976 he has mainly been working as a producer and a director of short, feature and documentary films. He is currently working as manager of the Dutch Film Fund animated feature film department where he has worked as a project advisor for many years. He was also a project advisor at the Flemish Audiovisual Fund and is a jury member at the RITS writing department (School for audiovisual and performing arts Brussels). From 2002 to 2005 he was a member of the Dutch Council of Culture film department.

He is the only ‘Fleming’ to win two Academy Awards. He produced the cartoons Een Griekse Tragedie (A Greek Tragedy) by Nicole van Goethem (Academy Award for best Animated Short film 1986) and Father and Daughter by Michael Dudok de Wit (Academy Award for best Animated Short Film 2000).

1943
Nancy Denney-Phelps is a journalist writing about European animation and festivals as well as a producer of music for animation. Along with her composer/musician husband Nik Phelps, she co-founded the Sprocket Ensemble dedicated to presenting live performances of original music with screenings of contemporary animation from around the world.
Nancy's writings have appeared in such publications as CARTOON and ANIMATOON as well as on her regular blog for AWN (Animation World Network). She is also a regular correspondent for ASIFA/San Francisco and a member of the ASIFA International Board of Directors.

Nancy has served on numerous International Animation Festival juries and taught time management for animators at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, School of Art and Design. Her strong interest in the history of animation has led her to present programs on the history of animation traced through music at many animation festivals and conferences worldwide.

2000 - Borgerhout
Since I have a passion for films I really want to be a member of the children’s jury. I have been a Youth Film Festivalgoer for five years. I have met Raoul Servais and I have seen all his animated films. At school I have organized a film project and I have created a short film as part of a workshop. I am really glad to be a member of the children’s jury.

1999 - Merksem
My name is Aaron Sabbe and I am 10 years old. Since I have been a member of the Children’s Book Jury for two years I already have a lot of experience with criticizing. I am glad to be on the festival jury because I am a good jury member. My favourite European film is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. See you during spring half-term!

1999 - Berchem
I love watching films, I love to indulge in excitement and romance. When I have been to the cinema, I can not stop talking about the film I have seen. Since the festival is such a great event, I would not miss it for the world. Every year everyone should receive praise. My favourite film is A Town Called Panic, a fantastic pic!

1998 - Kieldrecht
My name is Eline Van Gysel and I am 11 years old. I live in Kieldrecht and I am in the 6th year of primary school. I am fond of film and I love talking about and discussing the films I have seen. I am looking forward to the festival as it means that I can see a lot of great films within a very short period of time. As you can see, I love talking, but in the cinema you have to be quiet (ha ha).

1998 - Deurne
I am Alice and I am 11 years old. I am a huge film fan and I have already visited the Youth Film Festival many times. Usually, the films screened at the festival are very good. I love scary, funny and beautiful films. My favourite film is Inkheart, the opening film of the 2009 festival. I am still hoping for a sequel, it was a really good pic.

1998 - Werchter
I am Tobias Cornille and I am eleven years old. I am very fond of film. I not only love watching films, I also direct and edit films, together with my sisters or classmates. I think it will be fun to be a jury member. I know which films I like and which films I do not like. Selecting the best film will not be a problem.

1998 - Antwerpen
I am interested in film. You hear so many different languages in films. It is nice to see how actors ‘act’, because it seems so real but it is not. I think that it is important that people can see good films. It seems fun to be able to select the best film. I am very critical of films. Funny films are my favourites.

1997 - Antwerpen
I really want to be a member of the children’s jury because I love watching films. I have been visiting the Youth Film Festival since 2005. I was eight years old then and my mother had a surprise for me. She took me to the festival to see Pluk van de Petteflet. That was my first film experience. Since then it has become a habit for me to visit the festival year after year.

1963 – Sint-Job-in-t-Goor
Hello! My name is Claudine Boeckx and I am a teacher at a secondary school in Schoten. Year after year it is a fantastic experience to indulge in youthful enthusiasm. The films are not mainstream films, the members of the children’s jury are much younger than my pupils but also much more critical (ha ha). These aspects are an addictive mixture and therefore, I can hardly wait to settle down into a cinema chair for a whole week.

2000 - Oostkamp
My favourite film is Oorlogswinter, a very exciting film with an unpredictable story. I love exciting films, but also funny and romantic ones. The characters must appeal to the audience. Last year I attended a number of screenings at the Youth Film Festival in Bruges and it was an amazing experience! I was sitting behind the jury at a few screenings and it seemed fun to be a jury member myself. Therefore I want to seize this opportunity.

2000 - Brugge
I visit the Youth Film Festival every year. The films are great and therefore it is sometimes hard to decide which film I want to see. I would love to see all the films without having to select a few ones. I love action films, romantic and funny films…My favourite films are Pom le poulain, Maharal and Narnia.
PS: I want to become a director!

2000 - Brugge
I would love to be a member of the children’s jury because I like criticizing and discussing things with other children. I have already visited the Youth Film festival a number of times and I have also taken part in some workshops. The festival films are usually quite beautiful, but of course some films are more beautiful than other films. At the moment my favourite film is De scheepsjongens van Bontekoe, an exciting, emotional adventure film.

1999 - Loppem
I would love to be a member of the children’s jury because I am very fond of films and because it must be a really special experience. I am looking forward to seeing a lot of films. Last year I attended a few film screenings at the Youth Film Festival in Bruges. I am a huge fan of the Anubis films. They are very exciting.

1999
I would like to be a member of the children’s jury because I am fond of films. It seems really fun to be on the children’s jury of the Youth Film Festival, which I have already visited 4 times. Inkheart is the most beautiful film I have seen at the festival. It is a fantasy film with fantastic actors and special effects. I also liked Karla's World.

1999 - Koolkerke
I love films. Therefore I would like to be a member of the Youth Film Festival’s children’s jury. I attended a few film screenings at the 2008 and 2009 festival editions, but I was still too young to be a member of the children’s jury. I am quite a chatterbox so I like giving my opinion on films. My favourite films are action films and films with horses. I wonder if the other children’s jury members are as impatient as I am. I am ready for it.

1998 - Torhout
I would like to be a member of the children’s jury because I am fond of films. I would love to criticize the festival films. My favourite European children’s film is Blinker en de Blixvaten, a funny action film.

1998 - Assebroek
I would like to be a member of the children’s jury because I am a righteous girl. My favourite films are Annie and Matilda. I’m very motivated and superhappy that I am selected.

My name is Silla and I am the children’s jury supervisor in Bruges. I am a primary school teacher and ended up as a supervisor at the Youth Film Festival through my degree in Sport and Culture Management. The combination of supervising a group of 9- to 12-year-old children and working at a film festival is fantastic. My hobbies are entertaining children, youth work, reading children’s books and watching children’s films. Needless to say that I am really looking forward to the Youth Film Festival.