Kirill Serebrennikov is one of the most powerful and controversial voices in contemporary cinema. Having made his mark in the mid-2000s with a distinctive style, he quickly established a unique profile through films that challenge authority and explore the complex tensions between individual desire and societal constraints.
With a regular presence at Cannes and a body of work defined by the exploration of artistic freedom and the conflict between the individual and society, Kirill Serebrennikov is coming to *Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest* to meet the audience. The two films featured in the festival’s “Focus” section stand out for their unmistakable directorial power.
Sophie Holland is the casting director for the hit television franchise *The Witcher*, Netflix’s first international original series. Her other major projects include *Constellations* (Apple+), *The Peripheral* (Amazon), *The Continental* (the *John Wick* prequel for Starz/Lionsgate), *Knuckles* (Paramount), seasons 1 and 2 of Tim Burton’s *Wednesday* (Netflix), *Vampire Academy* for NBC, season 4 of the acclaimed Netflix series *You*, and season 2 of *Shadow and Bone* (Netflix/21 Laps).
In film, Sophie Holland is the casting director for Tim Burton’s *Beetlejuice 2* (Warner Bros), *Sonic 3* and *Sonic 4* (Paramount), and has handled UK casting for highly anticipated productions such as *Convoy* (Skydance), *The Gorge* (Apple), *Mission: Impossible 8 – Dead Reckoning* (Paramount), *Back in Action* (Netflix), and *Cherry* (AGBO Films/Apple TV+). She also cast the A24 production *The Kill Team*, starring Alexander Skarsgård, as well as a modern reimagining of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s famous opera, *The Magic Flute*.
In theatre, she has worked on productions such as *The Line of Beauty* (Almeida), *The Master Builder* (Wyndham’s), *Against* (Almeida), *The Enfield Haunting* (Ambassadors), and *Hamlet* (Young Vic). Sophie Holland also served as casting director for the Almeida Theatre’s season dedicated to Greek tragedies—including the production of *The Iliad*, for which she cast over 50 of the UK’s most renowned actors in a 24-hour marathon reading of Homer’s epic.
Laure Cochener is a Paris-based casting director with over 20 years of experience in film and television. Her credits include *The Substance*, *The Eddy*, *The Count of Monte Cristo*, *Downton Abbey: A New Era*, *The Serpent Queen*, and *Our Struggles*. She works on both French and international productions and is a member of the Association of Casting Directors in France (ARDA) and the International Casting Directors Association (ICDA).
Laura Munsterhjelm is the founder and CEO of Actors in Scandinavia, the leading talent agency in Scandinavia. With over 30 years of experience in actor representation and management, Laura has built a strong international network and an outstanding track record of helping her clients achieve success both in Scandinavia and internationally.
Anila Gajević is the founder and CEO of Zona Talent Agency in Sarajevo, one of the leading talent agencies in Southeast Europe. Representing actors from across the Balkans and several other European countries, she has played a pivotal role in promoting regional talent internationally and in fostering connections between Balkan actors and major film and television productions worldwide.