Jury President
Cultural Behavior
Dr Kyung Wook Seo is an Associate Professor in Architecture at Northumbria university in the UK. He is an expert on Tourism and Cultural Heritage. He is a recipient of JSPS Invitational Fellowship in 2023 for his research on Space Modelling for Decentralised Post-COVID-19 Tourism in Japan. He wrote extensively on cities and houses through the lens of cultural behavior, architectural heritage, and urban regeneration for sustainable future. His recent articles include: ‘Architecture as Frozen Music: Perception of Crossing Boundaries as Audible Experience’, Archnet-IJAR, 2023, and ‘Finding Generative Rules in Settlements and Houses by Means of an Ideographic Language’, Nexus Network Journal, 2023. He is an editor of the best-selling book, Architectural Imagination and Storytelling: Bartlett Scenarios in 2014 that explored how cultural values of architecture generate narrative images of the city.
Jury Member
the Multicultural Planning & Design
Akihiro Kashima is a professor at the Multicultural Planning & Design Laboratory, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Setsunan University in Osaka, Japan. He holds a PhD in planning history from the Kyoto Institute of Technology. He worked as a practicing architect at the Town Hall of Girona, Spain in 1993 and since, his research interests lie in the planning history, especially, of Spanish towns, planning heritage, and civic pride and urban commons, community resources, etc. As a teacher of architectural planning and city planning, Akihiro works on a wide field of projects and methodology rediscovering urban commons and community resources.
Film Director
Direct corporate and government film projects such as promotion, TV commercial, documentary in sports, culture and nature world all around Japan.
2020 JWTFF Japan competition Grand Prix award winner. Based in Tokyo Japan.
CIFFT Director
Alexander V. Kammel is President and Owner of Filmservice International, which is Europe’s biggest organizer of corporate film festivals. He is festival director of 3 well known festivals named “Internationale Wirtschaftsfilmtage”, “AutoVision Awards” and “Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards”. Further he is co-founder and festival director of the Grand Prix CIFFT for the worlds-best tourism films and organizer of the “Staatspreis Wirtschaftsfilm” the State Award for Corporate Films, held every two years on the initiative of the Austrian Ministry for Digital and Economic affairs in Austria.
Architect
Dr. Chantanee CHIRANTHANUT is a distinguished architect and lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture, Khon Kaen University. She earned her Ph.D. from The University of Shiga Prefecture, Japan, and specializes in vernacular and contemporary architecture in Asia. Her extensive research has been widely circulated through academic journals and international conferences, contributing significantly to the discourse on architectural innovation and cultural sustainability.
Beyond her scholarly endeavors, Dr. CHIRANTHANUT actively engages in original contemporary architectural design. Her practice often involves experimental projects that challenge and expand the boundaries of modern architecture. As an educator, she integrates vernacular architectural principles with hands-on experimental construction, Design-Build initiatives, and moderate architectural applications. She plays a leading role in the K.Lab studio, fostering an interdisciplinary approach that bridges theoretical knowledge with practical design solutions.
Amorgos International Film Festival
With a degree and master’s in Political Science, Christiana embarked on a journey into the world of tourism, where she has spent the last four years, among other things, organizing the Amorgos International Film Festival. As a jury member at the JWTFF 2025, Christiana blends her love for travel with a deep appreciation for the cinematic narrative, all while staying grounded in the shared experience of discovery.
Filmmaker
Don Falsario II is a Filipino director based in Manila, Philippines.
His career kicked off with a local boutique production house where he started as a video editor. This paved the way for him to explore and master videography, photography, motion graphics and color grading, all of which ultimately led to directing. This versatility proved more than helpful in realizing his vision in telling stories.
His oeuvre is an eclectic mix of current digital films (with strong focus on documentary-based films featuring non-actors, tourism films, among others. He has also worked with both global and local clients including the BBC, the United Nations, Unilever, to name a few.
One of his most acclaimed work, a tourism film for the Tubbataha Reefs in Palawan entitled “Tubbataha: A National Treasure,” competed and won in numerous documentary/tourism film festivals across the globe. The film’s multiple wins landed him a spot as a jury member in two tourism film festivals in Portugal (12th Art&Tur Tourism Film Festival) and Japan (2nd Japan’s World Tourism Film Festival)
Tourism Marketing and Destination Branding
Francisco Dias holds a PhD degree in Tourism Science from the University of Perpignan, France. He is Professor in the Leiria Polytechnic, Diretor of the ART&TUR – International Tourism Film Festival and vice-president of the Centro de Portugal Film Commission. He was the founder and first presidente of EATSA – The Euro-Asia Tourism Studies Association. His is the creator and mistermind of many international projects, such as the newest EATSA Art & Tourism Film Festival, the Favourite Destinations Worldwide research project, the International Conference on Tourism Marketing and Destination Branding. Some of his studies have been published in several leading journals, such as Annals of Tourism Research, British Food Journal, Community Development and European Journal of Tourism Research.
