32nd Sarajevo Film Festival
| Official poster | |
| Opening film | Fatherland , by Paweł Pawlikowski |
|---|---|
| Closing film | No Man's Land , by Danis Tanović |
| Location | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Awards | Heart of Sarajevo: |
| Hosted by | Directorate of Sarajevo Film Festival |
| Festival date | Opening: 14August2026(2026年08月14日) Closing: 21August2026(2026年08月21日) |
| Website | SFF |
| Sarajevo Film Festival | |
The 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival, will take place between 14 and 21 August 2026 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Nobel Prize-winning writer Thomas Mann's biographical film Fatherland , by Paweł Pawlikowski, will open the festival.[1] [2] Bosnia and Herzegovina actor Kerim Čutuna will host the opening ceremony on 14 August.[3] [4]
English actress Emily Watson will serve as jury president of Competition Program - Feature Film, and will receive Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award.[5] [6] Asghar Farhadi, Iranian film director and screenwriter, is the other recipient of Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award while a retrospective of his films will be presented as part of the "Tribute to" programme. [7]
The festival will close on 21 August 2026 with the screening of No Man's Land , a parable set in the midst of the Bosnian War, by Danis Tanović.[8]
Overview
[edit ]- Prix Cineplexx Award
A new award is introduced in partnership with Cineplexx with this edition of the festival. It will be awarded to the best film in the Open Air Premiere program and is chosen by the festival audience. The award carries a total value of 20,000,ドル split into 15,000 euros’ worth of Cineplexx marketing‐campaign services to boost the winning film’s theatrical release, plus 5,000 euros in cash given directly to the film’s producer.[9]
- Films for Future
The film festival invited young people between the ages of 12 and 30 to participate in the "Films for Future" project, which promotes creative expression and raising awareness about environmental protection.[10]
- Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award:
Diego Luna will be honored with the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo in recognition of his "outstanding career and indelible contribution to cinema." Additionally the festival will screen his 2026 drama film Ashes , and also give a masterclass.[11]
Woody Harrelson will be honored with the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo in recognition of his "outstanding contribution to the film industry and an exceptional acting career". The festival will also screen his 1997 war drama film Welcome to Sarajevo .[12]
Jury
[edit ]Competition Programme – Feature Film
[edit ]The jury of the Competition Programme – Feature Film includes 4 members and a jury president.[13] [14]
- Emily Watson, English actress (Jury President)
- Igor Bezinović, Croatian film director
- Sara Klimoska, North Macedonian actor, director, writer
- Matthijs Wouter Knol, Dutch film programme curator and producer, CEO and Director of the European Film Academy, Netherlands
- Athina Rachel Tsangari, Greek filmmaker, director, screenwriter and producer
CineLink Female Voices award
[edit ]- Nataša Bučar, Managing Director of the Slovenian Film Center
- Una Gunjak, Director of the Slovenian Film Centre
- Radovan Sibrt, Czech producer, director, and co-founder of the independent production company PINK
Official selection
[edit ]The opening film 2026 biographical film directed by Paweł Pawlikowski. The film stars Sandra Hüller and Hanns Zischler as Erika Mann and Thomas Mann, respectively.[15]
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening film | ||||
| Fatherland | Paweł Pawlikowski | Poland, France, Italy, Germany | ||
| Closing film | ||||
| No Man's Land (4K Restoration) | Ničija zemlja, Ничија земља | Danis Tanović | Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Slovenia, United Kingdom, Belgium | |
Competition Programme - Feature Film
[edit ]In the 'Competition Programme - Feature Film:, nine films will compete.[16] [17]
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Kosara Mitić | North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia | |
| Dua | Blerta Basholli | Kosovo, Switzerland, France | |
