JURY FOR SPECIAL TOPIC AWARD 2023

Mehves Öztürk

Mehves Öztürk is Kurdish, comes from Turkey, and currently resides in Freiburg. She studied Civil Engineering and Social Services in Turkey. She has been deeply committed to humanitarian causes, particularly focusing on the welfare of refugee children in camps across Kurdistan, Turkey, and Europe. She channels her passion and dedication through a unique blend of political activism and circus artistry, touching the lives of those in need. In addition, Mehves works as a professional analogue photographer.

Juan Andres Zegers

Juan Andres Zegers is a chilean architect with a dedicated focus on ecological and sustainable architecture. For over two years, he has made Freiburg his home, channeling his expertise towards revolutionizing the field. His approach is driven by a mission to dispel the prevalent misconception that “green architecture is more expensive.” Simultaneously, he challenges socio-economic paradigms, while forging innovative pathways for community engagement in urban development and decentralized energy production. He envisions a future where architectural and urban development endeavors bear the responsibility of mitigating their impact on both urban and rural climates, playing a pivotal role in combating global warming.

Matthias Erbacher

Matthias Erbacher, a german residing near Freiburg, is a versatile freelancer in the film and media industry. With extensive experience in filming and production across various countries, since 1999, he has assumed different roles in the film business, working as a producer, production manager, location scout, and funding applicant. Matthias has been part of multiple projects, such as the movie “Breisgau” (2020) ans “Olinda – the Heartbeat of Brasil” (2018).