For the 12th year in a row, the Venice Lido is getting ready to welcome 27 young cinephiles, coming from all the member countries of the EU to take part in the 27 Times Cinema project, organized by Giornate degli Autori, the European Parliament's Lux Audience Award, and Europa Cinemas, with the collaboration of Cineuropa.

14 young women and 13 young men will join forces to constitute the only official jury for the GdA Director's Award, now in its 8th year, which carries a cash prize of €20,000, to be split between the filmmaker and the international distributor of the winning film. It's a big responsibility for these jurors ranging in age from 18 to 25 and, for the 8th year running, under the wing of Karel Och, Artistic Director of the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. Above and beyond their key role as jurors, however, this team is heading out on a special mission: becoming ambassadors and promoters virtual influencers of the events connected with the Lux Audience Award, on social media and in the cinemas belonging to the Europa Cinemas network. They'll be sharing their experience in Venice during and after the Venice Film Festival.

The biggest novelty this year concerns the jury president: not one, but two, and both women! Mina Mileva and Vesela Kazakova, directors, producers, activists and feminists, and a Bulgarian duo well-known on the festival circuit, will bring all their enthusiasm to bear on guiding this group of young filmgoers. It's a small revolution that Mileva and Kazakova, in agreement with the Giornate organizers, have decided to take on by speaking with one voice, and reserving to themselves the same duties and number of votes of a single president.

For all of you who would like to see the members of the 27 Times Cinema jury and their presidents in action, save the date  Friday, September 10th, 2021  when, in keeping with tradition, Giornate opens the doors to  the last round of jury deliberations, open to the public and livestreamed on its social media channels.

Austria

Belgium

Bulgaria

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Ireland

Italy

Latvia

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Netherlands

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden