OFFICIAL JURY
QAFF 2024
National and International Competition
This prestigious jury will bring expertise and a diversity of opinions that will enrich the festival's deliberations. Their experience in the film industry will ensure a fair and balanced evaluation of the presented works, taking into account both technical and artistic aspects. Their presence will also contribute to offering the audience an enriching experience by allowing them to hear the perspectives and knowledge of these experts and leaders in their respective fields.
Obeida Benavides
Actress / Director / Colombia
Obeida Benavides is a recognized actress from Barranquilla, whose career and talent have made her an important figure in Colombia. Comedy has become a means for her to overcome her shyness and express herself publicly, which has led her to participate in theater plays since her youth. Her work in Colombian television includes roles in telenovelas such as "Chepe Fortuna," "Los Morales," and Netflix's "Pálpito." Recently, she has also ventured into audiovisual directing with her short film "Canción sencilla," which will be presented at the International Film Festival for Human Rights in Barranquilla.
Benita Jacques
Director / Canada
Benita Jacques is a trained actress who discovered from a young age that theater and she were meant for each other. By deciding to make the stage her natural habitat, she understood that it was a place of pleasure, artistic expression, and also a way to share her state of mind. Jacques consolidated her academic training with an Arts and Letters DEC from Collège Marie Victorin and a Bachelor's degree in Drama from the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM).
Gonzalo Restrepo Sánchez
Filmmaker / Journalist / Colombia
Gonzalo Restrepo Sánchez is a Colombian filmmaker (he directed his latest short film "Schubert, secret et fantômes" in 2013), writer, and journalist (member of the International Federation of Film Critics - FIPRESCI). He studied film directing at the "El Photoce" Film School in Madrid, Spain, where he won the National Screenplay Award. He also holds a degree in Social Communication from UNAD (Colombia) with honors. He has published books on cinema, research, short stories, and novels. He worked for several years as a university professor in different higher education institutions in the Colombian Caribbean region and is considered a pioneer in the creation of the TeleCaribe television channel.
Alicia Olivares
Actress / Peru
Alicia Olivares Robles is an Afro-Peruvian actress, director, and producer, recognized for her work at the Ébano Theater and as the founder of Mujeres Afro en Escena, an initiative aimed at creating spaces for artistic expression for Afro-descendant women and addressing the limited opportunities for development they face in the performing arts and audiovisual field. She is a professional actress graduated from the National School of Dramatic Art in Peru. Olivares is also the general director of Mujeres Afro en Escena, as stated in her social media profiles, and actively demonstrates her commitment to the arts and cultural scene.
Wilson Borja
Illustrator, Graphic Designer / Colombia
Wilson Borja, a Colombian graphic designer and artist, received his education at the National University of Colombia in 2003. Since then, he has developed a remarkable career as an illustrator and animator, collaborating on national publications and animation projects for television and cinema. His art, reflecting his African heritage, materialized in the series "Máscaras Blancas" exhibited at Visaje Grafitti. After over a decade of artistic career, Borja obtained a Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Arkansas, thanks to a Fulbright scholarship in 2011, thus consolidating his commitment to exploration and innovation in the visual arts.