Young Onion Award Jury

Victoria Leshchenko

I am a dreamer, maker, and connector. I have 11 years of experience in project and team management, creating and managing cultural events. My background is Kyiv-Mohyla education, cultural studies. The world of film festivals began for me with “Molodist”. I worked here from 2007 to 2011, working as an editor in chief, production manager, and later coordinator of film programs. In 2010 I joined the team of Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, where I was promoted to program director in 2019. Areas of current interest: documentary, psychology and psychotherapy, online education, sports, delicious food, and I love growing cactuses.

Christine Camdessus

Formerly lawyer-in-firm and film finance banker, Christine launched ALEGRIA PRODUCTIONS in 2001, having more than 60 creative documentaries distributed around the world. Among them are Five Broken Cameras, from Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi, which won the Sundance director’s prize in 2012, received an Oscar Nomination in 2013, and won the International Emmy Award in 2013, and Forman vs. Forman, part of Cannes Classics in 2019. Vice president of USPA between 2014 and 2018, and chairwoman of Nipkow jury, she was nominated FIPADOC’s Managing Artistic director in 2018.

Marion Schmidt, Co-Director Documentary Association of Europe (DAE) 

Marion is a freelance project manager and consultant for individuals and organisations. Her field of expertise is in project management and organisational development in the international documentary, arts and development sector. Marion is the co-director of the Documentary Association of Europe (DAE) and co-founder of DOX BOX e.V., where she held several positions till April 2020 and was the project director of the international Documentary Convention 2018 and 2019. Marion is a consultant to the film department of DW Akademie, and has contributed her expertise to projects of the Goethe-Institut and elbarlament GmbH. Marion sits on the board of several organisations in the film world, and is part of initiatives that champion anti-racism, equality, fair working conditions and representation in the film and NGO sector, and the society at large. She is an alumnus of EURODOC and holds a Master’s degree in Arts Administration & Cultural Policy from the University of London, UK.