The juries of the 2026 edition

IFF’s juries bring together diverse perspectives: directors, actors, scholars, film professionals and individuals who experience stories as opportunities for encounter. Each juror brings a unique background and a personal way of engaging with what unfolds on screen. It is from this dialogue of perspectives that the awards of the 2026 edition emerge.

Short Film Jury

Emanuele Mochi

Emanuele Mochi, screenwriter, trained at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. In 2016, he collaborated on the sitcom Zio Gianni. In 2021, he wrote the film Il legionario (awarded at the Locarno Film Festival). In 2021 and 2023, he won the Premio Solinas Experimenta, and in 2022 he was a finalist for the Premio Solinas Bottega della Sceneggiatura. In 2024, his short film Superbi won Best Screenplay at several festivals. In 2026, he is among the writers of the Netflix series SuburraMaxima.

Marzia Marchesi

I am married, have three children, and work as a teacher. I enjoy cycling, trekking, crime novels, cinema, and team sports (especially basketball). In recent years, I have paused my teaching career to serve the city as President of the City Council (2014–19), and later as a councillor with various responsibilities, leading up to my current role overseeing education and youth services. I am passionate about rights, the environment, legality, inclusion, and peace, working toward a city that is diverse and rich in both nature and culture.

Aziz Sawadogo

Born at the intersection of two cultures, he is driven by a deep passion for art, music, and writing. This fusion lies at the heart of his work as artistic and creative director of festivals and cultural events across the Alta Brianza area and the city of Brescia.

Daniela Meridda

Daniela Meridda is President of Cooperativa Ruah. She is Vice President of Confcooperative Bergamo with responsibility for sustainability and a member of the Board of Directors of the Consorzio Sol.Co Città Aperta. Her work focuses on developing social enterprise models oriented toward inclusion, environmental sustainability, and the building of more equitable and participatory communities.

Documentary Jury

Francesco Bovara

Francesco Bovara is an actor trained at the Teatro di Genova. He works across theatre, film, and television.
He is co-founder of the Festa del Cinema Pirata and a member of the production company Giungla Collective.

Francesco Mazzucotelli

Francesco Mazzucotelli currently teaches History of Turkey and the Middle East at the University of Pavia. His research focuses on sectarianism and national identities in the post-Ottoman space, the relationship between religion and modernity, and the transformation of urban spaces in the Middle East, with particular attention to Lebanon. He is co-author of Guida alla politica mediorientale (Milan: Mondadori, 2021), an introduction to the history of political thought in the Middle East in the twentieth century, and author of Storie di città divise. He is also the scientific director of the “Molte Fedi sotto lo stesso cielo” cultural series promoted by ACLI Bergamo.

Elia Moutamid

Director and writer born in Fes and raised in Italy, Elia Moutamid developed an early interest in cinema and photography, focusing on intercultural themes. After studying in Milan, he created short films awarded internationally and the autobiographical feature Talien, which won at the Torino Film Festival. This was followed by Kufid and Maka, works that explore identity, migration, and contemporary cultural perspectives.

Velania A. Mesay

Italian-Ethiopian freelance journalist and documentary filmmaker. She co-directed the documentary Agàpe, which won numerous awards. She collaborates with various media outlets and is the author of three podcast: Lesbo: una storia d’attesa, Cipro: la nuova porta d’Europa, and Voci da Castel Volturno, the latter two broadcast on Rai Radio3. Her latest video reports from the West Bank have been published by Internazionale.