YLLKA GJOLLESHA
FOUNDER AND FESTIVAL PRODUCER
Yllka Gjollesha (b.1985, Albania) is a Tirana-based video artist and curator, and the Founder and Producer of the Gjon Mili International Video Art Festival (IVAF). With a multidisciplinary background in video art, media, and museology, she has curated key cultural institutions such as the Gjon Mili Museum, the Ethnographic Museums of Gjirokastra, Kadare House, Kruja, and Kavaja.
Formerly Head of Production at Albanian Radio Television and co-founder of Agora Art Center, her work focuses on cultural preservation, visual storytelling, and artistic innovation. She is also the author of the documentary “Dritë (Light)” about Gjon Mili and is currently involved in the development of the Archaeological Museum of Durrës.
ELTON KORITARI
FESTIVAL ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
EJAlbum founder and administrator, project manager and curator of art and cultural events, specially focused on photography. Elton Koritari has been working in the Creative Industry for years, managing art projects, curating exhibitions, directing communication campaigns and also representing in Albania some of the most important brands in that sector. He’s work is mainly focused on research about communities, social activism and visual education
SUELA BAKO
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
Suela Bako is an accomplished director and actress, holding a degree in Acting as well as in Film and Television Directing from the University of Arts. She has directed numerous short films and documentaries that have been featured and recognized at prominent international festivals. In 2018, Suela made her debut as a theater director and has earned awards for her work in both film and theater, including the prestigious “Best Actress” award at the Nashville Film Festival. She serves as an assistant lecturer in the Film Directing Department at the University of Arts actress at “Aleksandër Moisiu” Theater. Her first feature film, Ne Të Treja, was awarded the grand prize at DotOnTheMap Film Days in Cyprus in 2020.
GENTIAN GJIKOPULLI
FESTIVAL SELECTOR AND JURY MEMBER
Gentian Gjikopulli, (born in 1974) currently lives in Tirana, Albania. Graduated in Monumental Painting Section at Academy of Fine Arts Tirana, Albania. In 1996 he specialized in “arts plastique” in Luminy-Marseille, France. He is a multidisciplinary artist working in painting, video, directing, and screenwriting.
HELIDON GJERGJI
FESTIVAL SELECTOR AND JURY MEMBER
Helidon Gjergji was born in Tirana and raised in Shkodra. He has over 30 years of experience as an artist, university lecturer, and curator. Throughout his career, Helidon has worked across various media, ranging from painting to multimedia installations and urban art interventions.
His work has been exhibited in numerous renowned exhibitions and institutions, including: the 52nd Venice Biennale; Manifesta 8 (Spain); Tirana Biennale 1 and 4; Festival of Ideas 1 – New Museum (New York); the 12th Venice Architecture Biennale; Project Biennial 3 (Bosnia & Herzegovina); Industrial Art Biennial 3 (Croatia); National Art Center (Tokyo); Ludwig Museum (Budapest); MASS MoCA (USA); MADRE – Museum of Contemporary Art (Naples), among others.
As a curator, Gjergji has collaborated with both private and public institutions such as Moderna Museet, MAXXI, Gagosian Gallery, Hauser & Wirth Gallery, and with artists like William Kentridge, Anri Sala, and others.
His work has been reviewed and featured in major professional media outlets such as Artforum, Art in America, Mousse Magazine, Sculpture, Contemporary, Flash Art, Domus, The Independent, Artribune, Swedish Public Radio, Malta Public Television, Reuters, and more.
Gjergji has taught at institutions including the State University of New York, Parsons The New School of Design, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Northwestern University. He has also lectured on his work at Harvard University, Teachers College at Columbia University, etc.
GLORIA KATIRAJ
FESTIVAL COORDINATOR
Glorja Katiraj, born in Tirana in 2002, is a young and promising artist and designer. She completed her Bachelor’s studies in Art and Design at Polis University, where she developed her aesthetic sensitivity and creative vision. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Applied Design, further deepening her knowledge and contemporary approaches in the field. For the past two years, she has been working as a graphic designer, blending creativity with professionalism in various visual projects.
SEVASTI NDINI
FESTIVAL COORDINATOR
Sevasti Ndini, born in Athens, Greece in 2003, completed her Bachelor’s degree in Art & Design at Polis University, where she refined her skills and expanded her creative vision. Currently, she is building her career as a freelance Graphic Designer, continuing to explore and express her artistic identity through diverse visual projects.
SARA TAFARAM
FESTIVAL COORDINATOR AND PRESENTER
Sara Tafaram, born in Tirana in 2002, is a young artist with a deep aesthetic sensitivity and a well-formed vision from an early age. She completed her Bachelor’s studies in Art and Design at Polis University, where she further developed her creative inclinations and conceptual approach to art. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Applied Design, delving deeper into contemporary forms of visual expression. With an innate passion for art, Sara has been involved in creative projects since childhood, combining imagination with professionalism in the development of visual identities and graphic communication
