Leonard Cohen: Behind the Iron Curtain

Eric Bednarski is a canadian-born film writer, director, producer, and archival researcher. He studied history and filmmaking in North America and Europe. His documentaries for the National Film Board of Canada earned him a Gemini Award and a nomination from the Writers Guild of Canada. Honoured with the Polish Decoration of Honour “Meritorious for Polish Culture,” he was twice selected for the Berlinale Talent Campus. He has also served as a jury member for an international short film competition at the POLIN Museum in Warsaw. His films have been broadcast globally, screened at over 40 international festivals, and presented at institutions such as the United Nations, the European Parliament, and the State Museum of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Based in the US and Germany, Gernböck has 20 years of experience in co-productions. Her films have screened at over 100 festivals, earning the international jury award at Sundance and the National Board of Review award in 2017. Her latest project, Cherry Juice by Mersiha Husagic, is currently on the festival circuit, with a theatrical release in Italy planned for 2025. She also produced the documentary Four Rational People about the Emerson String Quartet, set to premiere in fall 2025 and distributed by Juno Films. Holding an MFA in Film from Columbia University, Gernböck specializes in creative producing and storytelling, working on bold, emotionally resonant films with dedicated teams.

Christine Guenther is a seasoned storyteller with 20 years in the international film and TV industry, working across more than 20 countries. As co-founder and CEO of FIREGLORY Pictures, she leads high-profile projects that blend transatlantic storytelling with global appeal. Her credits include European segments of Killing Eve, The Flight Attendant, and Counterpart, as well as documentaries like Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial, The Fourth Estate, Abstract: The Art of Design, and Ugly Delicious. Her feature work includes Kiss Me Kosher, Nasima – The Most Fearless, and Home, starring Kathy Bates. Known for handling complex productions in environments from urban China to Afghanistan, Christine also lectures on leadership, sustainability, and innovation. With FIREGLORY Pictures based in Los Angeles and Berlin, she continues to develop impactful stories with global resonance.

Amanda Handy is a seasoned producer in Canadian and international factual and documentary filmmaking, with expertise in co-production and co-financing. She has produced or executive produced over 50 films and programs, and is a skilled story editor across genres. After 16 years as Producer and Partner at Nomad Films, she became the company’s owner and CEO in 2023. Amanda previously led Business Affairs and Marketing at major Canadian production companies and has launched initiatives positioning Nomad as an industry leader. As CEO, she oversees development, production, distribution, and business strategy, while remaining deeply involved in the day-to-day creative and producing process.

Executive Producer Mark Johnston, founder of Nomad Films, has over 30 years of experience in documentary filmmaking, with more than 100 credits as producer or director. His acclaimed series include Millennium: Tribal Wisdom and the Modern World (BBC, PBS), The Human Animal (BBC), Empire of the Word (TVO), Political Blind Date (TVO), and Fight Xchange (Super Channel). His documentary credits span international co-productions such as In the Shadow of a Saint, The Al Qaeda Code, The Jungle Prescription, To Russia With Love, and Giraffes: The Forgotten Giants. Johnston’s work has aired on major networks including CBC, ARTE, Discovery, PBS, and National Geographic. He is known for tackling diverse topics with depth and global reach, contributing significantly to Canada’s documentary landscape.

Stanisław Zaborowski is a producer and co-owner of Silver Frame production house. He graduated from Andrzej Wajda’s Film School, studied at the University of Warsaw, and from 2007 to 2012 worked at Polish National Television, TVN and Polish Radio. Chairman of the Young Producers Section at KIPA from 2019 to 2022, he was honored with the Emerging Producer title in 2019. Zaborowski is the Vice President of the Board of the National Chamber of Audiovisual Producers.  He is a producer and co-producer of documentary and feature films. One of his most important and successful short feature films is 60 Kilo’s of Nothing (dir. Piotr Domalewski). In 2018, his film Occupation 1968 in co-production with Péter Kerekes, had its debut. In 2019, Zaborowski became a Polish representative at the Emerging Producers workshop and IDFA Academy, IDFA Academy member, and from 2021 Eurimages Expert in the Council of Europe. He has been a member of the European Film Academy since 2023.