FEATURE FILMS JURY
Leonardo Padura
President of the Jury
Cuba
Cuban writer, journalist and screenwriter. His career began in journalism, working for El caimán barbudo, Juventud rebelde and as editor-in-chief at La Gaceta de CubaIn 1988 he published his first novel, Fiebre de caballosbut achieved recognition with his series of detective novels starring the detective Mario Conde, including the tetralogy Las cuatro estaciones and titles such as Adiós, Hemingway and Herejes. His narrative combines the noir novel genre with a profound social criticism, making him a renovator of the genre in Spanish.
Padura has also excelled as a screenwriter, working in documentaries such as Yo soy del son a la salsa (1996) and in fiction projects such as Regreso a Ítaca (2014), based on his novel La novela de mi vida. His tetralogy Las cuatro estaciones was adapted in 2016 as a miniseries for Netflix, consolidating its international projection.
Among the numerous recognitions of his career, the National Prize for Literature of Cuba (2012), the Order of Arts and Letters of France (2013) and the Princess of Asturias Award for Literature (2015) stand out. His work, marked by his commitment to Cuba's memory and identity, positions him as one of the most influential voices in contemporary Hispanic literature.
Arturo Sotto
Cuba
Director, screenwriter and writer, recognized for his critical and reflective view of society. His films have been screened at prestigious international festivals such as Oberhausen, Sao Paulo, Toronto and Biarritz, and have been praised for the depth of their themes. With a solid background in Performing Arts and Film Directing, he has been a jury member at renowned events such as the Oberhausen Short Film Festival and the Havana Film Festival.
His works include Talco para lo negro (1992), Pon tu pensamiento en mí (1995), Amor vertical (1997), La noche de los inocentes (2007), Bretón es un bebé (2008), Boccaccerías habaneras (2013) y Nido de Mantis (2018). He is the author of the book Caro Diario (2012), member of the Editorial Board of La Gaceta de Cuba and was editor of the emblematic magazine Cine Cubano.
He has received the award for best short film for Talco para lo negro at the festivals of Havana, Huelva and Vitoria, as well as awards for best actress and best actor for Amor Verticalin Cartagena de Indias and Viña del Mar, respectively.
Fabián Pina
Cuba
Biologist, researcher and specialist in marine conservation. He holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Havana and a Master of Science degree from Dalhousie University (Canada). Currently, he works as an environmental specialist at Avalon-Marlin (a tourist diving and recreational fishing company), professor of the Protected Areas module of the Master's program of the Marine Research Center of the University of Havana and external member of the Scientific Council of the Coastal Ecosystems Research Center.
His research covers topics such as fish ecology, design of protected areas, status of tropical ecosystems, impacts of natural and tourist phenomena, and fish biodiversity. He has published more than 60 scientific texts, led projects in the Jardines de la Reina National Park and contributed to the declaration of marine reserves and protected areas in Cuba, as well as to the protection of threatened species. Fabian has received six awards from the Cuban Academy of Sciences and recognition from the Pew Charitable Trust in Marine Conservation.
Héctor Garrido
Spain
Andalusian photographer with a marked Caribbean influence, born in Huelva, Spain, in 1969, and resident in Havana, Cuba, since 2016, he stands out for his thoughtful and enduring artistic approach. His work encompasses projects on terrestrial geometry and portraits of prominent artistic figures.
For 27 years he worked in the Doñana National Park, managing the Image Bank and conducting aerial bird censuses for the Spanish National Research Council. His work included photographic expeditions to all continents, producing publications and exhibitions committed to environmental conservation.
He has published 22 books, including Fractales, anatomía íntima de la marisma and Cuba Iluminada. His photographs can be found in international magazines and books, and he collaborated in films such as La Isla Mínima (2014) y Sergio y Sergei (2017).
Recognized with numerous awards, his work is part of educational programs and he is a founding member of the Jíbarophotos collective. Hector represents the fusion between art, nature and global culture.
