jury 2025
BAHAA TRABELSI
journalist, writer, and screenwriter
Bahaa Trabelsi a journalist, writer, and screenwriter, Bahaa Trabelsi has made writing her battleground. After completing higher education in economics in France, she worked as a journalist covering culture and society and served as editor-in-chief for various publications, including magazines and tabloids. She has authored and published seven books — six novels and one collection of short stories — including Une Femme tout simplement (Eddif & La Croisée des Chemins), Une vie à trois (Eddif), Slim, les femmes, la mort (Eddif), Parlez-moi d’amour ! (La Croisée des Chemins), La chaise du concierge (Le Fennec), Souviens-toi qui tu es (La Croisée des Chemins), and Dialogue joyeux avec un mort (La Croisée des Chemins). In 2014, she was awarded the Prix Ivoire for African Literature in French for her short story collection Parlez-moi d’amour. She also received the Sofitel Tour Blanche Prize and a special mention from the ADELF Prize for La chaise du concierge in 2017. Her writing has appeared in several collective works. From 2019 to 2021, she was a member of the Moroccan Film Fund Commission. Currently, she serves as the president of the Film Fund Commission and is also a collection director at La Croisée des Chemins, overseeing the Kayna collection.
FATIMA EZZAHRA EL JAOUHARI
actress
Fatima-Ezzahra Jaouhari, born in Casablanca , is a Moroccan actress whose career is a testament to her unwavering passion for her craft. The daughter of an interior decorator and an HR executive, she grew up in Hay El Mohammadi, nourished by a thirst for reading and knowledge. An excellent student, she went on to study psychology with a specialization in criminology at the Pierre Mendès-France University in Grenoble. It was in France that she discovered her calling for university theater, which caused her to deviate from her initial path. After playing the role of "Lisette" in "The Game of Love and Chance" for three years, she made the bold decision to dedicate herself entirely to acting. Her first major role in the series "Plus Belle La Vie" earned her recognition for her subtle acting and fresh demeanor. Uninterested in glamour and spotlights, she is driven by a profound desire to live multiple lives through her characters. Her career took off, with her landing roles in films like "Burnout" and "Hayati." Known for her total commitment to her roles, she has also gained international recognition, sharing the screen with renowned actors like Sir Ben Kingsley, Nicole Kidman, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Fatima-Ezzahra Jaouhari is now considered one of the most talented actresses of her generation.
HICHAM LASRI
playwright
Hicham Lasri is a playwright, he has written five novels: Stati© 2010 Sainte Rita 2015 L’improbable Fable de Lady Bobblehead 2018 L’effet Lucifer 2020 Big Data Djihad 2022. He is a filmmaker, he has written three plays: (K)Rêve ! 2006 ZemZem 2008 Les Invisibles 2017. Hicham Lasri is an author of comics, he has 8 feature films to his credit as a writer-director: The End 2012 They Are The Dogs 2013 The Sea Is Behind 2014 Starve Your Dog 2015, Headbang Lullaby 2017 Jahilya 2018 Moroccan Badass Girl 2024 Thank you Satan 2025 He is a novelist, he wrote and drew three graphic novels: Vaudou 2015 Fawda 2017 MaRRoc 2019
International Jury
JANE KIM
Producer of Industry Programming - TIFF
Jane Kim spearheads the dynamic TIFF Industry Programming team, driving a robust slate of creator and project development programs — from Labs and funding initiatives to high-impact mentorships — running year-round and during the festival. These initiatives have launched award-winning work that premiered not only at TIFF but at other prestigious international festivals around the world. The team also curates and produces a standout Conference and a series of year-round talks, featuring visionary speakers who spotlight boundary-pushing creativity and leading-edge business practices.
Rubén Corral
Head of programming - zinebi
Rubén Corral is a renowned film curator and Head of Programming at ZINEBI – International Festival of Documentary and Short Film of Bilbao. He has curated distinguished film series on contemporary Spanish and Basque cinema for prestigious institutions including Instituto Cervantes (Spain), the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen (Germany), Indiana University Cinema (USA), Festival de Cinéma de la Ville de Québec (Canada), Filmoteca de Navarra (Spain), and the Cinematheque at Azkuna Zentroa (Spain). His expertise is widely recognized through his participation as a jury member in numerous international film festivals and as an evaluator for the Colombian Film Development Fund (Proimágenes). He has collaborated with esteemed festivals such as FICUNAM (Mexico) and the Gijón International Film Festival (Spain). At ZINEBI, he has curated acclaimed retrospectives dedicated to the short films of Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Wang Bing, Marco Bellocchio, and Aki Kaurismäki, among other celebrated directors. Born in Sabiñánigo (Spain), he is a member of the European Film Academy and holds a degree in Audiovisual Communication from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), a Master’s in Multimedia Journalism, and a Diploma of Advanced Studies in the History of Spanish Cinema. His contributions to film scholarship include essays and reviews on Spanish cinema published in various books, websites, and specialized film magazines.
Assaad Bouab
president of the jury
Assaad Bouab is a Franco-Moroccan actor who grew up in Morocco. Trained at the prestigious Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique in Paris, he has built a rich and varied career, spanning cinema, theater, and television. In film, he has made a name for himself with standout roles in movies such as Marock, Indigènes, Whatever Lola Wants, and Overdose. On stage, he has worked with renowned directors like Simon Abkarian, Simon Stone, and Tim Stupple, establishing himself as a prominent figure in the international theater scene. On television, he has had several notable appearances, from El Ghoul to Braquo, Kaboul Kitchen, and the cult series Peaky Blinders. His fame grew further in 2016 when he joined the cast of Call My Agent! (Dix pour cent), and in 2018 he starred alongside Michelle Monaghan in Messiah. More recently, he appeared in the British mini-series The Pursuit of Love by Emily Mortimer, as well as in Bad Sisters by Sharon Horgan (shot in Ireland), and Franklin alongside Michael Douglas. On stage, his most recent major performance was in Phèdre, directed by Simon Stone at the National Theatre in London, which confirmed his stature as an international actor, adept at navigating different worlds and languages.