| Everything that's Wrong with You | Vse, kar je narobe s tabo | Urša Menart | Slovenia, Germany, Serbia |
| Everytime | Sandra Wollner | Austria, Germany | |
| Skateboarding Is Not for Girls | Скејтањето не е за девојчиња | Dina Duma | North Macedonia, Belgium, Slovenia, Croatia |
| Small Things | Male stvari | Zvonimir Jurić | Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia |
| Shame and Money | Wstyd i pieniądze | Visar Morina | Germany, Kosovo, Slovenia, Albania, North Macedonia, Belgium |
| Supporting Role | მეორეხარისხოვანი როლი | Ana Urushadze | Georgia, Estonia, Türkiye |
| You Don't Belong Here | Nu e locul tau aici | Florin Șerban | Romania |
Competition programme - Documentary Film
[edit ]There are 13 films in the Competition Programme – Documentary Film.[18]
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32 Meters | Morteza Atabaki | Türkiye, Iran, Qatar | |
| Bear with Me | Martin Genovski | Bulgaria | |
| The Balkan Boy | Dragana Jurišić | Croatia, Ireland | |
| Bugboy | Lucas Paleocrassas | Greece, France, Denmark | |
| Don't Ask Me If I Killed | Helena Maksyom | Romania, Netherlands, Germany, Ukraine | |
| Electing Ms Santa | Raisa Răzmeriță | Moldova, Romania | |
| The Forbidden Aunt | Bojana Novaković | Serbia, Australia | |
| For Life | Ömür Boyu | Ahmet Seven | Türkiye |
| Fragments of Belonging | Tatjana Božić | Croatia, Netherlands, Germany | |
| Good People | Добри луѓе | Milcho Manchevski | North Macedonia |
| To Hold a Mountain | Córki góry | Biljana Tutorov, Petar Glomazić | Serbia, France, Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia |
| We Shall Live Together | Damir Markovina | Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| When I Get Out | Ko pridem ven | Metod Pevec | Slovenia |
Out of Competition
[edit ]| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yugo Goes to America | Yugo ide u Ameriku | Filip Grujić, Aleksa Borković | Serbia, Croatia |
Competition Programme - Short Film
[edit ]- Narrative Short Film 2026
In this category ten films will compete for the award.[19]
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go Outside and Hug a Tree | Irina Alexiu | Romania | |
| Cosmonauts | Leo Černic | Slovenia, Italy | |
| Mamama | Danica Dakić | Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| Motherhood | Anca Damian | Romania, Belgium, France | |
| Patch | Zakrpa | Luka Galešić | Croatia |
| Porkatal | Sis Gürdal | Turkey, France, United Kingdom | |
| Adgwa-Ata | Zsuzsanna Krief | Hungary, France | |
| Hidden in Frame | Anna Sarukhanova | Georgia, United Kingdom | |
| Nobody Said Anything | Tamara Todorović | Serbia, France, Slovenia, Croatia | |
| Ditch | Marianna Vas | Hungary | |
Competition Programme - Short Film
[edit ]- Documentary Short Films Competition
In this category eight films will compete for the award.
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fahrudin | Alen Drljević | Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| Of Light Ghosts | Isabella Fellinger | Austria | |
| Asparagus Bear | Ivan Grgur | Croatia | |
| The Captain and the Caspian Sea | Turkan Huseyin | Azerbaijan | |
| Holy Defiance | Karla Jelić | Croatia | |
| The Ferry Flows | Паром пливе | Zhora Papoian | Ukraine, United Kingdom |
| Bro Ram | Branko Schmidt | Croatia | |
| Dear Orchid | Hana Selena Sokolović | Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Netherlands | |
Competition Programme - Student Short Film
[edit ]There are 11 films in the Competition Programme - Student Film.
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Wants Out (on Neutrality) | Zorah Berghammer | Austria | |
| Rabbit Don't Run | Maximilian Conway, Elisabeth Jakob | Austria | |
| Sisters | Sara Ećimović | Serbia | |
| Over the Threshold | Tara Gajović | Serbia | |
| Neighbour | Dan Grabnar | Serbia | |
| Bonefuzz | Márk László | Hungary | |
| Unwellness | Réka Pinczés | Hungary | |
| Hyena | Fanny Rösch | Austria | |
| The Future Is in Your Hands, but Why Not Lend It to the Specialists | Alexandra Schinteie | Romania | |
| The Go-Between | Emir Solaković | Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| Water Walls | Bianka Szelestey | Hungary |
In Focus
[edit ]| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashes | Ceniza en la boca | Diego Luna | Mexico, Spain |
Open Air Programme
[edit ]Open Air Program, consisting of two sections, Open Air and Open Air Premiere.