Lucía López Coll
Cuba
A philologist specializing in Cuban literature, she has worked as a screenwriter, journalist and director of documentaries for cinema, in addition to making promotional shorts for the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television (ICRT). In collaboration with Leonardo Padura, she prepared the anthology Variaciones en negropublished in Cuba, Puerto Rico and Mexico. He also edited the anthology Con L’Avana nel cuore (2005), a collection of Cuban short stories about Havana, published in Italy, and wrote the prologue to the book Un hombre en una isla. Crónicas, ensayos y obsesiones by Padura, in whose selection he participated together with Vivian Lechuga.
She was editorial coordinator of the digital magazine Cultura y Sociedadpublished in Cuba by Inter Press Service (IPS), with which he continues to collaborate on its website. In addition, he co-wrote, with Padura and Alex Fleites, the screenplay for the feature film Hace calor en La Habana (unproduced). He also worked hand in hand with Padura on several scripts for the feature film Siete días en La Habana and for the miniseries Four Seasons in Havana (spanish and german coproduction), based on the novels Pasado perfecto, Vientos de Cuaresma, Máscaras and Paisaje de otoño de Padura.
SHORT FILM JURY
Reinaldo Montero
President of the Jury
Cuba
Writer with a remarkable career in narrative, theater and poetry (with thirty books published and a dozen plays premiered), widely recognized nationally and internationally. Among his most outstanding works are El viaje circular (Critics' Prize 2023) and La visita de la Infanta (Alejo Carpentier and Critics' Prizes). Other relevant titles include Misiones (Critics' Prize 2002) and Trabajos de amor perdidos (Juan Rulfo Prize 1997).
In theater, he has premiered fundamental plays such as Dos Ríos (Virgilio Piñera Award 2022), Áyax y Casandra (2016) and Medea (Ítalo Calvino and Critics' Awards 1997). His plays have been staged by prominent directors on international stages and selected for prestigious theater festivals.
In addition, his incursion into poetry and essays includes notable works such as Manera de ser Sófocles and collections such as Sin el permiso de Mussorgski. His impact extends to cinema, with scripts such as El encanto del regreso, awarded at the Bogota Film Festival.
A member of the Cuban Academy of Language and the Royal Spanish Academy, he has received important scholarships and participated in cultural activities around the world, consolidating his influence in contemporary culture.
Humberto Mayol
Cuba
Photographer, filmmaker and director of photography, he is president of the Photography Section of the Association of Plastic Arts of UNEAC.
He is a member of Proyecto Palomas, an ICAIC production house, where he has participated in the making of some 60 documentaries between 2006 and 2025. He has worked as a photojournalist for the newspaper Tribuna de La Habana and as director of photography for the magazine Bohemia. He has also collaborated with various national and international media outlets.
His personal work revolves around everyday life, with a sense of anthropology and visual memory. It is divided into two large series: La memoria compartidawhich brings together his analogical work in black and white, and Espacios cotidianoswhich covers his digital color production since 2004.
He has participated in more than 80 exhibitions, both individual and collective. His work has been recognized with awards and is part of collections in Cuba, the United States, Europe, China, Japan and Latin America.
Sahily Moreda
Cuba
Cuban actress and theater director, with a career spanning more than three decades. She holds a Master's Degree in Stage Direction from the Instituto Superior de Arte de La Habana (2019) and has been part of renowned theater groups such as Teatro D'Sur, Aldaba and Mefisto Teatro.
In 2011 she founded Compañía del Cuartel, with which she has directed numerous plays presented at national and international festivals. Among the awards she has received are the Award for Leading Female Performance at the National Festival of Small Format (2005 and 2006) and nominations for the Caricato Award for Staging of the UNEAC. Her productions have been selected for important events such as the Havana International Theater Festival and the German Theater Week. In addition, she has directed more than 30 dramatized readings with her company. Her versatility and talent have led her to embody memorable characters in plays, such as Antígona and La casa vieja. In the television field, he has participated in notable productions such as Para la vida and Edith.
