Café Europe

Host of the radio morning programme Ráno na eFeMku, and of the programmes Osmička and Demovnica, Mr Staňo is one of the longest serving staff members at Radio FM. He invites a wide range of thought-provoking guests to the morning show, through whom he wishes to inspire, entertain and engage listeners. He is the host of the discussion format Café Europe, that emerged under the banner of the Representation of the European Commission in Slovakia in 2010. Me Staňo will feature at the Festival in the latter role.  

Having studied acting at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Mr Bebjak went on to pursue studies in film and television directing at the same school, graduating in 1999. During his studies, he made short film Štefan that received multiple awards. His feature directorial debut was the film Marhuľový ostrov, which he made in 2011. The film won the Grand Prix award at the Rouen Film Festival (France). His film The Cleaner that premièred in 2016 at the Panorama Europe festival in New York, received an award for the best cinematography and editing awarded at the festival in Lecce (Italy). The film editor Marek Kráľovský received the Sun in a Net award. In addition to films, Mr Bebjak works with television, having directed a number of television series with the DNA Production that he has owned since 2001 together with the producer Rastislav Šesták. Mr Bebjak also directed the award-winning thriller Čiara. His film The Auschwitz Report was nominated for the best international film at the 2021 Academy Awards for Slovakia.

A little extra: As student, Peter Bebjak worked at BDNR in 1989–1992.​ 

Having studied philosophy and aesthetics at the Faculty of Arts and Letters of the Comenius University in Bratislava, Ms Hroncová also completed theatre studies at the Faculty of Theatre of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. She was director of the Theatre Institute in Bratislava (1999–2006), director general of the Slovak National Theatre (2006–2009), director of the Opera of the National Theatre and the State Opera in Prague (2013–2019). After her forced departure from the Slovak National Theatre, she was general director of the media company Film Europe in 2009–2013. She participated in the launch of broadcasting and the development of the programme structure of the first European television station Film Europe Channel, the only European film channel of the kind in Europe. It broadcasts in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Belgium. She was also involved in film distribution in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In 2013, she played a major role in facilitating the reconstruction and operation of the Film Europe cinema in the premises of the Pisztory Palace in Bratislava. From 12 May to 25October 2023, Ms Hroncová served as the Minister of Culture of the Slovak Republic.

A little extra: In 2004, Ms Hroncová, as director of the Theatre Institute, supported the launch of The Henryk Jurkowský Award at Bábkarská Bystrica. Ever since then the Festival methodically cooperates with the Theatre Institute.

Having studied Russian and English, majoring in interpreting and translation at the Faculty of Arts and Letters of the Comenius University in Bratislava, Ms Juráňová held a two-year research post at the Literary Institute of the Slovak Academy of Science (today the SAC Institute of World Literature). She was also dramaturge at the Theatre for Children and Youth in Trnava (now The Ján Palárik Theatre). She was editor and deputy editor-in-chief at the magazine Slovenské pohľady (1991–1993). At the same time, she was commentator for Radio Free Europe (until 1994). In 1993, together with a few colleagues, she founded the feminist cultural, learning and publication project Aspekt and she remains its coordinator. Over the decades, she participated in editorial and organisational projects as translator and author. Between 2010 and 2018, she was with the editorial department of the Theatre Institute as a specialist and language editor. In 2019, the President of the Slovak Republic Andrej Kiska awarded Ms Juráňová the the Order of Ľudovít Štúr, first class, for exceptional services to the development of democracy, protection of human rights and freedoms, and for the development of literary activity. Ms Juráňová is author of plays, many of which have been performed on professional stages. In her drama works, she addresses with feminist themes, as seen in her first play, the monodrama Salome (1989) or in the play about women from the Štúr period of the 19th century national renascence Misky strieborné, nádoby výborné (1997).

A little extra: In 2011, Ms Juráňová wrote the play Reality snov for BDNR staged by the theatre presented under the direction of Iveta Škripková. In 2021, Ms Juráňová wrote a one-act play Pop- luška as part of the production Divadlo na konci sveta, presented by BDNR, directed by Marián Pecko.

Mr Šimečka is the son of philosopher Milan Šimečka and translator and university teacher Eva Šimečková. The Communist régime prevented him from pursuing studies and he studied at chemical secondary school completing his A-levels in 1977. He started publishing in 1980 and continue to write books regularly. In 1990, he founded the Archa publishing house, where he served as editor-in-chief until 1996. From 1999 he was editor-in-chief of the daily SME, later as editor-in-chief of the Czech weekly Respekt. Since 2016, he has been the permanent editor of Denník N, where he also serves as the head of the editorial board.

A little extra: Mr Šimečka first met the BDNR creative team (Iveta Škripková , Marián Pecko) in 1992during their research on the work and life of the writer Dominik Tatarka. The encounter contributed to the birth of the imperative production Dojímate ma veľmi… (fragmenty zo života diela D. Tatarku).

From 2022, Mr Šucha is the head of the European Commission (EC) representation in Slovakia. In 2021, EC sent him to UNESCO in Paris. From 2012, he managed the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. Between 2006 and 2012, he was director at the General EC Directorate for Education and Culture. Before joining the European Commission, Mr Šucha held several positions related to European and international policies. In the period of 2005–2006, he founded the Research and Development Support Agency in Bratislava. From 2000 to 2004, he was member of the Slovak team that negotiated in Brussels Slovakia accession into the EU. At the same time, Mr Šucha has been dedicating his time to research and teaching in Slovakia and further afield. He published over 100 research works.