Keeping up with Roffa Mon Amour New Jury 2022

We contacted last year’s New Jury to ask them some questions about their life, and their experience as jury at Roffa Mon Amour 2022.

Here’s what they answered!

What are you doing now Mayra?
I currently write blog posts for my course’s student magazine IBCoMagazine and run my own personal blog – alongside finishing up my final year of a Bachelor in Communication and Media!

What is the best memory you will bring with you from this experience as a New Jury member?
Definitely watching all the movies together with other members of the New Jury with brief discussions following each viewing. It was really fun, open, and it was exactly what I loved doing – watching and talking about films.

Why did you choose to take part in the New Jury?
I like to review films in my own time, but I wanted to experience it with a group of like-minded people in a setting that felt more professional. I wanted to learn from others, collaborate with others, and grow as a film reviewer as a result.

What did you think was the best take-in from this experience?
What I found was that reviewing or critiquing movies is more of an emotion-based experience. We all first assessed the films on whether they made us feel something, and to me, that is almost always an indicator of competent writing/directing.

How did your relationship with cinema change after this experience?
I became more confident about my film takes. I would regularly watch films, and would review them based on what I thought –  without fear of judgment  – because films are a highly personal medium. And because film is a personal medium, reviewing films is a highly interpretative and personal experience as well!

What are you doing now Francesco?
At the moment I am a part-time employee in Panzerò Restaurant and searching for a job to work in the chocolate sector.

What is the best memory you will bring with you from this experience as a New Jury member?
The best memory is the experience itself ? ( Does it count? hahaha ). I have met a lot of very nice and qualified people that were sharing the same passion but in different ways. Even if it was a bit cold on the nights of the screening, the memory feels very warm and cozy 🙂

Why did you choose to take part in the New Jury?
I chose to take part because I found it very interesting, I was like “naaa I have no cinema related background so it’s not going to happen” and then it happened. So I would say curiosity.

What did you think was the best take-in from this experience?
The professional environment, absolutely. Being in close contact with a reality that shows a behind the scene of a film festival, the complexity that is unseen, I found it very inspiring. I mean, I learned how to see movies differently, how to write a movie report and how to be part of a jury, it’s already a lot to take in honestly hahaha.

How did your relationship with cinema change after this experience?
My relationship with movies hasn’t changed much, i would say that my awareness is. I consciously know more about the world that is behind a camera and how it can impact others than myself. It made me see different points of view despite my own. 

What are you doing now Luka?
Right now I am a freelance filmmaker and working on different film projects. I just finished a video for a Ukrainian ballet collective and I am working with some small fashion brands!  

What is the best memory you will bring with you from this experience as a New Jury member?
It was really nice to be able to meet other young people that are interested in film and I loved to learn analyzing films in a new and different way. I got to look at the deeper rooted meanings of the stories that were being told in the different films.

Why did you choose to take part in the New Jury?
I wanted to connect with new people that are interested in film and learn how to look at films in a new way.

What did you think was the best take-in from this experience?
I got to see that there are different ways to interpret the meaning of a film and I got to learn about different parts of the world and their social issues/themes. Even though all the movies were super diverse and from so many different places there were actually a lot of themes that overlapped and that I could relate too. It made me think about how important film is for human connection and understanding.

How did your relationship with cinema change after this experience?
It broadens the way I look at and interpretive films. For instance I mostly analyse movies by looking at the editing and the cinematography, and now I also look deeper into other aspects such as the screenplay and the dynamic between characters.

What are you doing now Showendrick?
I’m finishing my studies doing a thesis project with Artist Boris van Berkum. Also working as a partnermanager for @breeze.social dating app.

What is the best memory you will bring with you from this experience as a New Jury member?
Meeting people who also love movies, and having great discussions with them. Sometimes even roasting a movie haha.

Why did you choose to take part in the New Jury?
I wanted to get a behind the scenes look in what it takes to create a filmfestival and a cultural event in Rotterdam. Maybe one day I’ll be doing it myself.

What did you think was the best take-in from this experience?
I definitely watch independent movies more often now!

How did your relationship with cinema change after this experience?
I found out I appreciate films that have a message. Nothing wrong with a blockbuster here and there, but I learned to appreciate more authentic and real films. 

These were last year’s New Jury opinion on their experience with Roffa Mon Amour. So, who is going to be this year’s New Jury? 
Stay up to date, following @roffamonamour on Instagram!