architectural historian
Ikko Okakita is an Associate Professor in the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Design at Okayama Prefectural University. He completed research abroad at universities in Paris and Rome while in graduate school, and received his Ph.D. from the Kyoto Institute of Technology Graduate School of Science and Technology in 2013. He studies historic buildings and cities in Europe from the perspectives of “preservation” and “renovation”. In Okayama, he is conducting research on the utilization of artistic practices and cultural properties in the region, with a focus on art festivals.
Communication
in Digital Platforms
Imran Khan has completed his PhD in the Information and Communication in Digital Platforms program at the prestigious University of Porto and Aveiro. He also holds a master’s degree in multimedia communication from the University of Aveiro and a bachelor’s degree in computer science. As a dynamic researcher and lecturer, Imran contributes to the academic community at the University of Aveiro, the Institute of Telecommunications in Bragança, Portugal, and in higher education institutions for technology in the UAE. His expertise includes animation, cinematography, and cutting- edge technologies in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Additionally, Imran serves as an active jury member for the Art and Tours Film Festival, showcasing his commitment to the arts. He has received numerous awards for his exceptional work as a director, editor, and cinematographer at various prestigious festivals, including the Deca, Sophia, Festivals, further illustrating his talent and dedication to the field. CURRENT RESEARCH AREAS AND PROJECTS Imran Khan’s research focuses on designing novel models that leverage the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance overall well-being, encompassing both psychological and physical health. His work explores how emerging technologies can create innovative solutions to improve the quality of life across diverse populations. Currently, Imran is undertaking two significant projects. The first project investigates the role of AI in promoting elderly well-being in China, examining how intelligent systems can support mental health, social engagement, and daily activities for older adults. This research aims to provide actionable insights into leveraging AI to foster a supportive environment for the elderly. The second project, titled “”Echoes of Tradition: Navigating Wenzhou Intangible Heritage, focuses on documenting and preserving the rich cultural heritage of Wenzhou through advanced storytelling techniques. This project aims to bridge technology and cultural heritage, emphasizing the importance of tradition in enhancing community well- being while driving technological innovation.
Traveling Professor
Yanki is Associate Professor of Management at Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia. She earned MBA degree from University of the Philippines and obtained Master of Science and Doctor in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Universitas Indonesia. After gaining fifteen years of professional experiences in various industries as Human Resources practitioner, she then decided to take the plunge into the academic world. Since 2010, she has been invited to share her knowledge and disseminate her research findings in Asia and Europe. Her research focuses on leadership, cultural values, human resources management, and cyber behavior among multi-generational employees and travelers.
Film Director, Screenwriter
and Producer
Chern grew up in Texas and attended Plano East Senior High School in Plano, Texas, where he started his first web company at age 17. He was an all-state violinist, professional gamer and green belt double gold medalist in the U.S. Taekwondo Junior National Championships. When he was young, he made a three-minute short film that eventually aired on The Best Damn Sports Show Period. He also interned at the ReelFX creative studio (where he got assistance from Corey Snyder on his animated short film Dk9000), and received a scholarship from the Wishful Wings Artist Competition.He then attended and graduated, with honors, from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2006, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Film/Cinema/Video Studies (summa cum laude), and also graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree in Film Directing from the Taipei National University of the Arts in 2009.
Creativity and Criticality for Sustainability
Professor, Faculty of Tourism, Wakayama University/Creating Happiness Incubation, Musashino University, Japan. Board of Directors, Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Advisor, Global Himalayan Expedition
Creativity and Criticality for Sustainability as a principle, empowering communities through sustainable tourism is her mission. Works include: Kato, K. (2019). Gender and Sustainability – exploring ways of knowing: an ecohumanities perspective, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Vol. 27(7), 939-956; Kato, K. (2015). Australia’s whaling discourse: global norm, green consciousness and identity, Journal of Australian Studies, Vol. 39 (4), 477-493 (John Barrett Award for Best Paper). Many of her works have led to creative projects: Waiting for the Tide (ABC Radio, https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/world-docos/working-in-water/12240026), Fukushima: In search of New lights (https://www.mirainomatsuri-fukushima.jp/20190806-2021.html), Sound Garden (https://www.uq.edu.au/news/article/2009/01/eco-art-opens-roma-street-parkland). She currently leads a national project to implement Japan Sustainable Tourism Standard for Destinations (Japan Tourism Agency).
