Juries

Born in Dubai, Sudanese director Amjad Abu Alala studied at United Arab Emirates University, where, among other projects, he realised several short films under the tutelage of Abbas Kiarostami. His first feature-length fiction film, You Will Die at Twenty, celebrated its world premiere in 2019 in the scope of Venice Days at Venice International Film Festival, where it received the Lion of the Future Award for best debut feature film. The film was subsequently screened at Toronto International Film Festival as well, and was Sudan's Oscar entry in the "Best International Film" category. Since 2014, Abu Alala has been responsible for the programme of the Sudan Independent Film Festival and has been involved through his production company in films such as Mohamed Kordofani's Goodbye Julia (2023), which was honoured in Cannes.

Banafshe Hourmazdi studied acting at the Academy of Performing Arts Baden-Württemberg and Zurich University of the Arts before beginning her career in the theatre. In 2015, she won the Newcomer Prize of the City of Vienna for her production "Meine Nase läuft" at Theater Drachenstraße. For her role in Faraz Shariat's Futur Drei (No Hard Feelings), which celebrated its premiere in the Berlinale Panorama section in 2020, she received the First Steps Award. Following roles in series such as Loving Her and Oh Hell, as well as in the film Kokon (Cocoon, 2020), directed by Leonie Krippendorf, she most recently appeared in the comedy Ein Fest fürs Leben (2023). She has already completed shooting for Wo keine Götter sind, walten Gespenster by Bastian Gascho, Turning Tables by Angelina Maccarone, as well as for Burhan Qurbani's new film.

The work of director Ira Sachs, who makes his home in New York City, has been featured regularly in the Berlinale programme for many years now. Whereas Forty Shades of Blue (2005), Teddy-winner Keep the Lights On (2012), Love is Strange (2014) and most recently Passages (2023) were all screened in the festival's Panorama section, he has also appeared in Generation with Little Men (2016). In 2023, together with his husband, the artist Boris Torres, and their two children, Sachs attended numerous Generation screenings, and he is now delighted to have the opportunity to return as a member of the jury. In addition to his work behind the camera, Sachs is also the founder of the organisation QueerArt, which supports LGBTQ+ artists in film, performance, literature and visual arts.