Recognized for her creativity and dedication, Sahily Moreda continues to be a key figure in Cuban theater, standing out as a renowned artistic and cultural leader.
Tamara Figueredo
Cuba
Environmental specialist in AVALON-Marlin's tourism operation and professor of Economics and Environment. She has a degree in Economics and a master's degree in Integrated Coastal Zone Management. Her research and areas of expertise focus on environmental and ecological economics, marine protected areas, integrated coastal zone management, sustainable tourism with emphasis on marine activities, fisheries and megafauna, among others. She is the author of more than 20 publications and book chapters in peer-reviewed scientific journals and editorials. She has participated in several research projects, assuming responsibility for the final results in many of them, especially in the Jardines de la Reina National Park. In addition, he has attended more than 100 national and international events.
She has collaborated in more than 20 environmental studies, such as EIA, SLA, DA and carrying capacity studies, among others, in addition to participating in the process of declaring marine protected areas in different areas of the country. She has been recognized with awards from the Academy of Sciences in 2015 and 2021.
Vladimir Cruz
Cuba
Cuban actor, screenwriter, playwright, and film and theater director. Throughout his career, he has worked in film, theater and television, with more than thirty films to his credit.
In addition to his acting work, he has written screenplays and directed several productions, standing out in the film industry with Afinidades (2010). He has also gained international recognition in television, participating in the series Narcos: México (2018) and in the film Los buenos demonios (2018), where he received the Silver Biznaga Award for Best Supporting Actor at the Malaga Spanish Film Festival. His career has been recognized with international awards such as the Panambí (1994), for best acting work. In 2024, he was honored at the 36th L'Alfás Film Festival, where he received the Silver Lighthouse.
JURY FOR WORKS IN PROGRESS
Laura de la Uz
Cuba
Actress in theater, film and television, her versatility has allowed her to conquer different genres and characters. In the film industry, she has participated in major productions such as Madagascar (1993), El cuerno de la abundancia (2008) y Vestido de Novia (2018). In theater, he has shined with roles in plays such as. Electra Garrigó, La boda, y Delirio habanero.
In addition to her facet as an actress, Laura has also ventured into directing and playwriting, standing out with works such as Mentita´s bar (2001) y Reality Show de Laura de la Uz (2014). She has received multiple awards and nominations throughout her career, including two Coral Awards for Best Actress at the Havana Film Festival and the ACE Award.
Antonio Urrata
Italy
Italian artistic and organizational director, with a solid academic background in law, communications and business administration. He has served as a jury member at major international festivals, including Cannes, Berlin and Venice, and worked on projects such as Papa Francisco, un hombre de palabra, directed by Wim Wenders.
He was director of the master's degree in Audiovisual Management at the 24 Ore Business School since 2016, and between 2017 and 2022 he served as director of Internal Control at the Italian Copyright Society (SIAE). In the cultural field, Urrata is founder and artistic director of Orizzonti Hub Italia-Cuba, the Italian Film Festival in Havana.
Kiki Álvarez
Cuba
Cuban director and screenwriter, recognized for his innovative approach to cinema. His work is characterized by experimentation and artistic exploration, being a pioneer in the Cuban video art with works such as Espectador and Amor y Dolor. Among his most recognized films are La ola (1989), winner of two Coral Awards, and Jirafas (2012), which won the Spirit Award at the Brooklyn Film Festival. His feature film Venecia (2014), the first Cuban film financed through crowdfunding, had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival and received multiple awards, including five Kikitos at the Gramado Film Festival, Brazil.
With a filmography that includes short films, documentaries and feature films, Kiki Álvarez has left a significant mark on Cuban and international cinema, standing out for her ability to combine profound narratives with a unique visual aesthetic.
