EXPERT JURIES

Julia Dina Heße works as a Dramaturge, Director and Presenter. In 2018 she left her position as Artistic Director of the Young Theatre Münster to focus on international projects and coproductions. In 2019 she was granted a scholarship in the post graduate programme of art mediation Hildesheim-Marseille (PhD topic: Ecological sustainability in narratives & aesthetics of TYA). She has been serving as Vice-President of ASSITEJ Germany since 2018, where she is also in charge of the ‘International Director’s Exchange’. Since 2024 she represents ASSITEJ Germany on the advisory board of the dance & theatre section of Goethe Institute. In addition to her artistic work mainly dedicated to interdisciplinary performances for the early years Julia is a lecturer at the University of Münster, co-edited the book “Children’s Theater. Youth Theatre. Future perspectives for a genre.” and published papers in TYA related books and magazines.

Nikola Marinkov (1990) is a graduate lighting designer from Novi Sad who currently lives and works in Germany. He graduated from the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, where he worked as a lighting designer on several plays at the Promena Theater during his studies. After completing his studies, he gained professional experience as a designer, master and lighting technician while working at the Youth Theatre (Novi Sad/Serbia), and then at the SNP (Serbian National Theatre, Novi Sad/Serbia), where he worked on numerous plays as part of the author's team and in their technical realization. In addition to working in institutions, Nikola also has extensive experience in independent engagement: as a lighting designer, he was part of numerous author teams of theater and cultural projects throughout Serbia and the region, and he was also part of many theater and music festivals in the country and abroad, both as a participant and as part of the technical implementation. Also, during his four years of work at Studio Berar, he gained extensive experience in working on various types of cultural, sporting and entertainment events. However, from his entire experience so far, Nikola always gladly singles out FEP (Festival of Ecological Theatre for Children and Youth) in Bačka Palanka, where he was the technical director and member of the organization for more than 10 years, as well as his work at NNT (Novi Sad New Theatre) because these are the two organizations where he gained his first experiences in theatre for children and youth and discovered the most beautiful aspects of his job. The performances in which Nikola participated have won (and continue to win) numerous awards at festivals across Europe, and he himself is the winner of the M.I.C.K award (Youth, Initiative, Goal, Catharsis - for the best young creator in the field of theater arts) at the A.N.F.I. Theater festival in Kraljevo in 2016. He is currently employed as a lighting designer at the Middle Saxony City Theater in Freiberg (Mittelsächsisches Theater Freiberg) in Germany.

Predrag Grujić (1993) graduated from the Academy of Arts in Belgrade in the class of Professor Dragana Varagić. He is a member of the puppetry ensemble of the National Theater "Toša Jovanović" in Zrenjanin. Apart from Zrenjanin, he has performed in theaters throughout Serbia, such as "Boško Buha" in Belgrade, "Pinocchio" Puppet Theater in Zemun, Sombor National Theater, "Sterija" National Theater in Vršac, etc. He has won several awards for his work at national and international festivals, including the "Milena Sadžak" Award for Best Actor at the 52nd Meeting of Professional Puppet Theaters of Serbia, where two years later he won the Award for Best Role (the role of BUK) for the play "The Prehistoric Girl". At this festival, together with his home ensemble, he twice won the prestigious "Janko Vrbnjak" Award for collective animation . At the 3rd International Festival of Professional Puppet Theaters for Children "LUT Fest" in East Sarajevo, he won the Award for Animation and Acting, and at the 21st International Festival of Theaters for Children in Banjaluka, he won the Award for Best Role (the role of Folk) for the play "White Mane". Predrag Grujić belongs to the youngest generation of puppeteers in Serbia, which carries with it the responsibility of affirming puppetry, which is threatened with a decline in quality and disappearance due to neglect and marginalization. With his talents, the craft he acquired not only through school but also through working with older colleagues in the ensemble, as well as the immeasurable love he has for his work, Predrag is an example for future generations of puppeteers and a potential image of the future of this sector.