JURY PANEL

MANUELA JANSEN

Manuela Jansen is a passionate actress with a solid professional background and experience as a producer. She became widely known for her eight years as a jury member on the Kabel Eins show “Abenteuer Leben – GoG.” She brings her talent to life in a wide variety of roles across public and private broadcasters, as well as in independent film productions. She has won several film awards and has also served on the jury of numerous film festivals.

SENOL GÜNGÖR

Senol Güngör is a German-Turkish screenwriter, director, and producer based in Bochum. His award-winning work explores themes of migration, identity, and social justice. In 2019, his short film “Solingen 1993 – 25 Jahre danach” received the German Generations Film Award.Senol continues to develop films and theatre productions that build cultural bridges and connect multiple generations.He has directed nine short films and six documentary films to date. His latest film, “BLINDGGÄNGER,” has been selected and awarded at 18 international film festivals.He is currently working on a comedy feature addressing prejudice, titled “Haydi Bitteschön.”

STEFAN GOLDBERG

Stefan Goldberg is the owner and director of the StageSchool Salomon Academy in Düsseldorf. He leads the acting school’s programmes in performance, camera acting and creative media production. Under his direction, the academy guides emerging talent to build stage presence, on-screen confidence and storytelling skills.

FESTIVAL MODERATOR

LAURA BALLHAUSEN

Laura Ballhausen is festival moderator and  actress from Düsseldorf. After successfully completing her acting studies, she has begun building a career in both film and theatre. Laura recently appeared in The Diamond Protocol and continues to explore her passion for storytelling on screen and stage. For her, the world of film and theatre is truly home.

JONNA PHILIPPSEN

Jonna Marie Philippsen is a promising new talent within the German film landscape, currently studying acting at the Theaterakademie Köln.
Before beginning her formal acting training, she completed her education as a social worker. She later chose to pursue her long-standing passion for acting and transitioned into the field professionally.

Jonna has already taken on several leading roles in short film productions, demonstrating a compelling on-screen presence and a strong emotional range. One of her most recent projects, Fate Cycle, will be presented as a special at the NRW Film Festival under the direction of Nilesh Tambe.

PR TEAM

JULIA ZDRILIC

Julia Zdrilic is a young actress and recent acting school graduate. Passionate about storytelling and performance, she brings energy and emotion to every role. Julia is excited to be part of the first NRW Film Festival and to continue growing in the world of film and theatre.

ANASTASIA SHRAER

Anastasia Shraer is an aspiring actress currently studying at the StageSchool Salomon Academy. She appears in the film The Diamond Protocol and continues to develop her craft both on screen and in theatre.

CORE ORGANIZING TEAM

MICHAEL MEDVIDOV

SHOUNAK HINGE

ALADDIN

 

CO-DIRECTOR

SENOL GÜNGÖR

Senol Güngör is the Co-Founder & Director of the NRW Film Festival. He is a German–Turkish screenwriter, director, and producer based in Bochum. His award-winning work explores themes of migration, identity, and social justice.

 

In 2019, his short film Solingen 1993 – 25 Jahre danach received the German Generations Film Award. Senol continues to develop films and theatre productions that build cultural bridges and connect multiple generations.

 

He has directed nine short films and six documentaries to date. His latest film, BLINDGÄNGER, has been selected and awarded at 18 international festivals. He is currently working on a comedy feature addressing prejudice,  titled “Haydi Bitteschön.”

FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR

NILESH TAMBE

Nilesh Tambe is a film director, producer, and festival founder based in Germany. He is the Founder and Director of the NRW Film Festival, a platform dedicated to discovering bold, independent voices in cinema. Nilesh also leads Connec-Tech Studios, where he develops socially relevant films and supports emerging filmmakers through production and distribution.

 

With a strong background in short films, music videos, and independent storytelling, his work focuses on emotional depth, social themes, and character-driven narratives. Over the years, Nilesh has created and produced projects that have been selected and awarded at numerous international festivals. Through both his studio and the NRW Film Festival, he continues to build opportunities for new voices and diverse stories to be seen and heard.