

SLAVIC
FILM
FESTIVAL
SLAVIC FILM FESTIVAL 2025 JURY

Sasha Razor
A lecturer in Germanic and Slavic Studies and Film and Media Studies at UC Santa Barbara.
She earned her PhD in Slavic Languages and Literatures from UCLA in 2020, with a dissertation focused on Soviet screenwriting in the 1920s and 1930s. Her research interests include avant-garde cinema and literature, Belarusian and Ukrainian culture, migration and diaspora studies.

Jacob Michelson
A multifaceted artist, entrepreneur, and mentor
Born in Georgia during the era of the USSR, he later lived in Latvia and Israel, where he studied art. In 1989, he moved to Los Angeles, initially exploring the film,theatre and dance industries .
Michelson produced few films including the feature film "Sonhos de Peixe," which won award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006.

Misha Suvorov
A trained actor from the city of theaters, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
He graduated Sanford Meisner Center in 2016 and works on stage, TV and in film. Coming from an artsy soviet intelligentsia family, he enjoyed a privilege of having the best of what late soviet era of underground arts could offer. As of his acting style, Misha undertook Konstantin Stanislavski's method study and additional training in Mikhail Chekov's technique. In 2013 Misha arrived at Hollywood were he studied at Sanford Meisner Center of Los Angeles to learn an American way of acting. In 2024 his solo acting stage performance The Boarder won the Best of The Actors' group during the Hollywood Fringe festival.

Vita Solzberg
A founder of the Speaking Creation Inc, a documentary film maker and an art activist and promoter.
She was born in Belarus. Native to the Slavic culture, world's fine arts and the science of physics with Fractals being her forever inspiration, Vita got a degree in the History and Theory of Fine Arts but focused on journalism. She excelled in TV news reportage, documentaries, feature films, and unscripted reality before moving to Los Angeles and returning to her lifelong dream of promoting creativity.

Alona Ksenofontova
A hair stylist with over 13 years of experience in the film industry and a member of the Hollywood film union Local 706.
Her work spans a wide range of productions across Europe and the United States, where she skillfully merges diverse techniques and creative approaches from both cinematic traditions. Alona has also contributed her expertise to projects at Warner Bros., further enriching her international portfolio. She specializes in character styling for film and television, bringing a versatile skill set to every project and thriving in both major studio productions and independent films.

Lydie M. Denier
Actress, Producer, Filmmaker, Writer
After a successful acting career with over forty television series and feature films she has shifted her focus to writing, directing, and producing films.
As a filmmaker, Lydie is committed to nurturing emerging talent, serving as an executive producer on short films that give young filmmakers a platform to bring their visions to life. Her directorial debut, Unforgotten Box, is a deeply personal documentary that reflects her love for intimate, thought-provoking narratives.

Artem Nasybulin
An award-winning Russian TV and film director known for hit series like “Absurd,” “Sketch of Murder,” and “New Man.”
A graduate of the Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute, he has directed hundreds of episodes across major Russian networks, blending sharp storytelling with a deep understanding of contemporary life. His work spans drama, comedy, and crime, making him one of the most versatile directors in Russian television today.