Co-Direction of ART&TUR International Tourism Film Festival
Mariana Calaça Baptista, studied architecture at the Lusíada University, and carried out her research for 6 years in the DGMEN at the Endangered Heritage Department. It was there that she lived closely the experience of the proximity to the national architectural heritage including the candidacies to UNESCO of Baixa Pombalina in Lisbon and city of Coimbra through University of Coimbra. She knows closely the history and heritage of the country and believes that it is with knowledge, that we are truly special.
During the economic crisis of 2008, she decided to leave Lisbon and went to the countryside to manage a Rural Tourism in Óbidos for 5 years. There she learned the great passion that foreigners have for Portugal (She usually feels that she travelled around the world several times without leaving that single Manor House). She also specialized in ISCTE in Entrepreneurship in Cultural and Landscape Tourism winning an award in entrepreneurship with the project PLAYWEST, a mobile app project that promotes touristic sites. In 2014 she started to work closer to cultural associations and went to the academia again, when she decided to create her own project as www.marianacalacabaptista.pt.
During this new challenge she participated in the production of several projects as a cultural manager and she had the chance to coordinate the Royal Escapade 2017 for the Versailles Foundation in New York, Caldas Creative Tourism at CREATOUR in 2017, Vouzela Raiz in 2019 and CES Summer School in Caldas da Rainha She is Secretary of the Board at Centro Portugal Film Commission since 2021 and she is also a regular contributor to Moondo Magazine https://ilmondonuovo.club/imn2023
To this day she collaborates with several entities and is a consultant in the areas of Heritage, Communication Tourism and Culture having as main challenge the Co-Direction of ART&TUR International Tourism Film Festival, Centro Portugal Film Commission and the coordination of by.Vouzela a social collaborative upcycling initiative, based on the textile industry of Vouzela, Viseu, Portugal.
Photographer
Born in Tokyo in 1958. Graduated from Nihon University, Faculty of Law, Department of Newspaper. Since his student days, he has photographed local trains in Hokkaido and Tohoku, documentaries, animals and sports. After graduating, he worked for an advertising agency until 1988, when he left the agency after eight years. In 1988, after eight years at the agency, he left to go on a solo motorbike tour of Australia, where he fell in love with the continent and nature photography. He tries not to stay in a hotel, but always camps at the location to be at one with the continent. He was the first Japanese photographer to hold a major exhibition in Australia at the Wilderness Gallery, Australia’s largest photography gallery, and has since held exhibitions around the world. He is currently a Friends of Tasmania Ambassador for the State Government of Tasmania, Australia.In 2008, he represented Japan in the Adobe Photo Adventure, which brought together 17 photographers from around the world. He is an Asahi Pentax registered professional artist and a member of Nikon Professional Services.
Winner of the 2008 Chunichi Shimbun Advertising Award for “Experience Australia“ (Tourism Australia)
Regional brand marketing and tourism marketing
Meng Qu, 渠蒙 Ph.D., serves as an Associate Professor and Vice Director at the Center for Advanced Tourism Studies, Hokkaido University. He co-convenes the Small Island Cultures Research Initiative (SICRI). Between 2006 and 2015, he studied and worked as a digital artist, interactive design director, and vice president across Shanghai and Beijing, specializing in digital media art and museum design. His current research focuses on the revitalization of rural communities through international art festivals, in which he has participated as a volunteer, staff member, and researcher. These festivals include the Xucun International Art Festival (2011-2013) in China, the Setouchi Triennale (2016-2019) in Japan, and the Shiosai Art Festival (2019-2022). Drawing from diverse working experiences and trans-disciplinary frameworks, particularly in creative/tourism geography, rural and island studies, with a focus on East Asia, his key research topics include socially engaged art festivals, relational aesthetics, creative in-migrants, sustainability, and rural revitalization. His current work centers on establishing an interdisciplinary nexus for rural revitalization by leveraging creative tourism initiatives to rejuvenate peripheral communities. He is also exploring the use of documentary film as a tool for fieldwork. Representative research documentaries include the Island Renaissance documentary series (2022) and documentaries on Ainu and Aboriginal artists (2025).
Regional brand marketing and tourism marketing
Associate professor of Kobe Shoin Women’s University Specializes in research on regional brand marketing and tourism marketing.
