The 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival took place from 14 to 21 August 2026 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnian actor Kerim Čutuna hosted the opening ceremony, and opened the festival with Nobel Prize-winning writer Thomas Mann's biographical film Fatherland, by Paweł Pawlikowski, presented by festival director Jovan Marjanović.
English actress Emily Watson served as jury president of the Competition Program - Feature Film, and received the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award on 15 August, which she dedicated to Katrin Cartlidge. Iranian film director and screenwriter Asghar Farhadi is the other recipient of Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award while a retrospective of his films was presented as part of the "Tribute to" programme on 19 August. Actors Emir Hadžihafizbegović, Diego Luna and Woody Harrelson were also awarded the Honorary Heart Award.
The festival closed on 21 August 2026 with the screening of the Academy Award winning 2001 war film No Man's Land, a parable set in the midst of the Bosnian War, by Danis Tanović. The awards of the festival were presented at the National Theatre at the closing ceremony, where Everytime by Sandra Wollner won the Heart of Sarajevo award for best feature film.
Festival overview This section sums up the main things that took place during the festival:
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, 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.
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.
Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award: Diego Luna was honored with the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo in recognition of his "outstanding career and indelible contribution to cinema" on 15 August 2026. Additionally the festival screened his 2026 drama film Ashes, and presented a masterclass.
Woody Harrelson was honored with the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo in recognition of his "outstanding contribution to the film industry and an exceptional acting career" on 18 August. The festival also screened his 1997 war drama film Welcome to Sarajevo.
Masterclasses
Diego Luna – Mexican actor, director, and producer on 15 August Pawel Pawlikowski – Polish filmmaker on 16 August Rodrigo Sorogoyen – Spanish film director and screenwriter on 17 August Woody Harrelson – American actor on 18 August Emily Watson – English actress on 19 August Asghar Farhadi – Iranian film director and screenwriter on 20 August Céline Sciamma – French filmmaker on 21 August
Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony was held with the red carpet laid down in the front of the Sarajevo National Theatre, hosted by Kerim Čutuna. Festival director Jovan Marjanović presented the opening film
Jury Competition Programme – Feature Film
The jury of the Competition Programme – Feature Film includes 4 members and a jury president.
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
Competition Program – Documentary Film The jury of the Competition Program – Documentary Film are:
Kamal Aljafari, Palestinian filmmaker and visual artist. Sabine Gebetsroither, Austrian cultural manager and co-managing director of the Crossing Europe Film Festival Linz Ollie Huddleston, British editor
CineLink Female Voices award
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
Sarajevo Film Festival's Special Award for Gender Equality
Niamh McCormack, Irish actress and model Michael Stütz, Head of the Panorama section and Co-Director of Film Programming at Berlinale, Austria Andrea Štaka, Swiss film director and screenwriter
Official selection
Special Pre-festival, opening and closing films
in collaboration with the Slovenian Cinematheque, a screening of the restored version of the classic film Woman with a Landscape, by Ivica Matić was presented on 13 August.
The opening film is 2026 biographical film directed by Paweł Pawlikowski. The film stars Sandra Hüller and Hanns Zischler as Erika Mann and Thomas Mann, respectively.
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrySpecial Pre-festival film Woman with a Landscape (1976)Žena s krajolikom Ivica Matić YugoslaviaOpening filmFatherland Paweł Pawlikowski Poland, France, Italy, GermanyClosing film No Man's Land (4K Restoration of 2001 war film) Ničija zemlja, Ничија земља Danis Tanović Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Slovenia, United Kingdom, Belgium
Competition Programme - Feature Film In the 'Competition Programme - Feature Film:, nine films competed. English title Original title Director(s) Production country17 Kosara Mitić North Macedonia, Serbia, SloveniaDua Blerta Basholli Kosovo, Switzerland, France Everything that's Wrong with You Vse, kar je narobe s tabo Urša Menart Slovenia, Germany, SerbiaEverytime Sandra Wollner Austria, Germany Skateboarding Is Not for GirlsСкејтањето 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 pieniądzeVisar 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
There are 13 films in the Competition Programme – Documentary Film.
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)32 Meters Morteza Atabaki Türkiye, Iran, QatarBear with Me Martin Genovski BulgariaThe Balkan Cowboy Dragana Jurišić Croatia, IrelandBugboy Lucas Paleocrassas Greece, France, DenmarkDon't Ask Me If I Killed Helena Maksyom Romania, Netherlands, Germany, UkraineElecting Ms Santa Raisa Răzmeriță Moldova, RomaniaThe Forbidden Aunt Bojana Novaković Serbia, Australia For Life Ömür Boyu Ahmet Seven TürkiyeFragments 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, CroatiaWe Shall Live Together Damir Markovina Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina When I Get Out Ko pridem ven Metod Pevec Slovenia
Out of Competition English title Original title Director(s) Production country Yugo Goes to AmericaYugo ide u Ameriku Filip Grujić, Aleksa Borković Serbia, Croatia
Competition Programme - Short Film Narrative Short Film 2026 In this category ten films competed for the award.
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Adgwa-Ata Zsuzsanna Krief Hungary, France Cosmonauts Leo Černic Slovenia, Italy Ditch Marianna Vas HungaryGo Outside and Hug a Tree Irina Alexiu Romania Hidden in Frame Anna Sarukhanova Georgia, United KingdomMamama Danica Dakić Bosnia and Herzegovina Motherhood Anca Damian Romania, Belgium, France Patch Zakrpa Luka Galešić Croatia Porkatal Sis Gürdal Turkey, France, United Kingdom Nobody Said Anything Niko nista nije rekao Tamara Todorović Serbia, France, Slovenia, Croatia
Competition Programme - Short Film Documentary Short Films Competition In this category eight films competed 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 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 This section is selection of outstanding films that have already achieved success at prestigious film festivals:
English title Original title Director(s) Production country 3 Days in September 3 zile în septembrie Tudor Giurgiu Romania The Loneliest Man in TownWiener Blues – The Loneliest Man in Town Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel Austria Mother Мајка Teona Strugar Mitevska Belgium, North Macedonia, Denmark, Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina Mouse Kelly O'Sullivan and Alex Thompson United States Promised Spaces Obećani prostori Ivan Marković France, Germany, Serbia, Cambodia Rose Markus Schleinzer Austria, Germany Titanic Ocean Konstantina Kotzamani Greece, Germany, Romania, France, Spain, Japan Yellow Letters Gelbe Briefe İlker Çatak Germany, France, Turkey
Open Air Programme Open Air Program, consisting of two sections, Open Air and Open Air Premiere.
Open Air
The Open Air programme took place at the Festival's largest venue – the Coca-Cola Open Air Cinema.
English title Original title Director(s) Production countryAshesCeniza en la bocaDiego LunaMexico, SpainThe BelovedEl ser queridoRodrigo SorogoyenSpain, FranceFatherland Paweł Pawlikowski Poland, France, Italy, GermanyMinotaurМинотаврAndrey ZvyagintsevFrance, Latvia, GermanyNo Good Men Kabul JanShahrbanoo SadatGermany, 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 were eligible for the Prix Cineplexx award.
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
Tribute to Programme This program celebrates late Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr's contribution to world cinema.
English title Original title Director(s) Production country Lamb (2021) Dýrið Valdimar Jóhannsson Iceland, Sweden, Poland Motherhood (2022) La Maternal Pilar Palomero Spain Kinoscope The Kinoscope programme features 18 films; 12 in the Kinoscope section and 6 in the Kinoscope Surreal section.
Cinemascope