Festival Jury Panel | OSFF 2024

Meet Our Distinguished Jury

A confluence of creative brilliance and cinematic expertise, our jury brings their vision and passion to celebrate storytelling at Ooty Short Film Festival.

Arun Vaddi

Chairman Jury Panel

Filmmaker and storyteller, blends art, nature, and experimental expression. With global experience in filmmaking, theatre, and ad production, his works span over 100 stage shows and major film festivals. Passionate about ecology, he leads sustainability projects, specializing in marine ecology and pollinator migrations. An adventurer and educator.

Amol Bhagat

Film Marketer, India

Filmmaker and jury member for 39 international festivals, is a young Bollywood writer-director with a marketing background.

Betul Dural 

Architect and Writer, Turkey

An architect deeply inspired by nature and art, enjoying hiking, creating animal-supportive drawings, and writing a travel blog.

Camille Vigny

Filmmaker, France

A Paris-born filmmaker, studied at University of Paris VIII, FAMU, and INSAS Brussels, now writing her debut feature.

Dheeraj Jindal

Filmmaker and Producer, India

Award-winning director-producer, known for The School Bag and Netflix’s Indian Predator, consults for Large Short Films.

Mani Natarajan

Cinematographer, India

A passionate cinephile, Ram excels as an actor, producer, and writer, curating festivals and authoring articles, blogs, and film reviews.

Armin Azizi

Actor, Director, and Producer, Iran

A dedicated filmmaker, Armin excels as an actor, director, and producer, known for his impactful storytelling in cinema. He champions short films, focusing on the power of acting and exploring human struggles.

Ashraf Shishir

Filmmaker and activist, Bangladesh

Filmmaker and activist, renowned for innovative films and global awards, holds a record for directing the longest fiction film.

Ram Arunachalam

Filmmaker and Film critic, India

A passionate cinephile, Ram excels as an actor, producer, and writer, curating festivals and authoring articles, blogs, and film reviews.

Afzal Khan

Storyteller, Nepal

A creative visionary from Nepal, crafts compelling narratives in film, photography, and design, excelling in advertising and storytelling

Mazen Haj Kassem

Storyteller, Denmark

A Danish cinematic visionary, crafting stories that resonate across borders. From directing award-winning films to shaping the European and Middle Eastern film scene, Mazen’s impact is undeniable.

Nithya Gopal

Filmmaker, India

A software engineer turned cinematic storyteller, Nithya’s passion for film drives her to create inspiring narratives. Her unique perspective, born from the world of technology, adds a fresh dimension to her filmmaking.

Salaheddin Noori

Filmmaker, Iran

A visionary filmmaker, Salaheddin Noori blends law and cinema to create captivating stories. From the fantastical realms of “My Partner, Giraffe” to the speculative future of “You Think Though You Are Not,” his films are a celebration of color, light, joy, and hope.

Orangel Lugo

Director, Screenwriter, and Educator, Venezuela

A passionate filmmaker, Orangel directs and writes short films like Guasare and La Bejuca, featured in See Us Togetherand An Imaginary Country Where Dogs Eat Flowers. He has assisted on Blindado and Yo y las bestias, and teaches Script and Direction at the National Film School and CNAC workshops.

Rostam Nazari

Director and Documentary Filmmaker, Iran

Rostam Nazari, born in 1973, is a member of the Iranian Cinema House and Tabriz Documentary Cinema Society. He has created four feature films and six documentaries, with over fifty international festival screenings. His awards include Best Documentary Director at FICOCC, and top documentary honors in Türkiye, California, Kenya, Madrid, and Japan.

Dinu Dinesh Kumar

Filmmaker and Educator, India

Dinu Dinesh Kumar, an award-winning filmmaker from Tamil Nadu, India, holds degrees in Visual Communication and is pursuing a PhD in Film. His acclaimed films and PSAs have received numerous awards. He also teaches filmmaking and organizes film and photography festivals, where he has served as a jury member.

Arun Dass

Cinematographer, India

Dedicated film enthusiast known for conducting regular, theme-based film festivals in the scenic Attapadi Valley, bringing diverse cinematic experiences to the community.