The Jury

BUVANA RAM (LOS ANGELES, USA)

Film-maker, Writer, Director & Journalist

Buvana Ram or R. Buvana is a Writer, Director and Producer for short films, documentaries and feature film through her production company VB Filmmakers. Many of her films have won many national and International film festival awards and selections. Buvana started her carrier as a journalist. After finishing her Masters in Annamalai university, she finished her diploma in journalism in Delhi and dip in Film making and screenwriting in Los Angeles and University of Melbourne. She started her film production company in 1995 and after doing some indie projects, she has written, directed and produced many ad films, telefilms, short films, television series and features. Most of her shorts won many international awards and recognitions. 

Self made and capable of making independent features & shorts, her International debut feature film Love Me, Stupid is the first cross country feature film to be shot entirely in the US with Hollywood actors. Some of her works include: Meera - a teleseries for Vijay TV, Feature Film Rightaa Thappaa? (Right or Wrong?) in Tamil language, Short Films Aayeeshaa, Thedal (The Search), Inii (What Next?), Maa Thavam (Mother's Penance) & Agalya. She also did a couple of documentaries that include Elixer  & Riding Out The Financial Storm (US Production). She also turned distributor with Sankarabaranam.

SANA NOROUZBEIGI (IRAN)
Film-maker, Film & Production Designer Designer & Film Maker

With an education in Bachelor of Architecture from Shiraz University, Iran and Master of Urban Design from Asad University, Iran; Sana Norouzbeigi has made her distinguished mark as a Film Maker, Art Director, Production Designer & Costume Designer for some really notable projects that include short films like Panah, A Morsel of Love, Painting, The Briefcase and Hello Mumbai.

From independent filmmakers to iconic feature film directors, women are pioneers and innovators in the film, television, and entertainment industries. Throughout history, female filmmakers have made award-winning films, showing unique perspectives and powerful narratives that deeply resonate with audiences from all over the world.

Sana broke ground as a woman Art Director & Production Designer who achieved such great success as a double threat, or multi-hyphenate, which is becoming more and more common. She has been associated for nearly a decade and had been involved with production designs for some really noteworthy projects that include Melbourne, Stolen, Confessions of My Dangerous Mind, Immortality, New Moon Hotel, Snake Venom, All Through The Night, Roshan, Siabaz, Ahoo & many other.

ALBERTO BELLAVIA (ITALIA)
Music Composer, Arranger & Pianist

An Award-winning Composer, Arranger and Pianist based in Italy, Alberto Bellavia is a graduate of the State Conservatory of Music G.F. Ghedini - Cuneo, Italy with a degree in Pianoforte diploma, Music teaching diploma, Jazz music diploma, Master’s degree in piano teaching as well as Master’s Degree in jazz music.

  

He composes, orchestrates and arranges music for short and feature movies, Jazz orchestras and small ensembles. Playing piano, keyboard, Improvising Writing, recording and producing tracks, good use of Logic pro X, music software and virtual instruments, Piano Teacher and He has a special skill to improvise on the piano in various styles. This skill helps Him to be more instinctive when writing and producing music.  

He has claimed an impressive many winning awards for his scores from many different festivals and institutions around the world including: Queen Palm International Film Festival, Venice Film Awards , Vegas Movie Awards, Rome International Movie Awards , Mindfield Film Festival Albuquerque, Hollywood Gold Awards, Global Film Festival Awards, Florence Film Awards, Williamsburg International Film Festival, Pinnacle Film Awards, Paris Play Film Festival, New York Movie Awards, Nawada International Film Festival, Florence Film Awards, Five Continents International Film Festival, Gothamite Monthly Film Awards, Tracks Music Awards, CiakCotignola (Italy) & London International Film Festival, etc.

RISHI BHUTANI (INDIA)

Bollywood Actor & Producer
Bollywood Actor Rishi Bhutani first gained recognition as an obsessive son in the thriller movie Bolo Raam (2009), in which he gave a critically acclaimed performance and earned a nomination for Best Actor category at the Lions Gold Awards. He next appeared in the biopic Jai Jawaan Jai Kisaan, portraying the freedom fighter Jawaharlal Nehru. Other notable projects include Gandhigiri, Ram Ratan, Ashley, CuteGirl_87, as well as the critically acclaimed film Lines. His Vodka Diaries with Raima Sen, K.K Menon and Mandira Bedi got him more meaningful content. He did notable films with National Award Winner Actor Om Puri - Bolo Raam and Jai Jawan Jai Kisan. He also forayed into the south industry with Madisar Mami (Tamil) as well on the international circuit with a French movie Highland written and directed by Pierre Soltowski. “Highland” which is yet to be released is about a group of strangers who find themselves stuck in the jungle after attending a rave party on a mysterious island. His another critically acclaimed film Bed No.17 directed by actor Mir Sarwar is awaiting release and is doing the rounds of various film festival across the globe.

