Feature Jury
Oliver Goetzl
Oliver Goetzl is a German wildlife filmmaker and musician. He studied biology, geology/paleontology and hydrobiology/fishery science at the University of Hamburg. He co-founded the Gulo Film Productions in 2004 and became particularly well known with his film “Wolverines - Hyenas of the North”. He has worked on films in Africa (Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa), Canada, USA, India, Sri Lanka, Italy, Poland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Russia, and the High Arctic. His work has won numerous awards. Among his most acclaimed documentaries are “White Wolves – Ghosts of the Arctic”, “Lost Kings of Bioko” and “Jungle Book Bear”.
Verity White
Verity has over twenty years of experience as a producer/director with the BBC Natural History Unit and independent companies, working on diverse projects from wildlife documentaries to Hollywood films and 3D productions. Specializing in climate change storytelling, she balances realism with hope. She advocates for local crews, securing industry sponsorship for training. Beyond TV, she leads a research organization on carbon offsetting, serves as a school governor, and supports charities tackling poverty and community sports. She also captains a women’s cricket team. In her spare time, she enjoys walking her dogs and keeping up with her nine-year-old son.
Nurashikin Zaharuddin
Nurashikin is a filmmaker and co-founder of Happy Campers Productions, bringing over fifteen years of experience in broadcasting and content creation. Her passion for storytelling led her to co-found Walkabout Asia, a travel documentary platform inspiring cultural exploration. As Festival Director of Walk The Doc, she curates impactful documentaries highlighting untold stories. She has also explored nature documentaries, capturing environmental issues. An active member of the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union, she has served as a jury member for the ABU Prizes. Today, she continues her filmmaking journey while building a reputable media company.
Dr. Özgün Emre Can
Emre is a wildlife conservation biologist who pioneered field studies on grey wolves (1999), striped hyenas (2002), leopards (2009) and wild cats (2011), advancing conservation research in Türkiye. He assisted Türkiye’s wildlife authority in launching large mammal surveys and securing legal protection for large carnivores (2003). As an Oxford University research fellow, he led bear, tiger, and zoonotic disease projects in the UK for over eight years. Through his leopard research in Nepal, he discovered a clouded leopard population living at a world-record altitude of 3,500 meters in the Himalayas (2015). His work spans seven countries. He trained students and professionals from over twenty nations and is currently a faculty member at Department of Biology, Ankara University, Türkiye.
Erol Yazıcı
Erol graduated from Ankara University’s Faculty of Communication, Radio and Television Department and began his career as a cameraman at TRT Ankara Television in 1987. He contributed to acclaimed documentaries by master director ErtuÄŸrul KarslıoÄŸlu, such as “Sweat and Felt” and “Water: A Shaper of Culture”, as well as popular TRT programs like “Little Things” and “Letters to Pako”. In 2004, he ventured into wildlife cinematography with the documentary “Giant Wings: The Black Vulture”, later taking part in numerous award-winning wildlife films, including “Bear vs Man”, “Wolf”, and “Secret of the Forest: The Caracal”.