JURY

Michael Abay (filmmaker)

Michael Abay always felt the urge to do something creative within the audiovisual world. That's why, after studying business economics, he made a complete switch to film directing at RITCS. His graduation short film, "Klette," won both the VAF Wildcard and an Ensor, marking the start of his professional career. Since then, he has worked on projects such as "Kameleon" (Streamz), "Otis & Diede Skate" (Ketnet), and the upcoming film "The Best Immigrant" (Streamz).

What does Michael Abay pay attention to?

For me, a short film is about how a story can touch and resonate. The format forces you to capture an essence or feeling in a short time, with little room for detours. It's precisely that limitation that makes room for creative choices and a personal perspective that can offer a unique perspective on a subject or world.

Jolke Van Aerde (filmmaker)

Jolke Van Aerde (Antwerp, 1997) is a filmmaker and cinematographer. She lives and works in Brussels. In 2021, she graduated from KASK School of Arts with her master's film "Come, Sweet Death." During her studies, she focused on documentary and experimental film. "Come, Sweet Death" was selected for the Belgian Student Short Film Competition at Film Fest Ghent and won the Jury Prize for Best Fiction at the BREEDBEELD Short Film Festival. The film was also screened at Short Waves Festival (Poznań, Poland), Pune International Film Festival (Pune, India), and Go Short International Film Festival (Nijmegen, Netherlands). Van Aerde is currently working on her first feature-length documentary, "Jean," and is co-writing a children's film with filmmaker Kumail Syed. She also collaborates on the multidisciplinary artwork "A 1000 Girls, a place we go" by her sister, visual artist and costume designer Sietske Van Aerde, which will premiere in 2026 at Kunstplaats Vonk. Van Aerde also regularly collaborates with her fellow students Martijn Van de Wiele, Mika Baudoux, and Ziya Lemin.

What does Jolke van aerde pay attention to?

What I find special about short films is that they offer creators a lot of freedom to express themselves directly. It's a film form that's less bound by conventions and expectations, which creates more room for experimentation.

Janne van Woensel Kooy (animator)

Janne van Woensel Kooy (born 1997) earned her master's degree in animation, a fact that still permeates her mixed media practice, where sound and movement remain important elements alongside drawing. Her performances can evoke a spatial awareness. Similarly, the characters in her drawings explore how to relate to their surroundings.

What does Janne van Woensel kooy pay attention to?

"In (animated) short films, I focus on how the viewer can step into a world. Whether, by immersing themselves in sounds and images, you can evoke something that can't be fully captured in words."