Open Air
The Open Air programme takes place at the Festival's largest venue – the Coca-Cola Open Air Cinema.[20] [21]
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashes | Ceniza en la boca | Diego Luna | Mexico, Spain |
| The Beloved | El ser querido | Rodrigo Sorogoyen | Spain, France |
| Fatherland | Paweł Pawlikowski | Poland, France, Italy, Germany | |
| Minotaur | Минотавр | Andrey Zvyagintsev | France, Latvia, Germany |
| No Good Men | Kabul Jan | Shahrbanoo Sadat | Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, Afghanistan |
| No Man's Land (4K Restoration closing film) | Ničija zemlja, Ничија земља | Danis Tanović | Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Slovenia, United Kingdom, Belgium |
| Palestine 36 | Annemarie Jacir | Palestine, United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan | |
| Welcome to Sarajevo | Michael Winterbottom | United Kingdom,
United States | |
Open Air Premiere
The films are screened at UNIQA Open Air Cinema Stari Grad. The audience-selected Best Film in the programme will be eligible for the Prix Cineplexx award.[22]
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Weeks After | 3 nedelje posle | Miroslav Terzić | Serbia, Bulgaria, Italy, Croatia, Luxembourg |
| Hidden People | Skriti Ljudje | Miha Hočevar | Slovenia, Serbia, Iceland |
| Home | Hjem | Marijana Janković | Denmark |
| Honey Bunny | Koke | Igor Jelinović | Croatia, Serbia |
| The Lost Son | Izgubljeni sin | Darko Štante | Slovenia, Greece, Croatia, Italy, North Macedonia |
| The Virus of Pathological Kindness | Virus patoloske dobrote | Predrag Ličina | Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| The Widower | Udovac | Hari Šečić | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Awards
[edit ]Special awards
[edit ]Honorary Heart of Sarajevo
[edit ]- Emily Watson, English actress[23]
- Asghar Farhadi, Iranian film director and screenwriter.[24]
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- Diego Luna, Mexican actor, director, and producer[25]
- Emir Hadžihafizbegović, Bosnian actor[26]
- Woody Harrelson, American actor and playwright[27]
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References
[edit ]- ↑ "Paweł Pawlikowski's Fatherland to Open the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival". Sarajevo Film Festival . 8 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ Leo Barraclough (8 July 2026). "Paweł Pawlikowski's 'Fatherland' to Open the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival". Variety . Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ "Actor Kerim Čutuna to host the opening ceremony of the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival". FENA . 13 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ "Kerim Cutuna, Host of the Opening Ceremony of the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival". Sarajevo Times. 14 July 2026. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ Lily Ford (11 June 2026). "Emily Watson Named Sarajevo Film Festival Jury President and Honorary Heart Recipient". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ Mona Tabbara (11 June 2026). "Emily Watson to head jury and receive honorary award at Sarajevo Film Festival". ScreenDaily . Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ "Honorary Heart of Sarajevo and tribute to Asghar Farhadi". Vogue Adria . 17 July 2026. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ "No Man's Land Returns to SFF as Closing Film in World Premiere of Restored 4K Version". Sarajevo Times. 1 August 2026. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ Barraclough, Leo (7 July 2026). "Sarajevo Film Festival Launches New Award, Prix Cineplexx, With the Winner Chosen by the Festival Audience". Variety . Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ "Invitation to young people to participate in the "Films for Future" project at the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival". Sarajevo Film Festival (in Bosnian). 15 July 2026. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- ↑ Leo Barraclough (27 July 2026). "Diego Luna to Be Feted at Sarajevo Film Festival as 'Ashes' Screens". Variety . Retrieved 27 July 2026.
- ↑ Leo Barraclough (3 August 2026). "Woody Harrelson to Be Honored at Sarajevo Film Festival". Variety . Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ "Emily Watson to chair the jury at the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival". Cineuropa . 11 June 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ Leo Barraclough (22 July 2026). "Emily Watson Joined on Sarajevo Film Festival Jury by Athina Rachel Tsangari, Igor Bezinović and More". Variety . Retrieved 22 July 2026.
- ↑ Lodderhose, Diana (8 July 2026). "Paweł Pawlikowski's 'Fatherland' To Open Sarajevo Film Festival". Deadline . Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ Lodderhose, Diana (23 July 2026). "Sarajevo Film Festival Unveils Full Competition Lineup". Deadline . Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ Ellie Calnan (23 July 2026). "Sarajevo Film Festival unveils competition programmes with five world premieres". ScreenDaily . Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ Lily Ford (23 July 2026). "Sarajevo Film Fest Unveils 51 Films in Competition, Including Sandra Wollner's 'Everytime'". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ Stojiljković, Marko (23 July 2026). "51 films set to compete for the Heart of Sarajevo". Cineuropa . Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ "Introducing the Open Air Premiere Programme of the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival". Sarajevo Film Festival . 3 August 2026. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ "Introducing the Open Air Programme of the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival". Sarajevo Film Festival . 3 August 2026. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ Lily Ford (3 August 2026). "Sarajevo Unveils Open Air Program, Including Diego Luna's 'Ashes,' 'Minotaur' and 'No Good Men'". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ "Sarajevo Film Festival Returns with Emily Watson, Paweł Pawlikowski and a New 20,000ドル Audience Award". The Region. 9 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ Leo Barraclough (17 July 2026). "Iranian Filmmaker Asghar Farhadi to Be Honored at Sarajevo Film Festival". Variety . Retrieved 19 July 2026.
- ↑ Lily Ford (27 July 2026). "Diego Luna to Receive Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award at Bosnian Film Festival". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 27 July 2026.
- ↑ "Emir Hadzihafizbegovic to Receive the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo at the 32nd SFF". Sarajevo Times. 2 August 2026. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ Lily Ford (3 August 2026). "Woody Harrelson to Receive Honorary Heart of Sarajevo at Bosnian Film Festival". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 3 August 2026.