VINAY VIKRANT (INDIA)
Actor, Director, Professor & Mentor

A Post Graduate in Screen Acting from Film & Television Institute of India (Pune) and also a Graduate in Theatre Acting from Bhartendu Natya Academy (Lucknow), Vinay Vikrant is an Actor, Director, Professor as well as Mentor in the sphere of Films, TV & Theatre. He has worked in many episodes of C.I.D., Savdhan India, Crime Patrol, Criminal Mind, Balika Vadhu, etc. for renowned TV Channels like Sony, Colors, Life OK, etc. He has also acted in various Television commercials, short films & web series for film festivals & various OTT platforms. He made his Bollywood debut through Satellite Shankar which was released pan India.

He has also worked with renowned theatre personalities and acted and directed many theatres plays like Khamosh Adalat Jaari Hai, Andha Yug, Macbeth, Ashaad Ka Ek Din, Hamlet, Twelve Angry Men, The Park, Saheb Biwi Aur Ghulam, Panchlaight, and many more. He has also conducted many Film & Theatre workshops with his own Vikrant Theatre group. He has also worked as Mentor in the Famous Talent Show India’s Best Dramebaaz for Zee TV.

He has also worked as Assistant professor in the Film studies department of Chandigarh University as well as Head of Department & Acting Faculty in Doon Film School Dehradun, Uttarakhand. This was followed by his stint as Assistant Professor in Faculty of Performing Arts, Parul University, Vadodara. He has also worked as a Visiting Faculty in various film and theatre institutes in Mumbai and all over India. Some of the names include Whistling Woods, Actors Prepares, Kreating Charakters, ICE Ekta Kapoor Institute, Ramesh Sippy Institute, Rangshila and various Film Acting institutions and many more.

PROF. DR. MOHAN DAS (INDIA)
Chairman, Festival Jury & Director

Award winning Writer, Director, Prof. Dr. Mohan Das apart from film making has successfully conducted the Lakecity International Film Festival over the years and has now widened his horizons by taking the concept of film festivals to various cities across India and the globe. With Lakecity being a yearly event well entrenched on to the scene, he is all set to promote Indian Cinema, Art and Culture onto a global platform by joining hands and collaborating with a multitude of film festivals in many countries or offering support to a host of upcoming festivals across the world. Ayodhya International Film Festival which is now in its 17th edition is an offshoot of the same idea that aims at bringing the science, art and emotion through world cinema to the people of Ayodhya and Uttar Pradesh.

Offering a premier showcase opportunity for talented film makers and artists, celebrates avante garde cinema, felicitates masters and achievers from all walks of life, the aim of K Asif Chambal International Film Festival is to bring countries closer by building bridges to enable cross cultural exchanges, social understanding and creative ideation - Prof. Dr. Mohan Das is working tirelessly to bring films to new audiences across Eon Films through screening programs, working with partner organizations and of course, looking forward to deliver a great festival.

He has run short film competitions and workshops, organized screenings for international feature films, and is also working as the festival consultant for feature films. With so much of experience to gather, it was natural for him to be invited on many a film festival as jury including YathaKatha International Film & Literature Festival (Mumbai), ICA Film Festival (Pune), Nilofer-e-Aabi International Film Festival (Mumbai), Penzance International Film Festival (Penzance, UK), HoHe International Film Festival (Germany), K Asif  Chambal International Film Festival (Etawah), Chauri Chaura International Film Festival (Gorakhpur), Frames Film Festival (Mumbai), Aahan International Short Film Festival (Mumbai), Cotton City International Film Festival (Akola), Acharya Tulsi Short Film Festival (Bikaner), Kala Samruddhi International Film Festival (Mumbai), Sand Dunes International Short Film Festival (Bikaner), Cortokino International Film Festival (Mumbai) and others.