Association of Filmmakers of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has awarded its annual awards during the Sarajevo Film Festival. The best student short films as well as the most deserving professionals have been awarded.

Jury for the best films in Student Competition - BH Film Program were costume designer Lena Samardžić, dramaturgist and scriptwriter Dario Bevanda and director Alen Šimić. They were deciding upon three awards: Best BH Student Film, Special Jury Award and Special Jury Mention.

BEST BH. STUDENT FILM

At the center of the winning film is the character of a girl torn between caring for her sick mother and longing for a carefree life led by her peers. With a realistic style and non-linear dramaturgy, this film tells a story about the worries, fears, guilt and hopes of a young woman. Based almost entirely on the convincing and emotional acting of Gracija Filipović the film MRTVI ČVOR by director and screenwriter Ismira Mašić won this year's Award for the best Bosnian and Herzegovinian student film.

SPECIAL JURY AWARD

The story of the conflict between two brothers over the legacy and property line is archetypal for our area. The authors transfer this authentically domestic motif to the contemporary urban setting of the tavern, which the brothers inherit and divide in half. Consistently and cleanly implemented directorial process makes this story about "two bars under one roof" a communicative and witty film treatment of a rarely seen part of our reality. The Special Jury award for directing goes to TREND directed by Emina Zubčević.

SPECIAL JURY MENTION

In a dream like "almost love" story filled with black humor, two clumsy protagonists are constantly passing each other, getting closer and further apart. Due to the author's originality in leading the story and establishing an unusual atmosphere, a special jury mention in the BH student film category this year goes to WHERE ARE THE LOST CATS GOING? director and screenwriter Amar Komić.

Jury for Ivica Matić Award for 2022 were dramaturgist Bojana Vidosavljević and producers Amira Kudumović and Armin Hadžić.

For exceptional success in 2022, Jury decided to award Elma Tataragić for the script of THE HAPPIEST MAN IN THE WORLD. This film raises important questions of today’s society: question of guilt and forgiveness, but also how to gather the strength to continue with your life after all the war traumas, both the ones we are aware and unaware of. Behind this story that primarily focuses on Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina is scriptwriter Elma Tataragić, the first recipient of Ivica Matić Award for 2022. THE HAPPIEST MAN IN THE WORLD, directed by Teona Mitevska, has been coproduced by North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark and Slovenia, and premiered at Orizzonti at Venice Film Festival's Orizzonti program. After that it has been screened and awarded at multiple world and regional festivals. This film is shortlisted for European Film Academy Awards. 

THE HAPPIEST MAN IN THE WORLD would never happened without selfless commitment of Bosnian coproducers Amra Bakšić Čamo and Adis Đapo, of SCCA/pro.ba, who are also awarded Ivica Matić Award for 2022. 

Jury decided to award Predrag Doder for his contribution to film of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Doder spent his professional life committed to the film sound in different fields of this important part of film industry, leaving inviolable mark on our cinema. He was born in 1954 in Sarajevo and started working for TV Sarajevo and later BHRT in 1973. While working in television, Doder started learning about different aspects of film sound. He worked as boom operator, sound recordist and sound designer on television series, but also on multiple feature, documentary and short films like SYNDROM, FIRST DEATH EXPERIANCE, NORTH WENT MAD, GO WEST, FIRST PAYCHECK, SHOPPING, NIGHTGUARD, WOMAN IN PURPLE, JASMINA, YEARNING FOR KARIM, BELVEDERE, BRIDGES OF SARAJEVO, MEN DON'T CRY, CLEAN, GIRLS – LIFE OF ANOTHER, KALO, OUR EVERYDAY STORY, SABINA K., DEATH IN SARAJEVO, NOTHING BUT THE WIND, SON, FOCUS, GRANDMA, NOT SO FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURHOOD, EXCURSION, and many other films that didn't mark only Bosnian, but also regional and European film.

For the first time, Amira Lekić Award will be given this year to an up-and-coming female producer or crew member and Association announced the first mentor – producer Amra Bakšić Čamo. Award winner will be announced on December 21st, during the Short Film Day celebration.