Chairman of the Jury - Nils Gaup (Norway) - an actor, scriptwriter and director. Nils Gaup is the author of the first full length film in sami language "Pathfinder". This film is about Norwegian "Ivan Susanin". It was shot in severe conditions, sometimes at 47 C cold. The self-sacrificing work of filmmakers was rewarded. In 1988 the film was nominated for Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Nils Gaup's historical film The Kautokeino Rebellion was also deeply appreciated by spectators. At the centre of the plot is the rebellion of sami community in 1852 - the desperate struggle of a handful of people against the state machine.
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Michail Ananyev (Russia, Moscow) - a journalist, scriptwriter and producer. M.Ananyev started his professional activity in the newspaper Monchegorsky Rabochy. He used to be one of the first radio-DJs in Murmansk and worked at the FM radio-station Radiotron. He also worked for TV-21 and State Television and Radio Company Murman. Eight years ago Michail Ananyev left for Moscow where he ran the programme Vremechko at the TVC channel. Three years ago Michail Ananyev set up his own company to make documentary films. He is the author and producer of more than 70 films and programmes. His works are shown on major Russian TV channels. He dreams of making a feature film. His sure to do it.
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Nikolay Bakshevnikov (Russia, Murmansk) - a journalist. He became a correspondent in the youth newspaper Komsomolets Zapolyarya when he was 19. Later he became the editor of this paper. For many years he worked for the weekly newspaper Rybny Murman and for Polyarnaya Pravda. N. Bakshevnikov headed the Committee on Press and Publishing of the Murmansk region administration. He has been a member of Russian of Journalists since 1973 and for 14 years headed Murmansk regional department of this organization. N. Bakshevnikov is an associate professor of Murmansk Humanities Institute and a member of scientific publishing council of The Kola Encyclopedia. Since 2008 he has been a member of the Public Chamber of the Murmansk region, the Chairman of Commission on education, science, culture, communication, information policy and freedom of speech in Mass Media.
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Elena Belkina (Russia, Murmansk) - a journalist. She has been on Murmansk television for a quarter of the century. Children's, entertainment and information programmes made with her participation have many times become prize-winners of national and international competitions. She has been recently hosting the programme Gubernsky Chas. Elena Belkina pays a lot of attention to the problem of nuclear and radiation security. She is a member of the Regional Public Council on peaceful use of nuclear energy and a member of the Public Chamber of the Murmansk region. Elena Belkina is awarded an honorary badge For Services to the Murmansk Region, though she considers her children and a granddaughter to be her main achievements.
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Bernt Viklund (Sweden) - a television journalist, director and producer. He started to cooperate with colleagues from Russia in the early years of Perestroika. He was one of those who founded the International Association of journalists Barents Press International. Bernt Viklund suggested organizing the Barents television festival. This project united the representatives of the state television and radio broadcasting companies from the North Russia, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The idea of a TV forum was followed up by the festival Northern Character.
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Elena Larionova (Russia, Murmansk) - a journalist. She worked for the regional radio broadcasting station for many years. Now she collaborates with the newspaper Polyarnaya Pravda and also represents Norwegian state TV and radio broadcasting station NRK in Murmansk. She is the coordinator and one of the founders of the International Association of journalists Barents Press International. For 16 years this organization has been assisting journalist from Nordic countries in communication, cooperation and gaining new knowledge. Elena Larionova was awarded prestigious international Gerd Bucerius prize for contribution to the development of freedom of press in Eastern Europe. She participated in organizing the exhibition The Dead Pen in honour of killed Russian journalists that was shown in he Nobel Centre in Oslo.
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Reijo Nikkilä (Finland) - a journalist and documentary film maker, the chairman of Finnish Association of Graduates of Sovietand Russian Universities. He started his career in TASS Helsinki in 1966 but 2 years later he left it in protest to the Soviet invasionof Czechoslovakia. Reijo Nikkilä has shot nearly 30 documentaries about the most tragic moments in European countries, Middle East, South and Latin America. For his works he has been awarded a lot of prizes of different international film festivals and public organizations from Saint Petersburg to New York.
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Svetlana Soldatova(Russia, Murmansk) - a television journalist. She was the author and hostess of the first youth talk-show on Murmansk television Most (Bridge). She has made several documentary films. Her works have been prize-winners of various reginal, national and international festivals. She graduated from Vladimir Pozner's School and Internews. In 2003 she came to TV-21. She set up the morning channel Nashe Utro (Our Morning). Svetlana Soldatova's project Our Children about little inhabitants of Murmansk House of Orphan Infants was awarded the Diploma of Russian of Journalists for Journalist Action. In 2008 Svetlans Soldatova became the initiator and organizer of the 1st International festival of documentary films and television programmes The Northern Character.
