Do you love queer cinema? Want to find out more about the people behind the stories? Then the TEDDY AWARD interview channel on YouTube is for you!
Here you can expect conversations with filmmakers, actresses, activists and visionaries from all over the world – all connected by their love of queer film and their commitment to visibility, diversity and change. Whether backstage at the Berlinale or in intimate conversations: Our interviews are as colorful and diverse as the queer community itself.
We are pleased to present the international jury for the 39th TEDDY AWARD. Three experienced film and festival professionals will view all films with a queer main plot from the Berlinale’s Queerlist, nominate three films in each category and select the winning films in the categories Best Feature Film, Best Short Film and Best Documentary / Essay Film. They also present the TEDDY Jury Award.
Allegra Madsen leads the Frameline, San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival as Executive Director and Programmer. Since joining Frameline in 2021, she has expanded the festival’s reach and impact, bringing groundbreaking queer cinema to diverse audiences. Her commitment to inclusive cultural programming has strengthened connections between communities through the power of film, with a particular focus on emerging LGBTQ+ voices and transgressive narratives. Under her leadership, she has built valuable partnerships with international film festivals and cultural institutions while advocating for accessible programming that inspires meaningful cultural dialogue. Madsen is a sought-after speaker at forums around the world when it comes to the future of queer cinema.
Jan Künemund, freelance film journalist, curator and full-time agent, lives in Berlin, has worked for a cinema distributor and taught media studies at the University of Hildesheim, edited the queer cinema magazine “Sissy”, co-wrote the screenplay for his feature film “Lichtes Meer” (2004) with Stefan Butzmühlen, is a member of the selection committee of DOK Leipzig and public relations worker for the Schwules Museum. He also writes reviews and other texts about film, e.g. he was co-editor of “Queer Cinema Now” (2022).
Raul Niño Zambrano has been Creative Director of Sheffield DocFest since 2023. At Sheffield DocFest, Raul has spearheaded the launch of TV documentary series premieres, the innovative Podcast Pitch and most recently the creation of the Queer Realities Director’s Lab, designed to push and inspire creative boundaries in queer non-fiction storytelling. Prior to that, he was a Senior Programmer at IDFA (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam). During his thirteen-year tenure at IDFA, Raul conducted the groundbreaking study The Female Gaze (2014), which explored the role of women in documentary filmmaking, and launched IFDA Queer Day in 2013. An active member of the documentary community, Raul has served as a juror for numerous prestigious international festivals as well as sharing his expertise as a tutor and industry mentor at renowned events such as Al Jazeera Documentary Industry Days, FESPACO, DMZ and the Bogotá Audiovisual Market.
The Programme Press Conference for the 74th Berlin International Film Festival with an outlook on the festival and the presentation of the Competition and Encounters film selection will be held on January 22, 2024, at 11 am at Haus der Kulturen der Welt. (Access only with personal invitation)
Livestream: The Press Conference will be available to watch live from 11 am (CET) on berlinale.de and YouTube.
Zsombor Bobák joined the TEDDY team in 2018 and has since then seen almost all queer films at the Berlinale. With his insightful and competent interviews and conversations with the directors, he gives us a deep insight into the world of queer cinema and the makers every year on TEDDYAWARD TV. He holds an M.A. in Preservation and Presentation of the Moving Image from the University of Amsterdam and is a PhD student at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. His field of research is queer archiving methods that bring the LGBTQ+ history of Central and Eastern Europe to life. He is passionate about queer moving images and recently started to explore the productive engagement of academic research and found footage filmmaking.
As this unique and challenging edition is swiftly approaching its end, we have saved the best for last: the winners of the 2022 TEDDY AWARD have finally been chosen! 🤩
We’re overjoyed to see their work being praised and appreciated by the entire community and beyond. Congratulations to all of you!
