As every year during the Sarajevo Film Festival, the Association of Filmmakers of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina presents awards for the best Bosnian and Herzegovinian student films as well as the Ivica Matić Award for the most deserving film creators of the previous calendar year.
The award committee for the best Bosnian-Herzegovinian film in the Student Competition Program – BH Film consisted of dramaturg and screenwriter Emina Omerović, director Zdenko Jurilj, and actor Alen Muratović. They decided on three awards: Best Student Film, Jury Special Prize, and Special Mention.
AWARDS IN THE BH. STUDENT COMPETITION PROGRAM
The award for Best Student BH Film is given to a film distinguished by skill and directorial maturity, featuring a clearly defined style and aesthetics by a young director who creates an exceptionally layered and rich world. It is a contemporary film that subtly, intelligently, and refreshingly unpacks our everyday life. Every aspect of this film confirms that it is a complete, coherent, and original cinematic work.
BEST BH FILM AWARD is given to the film GOOD LUCK, SARA directed by Isidora Ratković.
The Jury Special Award is given to a young director who approaches film language and form in a bold and innovative way. Skillful symbolism, complex characters, playful narrative and perspectives both of the characters and the audience, as well as visual richness and atmosphere, are some of the qualities of this thematically significant film.
JURY SPECIAL AWARD is given to the film WE’LL BUY THE FISH TOMORROW directed by Sara Ristić.
The Special Mention is awarded to a film that, within the challenging form of a single shot, manages to hold our attention from start to finish through skillfully orchestrated mise-en-scène, precise collective acting, and witty and dynamic dialogue. By successfully integrating all these aspects, the young director and her team remind us that film is a collective art form.
SPECIAL MENTION is given to the film ZANZIBAR 4K COLORISED directed by Lea Tošić.
IVICA MATIĆ AWARD
The Committee for the Ivica Matić Award in 2023 included screenwriter Elma Tataragić, actress Alena Džebo, and director Nermin Hamzagić.
The most successful Bosnian and Herzegovinian film of 2023, EXCURSION, was Bosnia and Herzegovina’s candidate for the 2024 Oscar and had its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival. The film was also shown at the Bihać Adventure Film Festival, Montenegro Film Festival in Herceg Novi, and at international film festivals in Copenhagen, Luxembourg, Rome, Sao Paulo, and at the Sydney Film Festival as part of the European Film Promotion project Women Voices. The film won numerous festival awards and had a very successful theatrical release. The Ivica Matić Award for 2023 was decided to be given to UNI GUNJAK, the director of EXCURSION!
The committee decided to award the Prize for Contribution to BH Cinema to ŠEMSUDIN GEGIĆ, a person who dedicated his entire career to Bosnian and Herzegovinian film, television, and theatre. He graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts (Theatre, Film, Radio, and Television) in Belgrade, and completed his directing specialization in Milan. He wrote screenplays and directed dozens of documentaries, docudramas, and television films, as well as radio and theater dramas, for which he received numerous domestic and international awards and recognitions.
AMIRA LEKIĆ AWARD
The Amira Lekić Award, established last year in memory of producer Amira Lekić, who left a significant mark on Bosnian and Herzegovinian and regional cinema, as well as on everyone who knew and worked with her, is awarded to a young female film worker under 35 years old who is just beginning her professional career in film and television production.
The Amira Lekić Award is given annually to a person at the start of their career who has shown promise in professional work on film and television productions. The Association’s Board appoints a mentor from among film professionals to propose the winner for that year.
Last year’s mentor for the Amira Lekić Award was Amra Bakšić Čamo, and the recipient was young producer Mia Avdagić.
The Association’s Board of Film Workers has selected a mentor for this year, who will announce the winner for 2024 in December.
The mentor for the Amira Lekić Award for 2024 is Bosnian-Herzegovinian producer and Sarajevo Film Festival director – JOVAN MARJANOVIĆ!
