51 films to compete for Heart of Sarajevo awards at 32nd festival

The upcoming 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival will showcase a diverse selection of 51 films competing for the prestigious Heart of Sarajevo awards. An additional Serbian film will be presented out of competition, adding to the festival's international scope.

Festival organizers reviewed 1,215 submissions, including feature-length fiction, documentaries, and short films. The selected program aims to reflect the vitality and diversity of contemporary cinema from Southeast Europe. Creative director Izeta Građević emphasized the festival's role in bringing films back into public life and fostering audience trust, encouraging viewers to explore diverse perspectives.

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To je publika koja u bioskop ne dolazi po potvrdu sopstvenog ukusa, nego zbog uzbuđenja otkrivanja drugačijeg pogleda na svet. Upravo za takvu publiku birali smo ovogodišnje programe. Selekcija potvrđuje vitalnost i raznolikost savremene kinematografije Jugoistočne Evrope. Odabrani filmovi govore različitim glasovima. Zajedničko im je traganje za drugačijim pogledom na stvarnost

Elma Tataragić, the selector for the feature film competition, highlighted that the nine competing films largely represent the second or third works of their directors, alongside a debut and two fifth features. This mix signifies the emergence of new directorial voices and the continued development of established filmmakers. Notably, six of the nine films in this category are directed by women, underscoring the growing and varied contributions of female filmmakers to the regional cinematic landscape.

Cash prizes for the Heart of Sarajevo awards include 16,000 euros for the best feature film, 10,000 euros for best director, and 2,500 euros each for the best actor and actress. The selection includes "Everything That's Wrong With You," a co-production between Slovenia, Germany, and Serbia.

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Ovogodišnji Takmičarski program donosi devet novih dugometražnih filmova iz regiona. Program čine uglavnom drugi i treći igrani filmovi njihovih autora, uz jedan debitantski i dva peta dugometražna ostvarenja, potvrđujući istovremeno pojavu novih autorskih glasova i kontinuitet stvaralačkog razvoja afirmisanih reditelja i rediteljki. Ovih devet filmova zajedno pružaju bogatu panoramu savremene regionalne kinematografije - od intimnih porodičnih drama i priča o odrastanju do socijalnog realizma i formalno smelih autorskih ostvarenja. Činjenica da su šest od devet filmova režirale žene svedoči ne samo o umetničkoj raznovrsnosti ovogodišnjeg programa, već i o sve snažnijem i raznovrsnijem autorskom glasu koji oblikuje budućnost regionalne kinematografije