Chairman of the Jury - Nils Gaup (Norway) - an actor, scriptwriter and director. Nils Gaup is the author of the first full length film in sami language "Pathfinder". This film is about Norwegian "Ivan Susanin". It was shot in severe conditions, sometimes at 47 C cold. The self-sacrificing work of filmmakers was rewarded. In 1988 the film was nominated for Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Nils Gaup's historical film The Kautokeino Rebellion was also deeply appreciated by spectators. At the centre of the plot is the rebellion of sami community in 1852 - the desperate struggle of a handful of people against the state machine.
Michail Ananyev (Russia, Moscow) - a journalist, scriptwriter and producer. M.Ananyev started his professional activity in the newspaper Monchegorsky Rabochy. He used to be one of the first radio-DJs in Murmansk and worked at the FM radio-station Radiotron. He also worked for TV-21 and State Television and Radio Company Murman. Eight years ago Michail Ananyev left for Moscow where he ran the programme Vremechko at the TVC channel. Three years ago Michail Ananyev set up his own company to make documentary films. He is the author and producer of more than 70 films and programmes. His works are shown on major Russian TV channels. He dreams of making a feature film. His sure to do it.
Nikolay Bakshevnikov (Russia, Murmansk) - a journalist. He became a correspondent in the youth newspaper Komsomolets Zapolyarya when he was 19. Later he became the editor of this paper. For many years he worked for the weekly newspaper Rybny Murman and for Polyarnaya Pravda. N. Bakshevnikov headed the Committee on Press and Publishing of the Murmansk region administration. He has been a member of Russian of Journalists since 1973 and for 14 years headed Murmansk regional department of this organization. N. Bakshevnikov is an associate professor of Murmansk Humanities Institute and a member of scientific publishing council of The Kola Encyclopedia. Since 2008 he has been a member of the Public Chamber of the Murmansk region, the Chairman of Commission on education, science, culture, communication, information policy and freedom of speech in Mass Media.
Elena Belkina (Russia, Murmansk) - a journalist. She has been on Murmansk television for a quarter of the century. Children's, entertainment and information programmes made with her participation have many times become prize-winners of national and international competitions. She has been recently hosting the programme Gubernsky Chas. Elena Belkina pays a lot of attention to the problem of nuclear and radiation security. She is a member of the Regional Public Council on peaceful use of nuclear energy and a member of the Public Chamber of the Murmansk region. Elena Belkina is awarded an honorary badge For Services to the Murmansk Region, though she considers her children and a granddaughter to be her main achievements.
Bernt Viklund (Sweden) - a television journalist, director and producer. He started to cooperate with colleagues from Russia in the early years of Perestroika. He was one of those who founded the International Association of journalists Barents Press International. Bernt Viklund suggested organizing the Barents television festival. This project united the representatives of the state television and radio broadcasting companies from the North Russia, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The idea of a TV forum was followed up by the festival Northern Character.
Elena Larionova (Russia, Murmansk) - a journalist. She worked for the regional radio broadcasting station for many years. Now she collaborates with the newspaper Polyarnaya Pravda and also represents Norwegian state TV and radio broadcasting station NRK in Murmansk. She is the coordinator and one of the founders of the International Association of journalists Barents Press International. For 16 years this organization has been assisting journalist from Nordic countries in communication, cooperation and gaining new knowledge. Elena Larionova was awarded prestigious international Gerd Bucerius prize for contribution to the development of freedom of press in Eastern Europe. She participated in organizing the exhibition The Dead Pen in honour of killed Russian journalists that was shown in he Nobel Centre in Oslo.
Reijo Nikkilä (Finland) - a journalist and documentary film maker, the chairman of Finnish Association of Graduates of Soviet and Russian Universities. He started his career in TASS Helsinki in 1966 but 2 years later he left it in protest to the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. Reijo Nikkilä has shot nearly 30 documentaries about the most tragic moments in European countries, Middle East, South and Latin America. For his works he has been awarded a lot of prizes of different international film festivals and public organizations from Saint Petersburg to New York. 
Svetlana Soldatova (Russia, Murmansk) - a television journalist. She was the author and hostess of the first youth talk-show on Murmansk television Most (Bridge). She has made several documentary films. Her works have been prize-winners of various reginal, national and international festivals. She graduated from Vladimir Pozner's School and Internews. In 2003 she came to TV-21. She set up the morning channel Nashe Utro (Our Morning). Svetlana Soldatova's project Our Children about little inhabitants of Murmansk House of Orphan Infants was awarded the Diploma of Russian of Journalists for Journalist Action. In 2008 Svetlans Soldatova became the initiator and organizer of the 1st International festival of documentary films and television programmes The Northern Character.