«I enjoy watching movies, it is a great pleasure for me. Moscow International Film Festivsl gives me an opportunity to stop for a week, watch new films, realize where I myself am running to, to see the world trends and find my own place creatively,» Yury Ermolin said.
One of the most sought-after directors of photography in documentary film nowadays, Ermolin didn't initially plan to connect his life with documentary film, just as other jury members didn't. Still, Ermolin grew up in the family of filmmakers – his father helped set up the creative base for TV in Krasnoyarsk. However, Ermolin couldn't go to VGIK right after school – then, it was essential to have some life and professional experience before, so he graduated as a linguist first. Mitchell Johnson also didn't start out as a filmmaker – he was born in lawyers' family and was to follow in his parents' footspteps, despite being interested in music. During his studies, he chose Film History as one of additional courses, and decided to devote his life to cinema.
«Recently, I've been making movies, editing them, also I make music, so didn't get a chance to see a lot of films because I'm so busy. Here I finally have this opportunity. I'm not a film critic, but will try to analyze the competition films and understand them through my experience to be a decent jury member. And then, I'll reassess my own works,» Mitchell Johnson underlined.
Anna Köhncke is one of the most famous documentary film producers in the world. For example, she worked on «The Act of Killing» by Joshua Oppenheimer, and took part in the MIFF programs seven times over the past decade. At the current showcase, her new project, «Meanwhile On Earth» by Carl Olsson, is set to be shown out of competition, in the «Free Thought» program.
«I'm looking forward to seeing all the competition films. I'm surprised though that all nine films are directed by men, with just one woman co-director,» Köhncke said.