At the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival, the documentary Živjet ćemo zajedno directed by Damir Marković captured the hearts of audiences, drawing widespread acclaim and selling out all three scheduled screenings days in advance. The film offers an intimate and moving account of the life story of Marković’s father, Roko Marković, a Mostar native who endured the war devastation of his hometown. Through the personal journey of one man, the documentary weaves a broader narrative about the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia, examining the misconceptions leading up to the historical collapse and its profound social and familial consequences. This honest and emotionally resonant perspective earned the film high praise from Sarajevo audiences, who awarded it the highest possible rating. The festival, which featured over 250 films from 70 countries, concluded with the official award ceremony held at the National Theatre in Sarajevo. Among the highlights was the screening of a restored version of Danis Tanović's Oscar-winning film No Man's Land. During the awards ceremony, the honorary title of Heart of Sarajevo was presented to Emir Hadžihafizbegović, one of the most significant actors in Bosnian-Herzegovinian and regional cinema, in recognition of his unforgettable roles and overall contribution to cinematic art. Other recipients of the Heart of Sarajevo included Emily Watson, Diego Luna, Woody Harrelson, and Iranian director Asghar Farhadi. In the feature film competition, the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Feature Film went to Everytime (German-Austrian co-production), directed by Sandra Wollner. The jury praised the film for its hypnotic elasticity and transcendent narrative infused with sorrow, calling their decision unanimous. The film received a cash prize of €16,000. In the Best Direction category, Georgian director Ana Urushadze won for her film Secondary Role, receiving €10,000. The jury commended her daring blend of the everyday and the dreamlike, along with her refreshing curiosity in exploring the meaning of life and film. For Best Actress, Serbian actress Eva Kostić was honored for her role in 17, a film that saw her deliver a raw, visceral, and instinctively emotional performance. She received €2,500. Romanian actor Adrian Văncică took home the Best Actor award for his role in You Don't Belong Here, recognized for his steadfastness and unwavering rigor in service to the story told through long takes and wide shots. He received €2,500. In the documentary category, the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Feature Documentary went to Mountain (Serbian-French-Croatian-Albanian-Slovenian co-production), directed by Biljana Tutorov and Petar Glomazić. The film was noted for its breathtaking cinematography and poignant portrayal of two remarkable women struggling to preserve a vanishing way of life connected by traumatic pasts. It qualified for consideration for an Academy Award and received €4,000. The Heart of Sarajevo for Best Short Documentary went to Croatian filmmaker Karlo Jelić for Silent Prayer. Additionally, the festival recognized several other works, including Trajectory Floats by Zhore Papoian, which received a special jury prize, and Porkatal by Sis Gürdal, which was awarded a special recognition for short fiction. In the student short film category, Réka Pinczés won with Illness, while 17 received a special award for promoting gender equality. The festival also hosted the 24th edition of the CineLink Industry Days, where filmmakers from the Balkans and the Middle East and North Africa showcased projects at various stages of development. Croatian directors and production companies once again achieved notable success, securing substantial support and funding. Projects such as The First Week of August by Filip Mojžeš received €30,000 in support from HBO, while The White Week by Bojan Vuletić was awarded €30,000 in services from Post Republic. Croatian involvement was also evident in the Wolf Days project, which received €20,000 from the Eurimages Co-Production Development grant. Among the drama series projects, Croatian creator Teni Gojić’s You Can Always Come Back received €15,000 from the Croatian Audiovisual Centre. The TV Drama Vision Pitch award went to the political thriller Stringers, created by Nicole Kuprešanin and directed by Danis Tanović. Additional grants were given to other projects, highlighting the continued prominence of Croatian cinema within the region and beyond.
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