Traffic Big Data Analyst
Naoki Nozu is a lecturer of tourism and transport at Professional College of Arts and Tourism, Toyooka Japan. Since 2020, he directs the tourists’ mobility design in Toyooka Theater Festival as a mobility director. He worked as a transport consultant for Navitime Japan, one of the Japanese major navigation company, in charge of traffic big data management business. As a researcher, he have been analyzed traffic big data to know tourism dynamics, especially about increasing foreign tourists in Japanese rural areas using mobile navigation apps. In 2015 and 2016, his presentations about tourism big data won the grand prizes at annual main conferences in Society for Tourism Informatics in Japan.
Documentary filmmaker, Consultant and Producer
Audiovisual producer and producer, communication consultant and teacher. Degree in Audiovisual Communication from the Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona). Máster en Dirección de Comunicación por la Barcelona School of Management. He is a European graduate in documentary production through the Eurodoc training program (2016). He has studied highly specialized courses in television programming, transmedia communication and in the field of documentary filmmaking at the Ateliers Varan in Paris (2007), at the Film and Television School of San Antonio de los Baños de Cuba (2002) and at the Complutense University of Madrid (2001).
He is a founding partner of Filmsnòmades, an audiovisual production company that, since 2008, produces television reports, documentaries, advertising spots, corporate videos and museographic works.
He has been the driving force of the TERRES TRAVEL FESTIVAL – Films & Creativity (www.terresfestival.com), member of the CIFFT (International Committee of Tourism Film Festivals) since 2019.
Since October 2016, she has led the consultancy in communication PVS Media, specialized in specific communication support to tourist companies.
In the year 2017, his interactive documentary Buda, l’illa del Delta (www.budafilm.com) won the Prize of the Rural World Foundation of Catalonia for the best journalistic work. His production Buda, l’illa del Delta, won in August 2014 the Jury Prize and the Audience for Best International Documentary at the Columbia Gorge Festival (Vancouver, WA, USA), as well as the Best Film Award at the 2013 edition of the Memorimage Festival (Reus, Spain).
His advertising spot for the gastronomic multi-space El Nacional de Barcelona won in October 2015 the First Prize of the category “Gastronomy and wine” at the Art & Tur Festival 2015, celebrated in Vila Nova da Gaia (Portugal). His piece Festa Major (2009), produced as part of the Strobe videocreation festival, was distinguished with the Libélula Prize at the Contemporary Art Week in Mar del Plata (Argentina), in March 2011.
He has been a member of the jury at the following festivals: ArteTur – INTERNATIONAL TOURISM FILM FESTIVAL (Portugal, 2016-2024), MónFilmat (Amposta, 2016), the JAPAN WORLD’S TOURISM FILM FESTIVAL (2020-2025), the AMORGOS TOURISM FILM FESTIVAL (2019-2022) or the DEAUVILLE GREEN AWARDS (Deauville, France 2017-2024).
filmmaker, travel journalist and an avid adventurer
SPOMENKA SARAGA is Zagreb Tourfilm Festival’s Director, a festival seated in Croatia’s capital. Photographer, filmmaker, travel journalist and an avid adventurer, Spomenka travels to the most exotic corners of the world. Her film experience, gained in the famous Jadran Film Studio – referred to at that time as European Hollywood – was won through holding highly responsible financial and production posts and making films together with famous directors, actors and other producers.
After that she founded her own company, BALDUČI FILM, producing many successful documentaries, feature and tourism promotional films. Spomenka has been awarded numerous prizes in Croatian and International Film Festivals and is a Member of the Croatian Association of Film Workers, the Croatian Producers Association and the World Federation of Travel Journalists and Writers.
Member of the Jury at the Deauville Green Awards – France, Baku International Tourism Film Festival – Azerbaijan, ART&TUR Portugal, SILAFEST – Serbia, AMORGOS International Film Festival – Greece, Cappadocia Tourism Film Festival – Turkey, Finisterra Arrábida Film Art & Tourism Festival -Portugal, ITFF Africa – Cape Town, South Africa, JWTFF – Japan, etc.
Filmmaker
2024 Mrs SAKE Japan Sake Gastronomy Filmmaker Born and raised in Japan, Tomomi Duquette spent her 20s studying and working in Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, and China. With her bilingual and international background, she now dedicates herself to promoting sake culture and local gastronomy tourism through film, websites, pamphlets, public speaking, and various promotional media. With a unique perspective shaped by her experiences abroad, she seeks out Japan’s hidden gems, sharing their stories with the world. Her work has been widely recognized, earning her multiple international accolades. She has won Best Gastronomy Film in both international and domestic categories and has received a total of 11 awards at the Japan World’s Tourism Film Festival (JWTFF) and ART&TUR Festival in Portugal. https://jwtff.world/archives/aiovg_videos/j53_2019https://jwtff.world/archives/aiovg_videos/2023_23_japan