The Sarajevo Film Festival, the leading festival for South-East European cinema, unveiled the lineups for the four competition sections on Thursday, which include 21 world premieres, six international premieres, one European premiere and 23 regional premieres. The 32nd edition runs from Aug. 14 to 21.
The narrative feature films section includes nine films from South-East Europe, of which one film will have its world premiere, one its international premiere, one its European premiere, and six their regional premieres.
Elma Tataragić, the programmer of the section, said, “The selection is dominated by second and third features, alongside one debut and two fifth feature films, reflecting both the emergence of new voices and the continued development of established auteurs. Together, these nine films offer a rich panorama of contemporary regional cinema, spanning intimate family dramas, coming-of-age stories, social realism, and formally adventurous works. With six of the nine films directed by women, this year’s competition reflects not only the artistic diversity of the region but also the growing strength and plurality of voices shaping its cinematic future.”
Competition Program – Narrative Feature Film:
EVERYTHING THAT’S WRONG WITH YOU, Urša Menart (Slovenia, Germany, Serbia, 2026, 97 min.) – World Premiere
After the emotional collapse that follows her mother’s death, Maruša builds an online bond with Alja, a nurse living in a small coastal town in Germany. Bonding through humor over their shared struggles, Maruša and Alja quickly develop a friendship that is put to the test when they finally meet in person.
SMALL THINGS, Zvonimir Jurić (Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, 2026, 80 min.) – International Premiere
During a winter weekend, sisters Anica and Irena, accompanied by Irena’s two children, travel to an island to visit their father and their brother Ivan, a quiet loner. The reason for the gathering is their father’s decision to sell the family land. Confined in the worn-down family house, the members of the family are forced to confront long-suppressed tensions and difficult choices, while one of them will have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
SKATEBOARDING IS NOT FOR GIRLS, Dina Duma (North Macedonia, Belgium, Slovenia, Croatia, 2026, 82 min.) – European Premiere
In Skopje, 11-year-old Adela and her elder sister Zara share a deep bond shaped by their navigation of two contradictory worlds. At school, they are typical, rebellious teens with skateboards, social media, crop tops, and boyfriends. After school, in a quiet and disciplined mode, they help their mother with cleaning jobs to make ends meet. When poverty shakes the family, Adela tries to find a way to save her sister – still a minor – from a fate that is becoming almost inevitable: an arranged marriage.
17, Kosara Mitić (North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, 2026, 105 min.) – Regional Premiere
Seventeen-year-old Sara is hiding a secret during a school trip. When the excursion spirals out of control and Sara witnesses her friend Lina being sexually assaulted, the two girls try to break the cycle of casual violence. This seals an everlasting bond between them.
DUA, Blerta Basholli (Kosovo, Switzerland, France, 2026, 101 min.) – Regional Premiere
Pristina, Kosovo, late 1990s. As war looms and ethnic tensions escalate, 13-year-old Dua struggles to find her place among her peers and within her changing body. After an incident shakes her community, she becomes a target herself and bonds with a fearless girl who draws her toward an unexpected form of resistance. Between the daily violence and the growing threat of exile, there is little room for quiet awakenings.
EVERYTIME, Sandra Wollner (Austria, Germany, 2026, 121 min.) – Regional Premiere
A tragedy brings a mother, a daughter, and a teenage boy together. Struggling with blame and forgiveness, the unlikely trio takes a trip to Tenerife for a family holiday that never happens. Under the glow of the sun, past and present quietly start to overlap.
SHAME AND MONEY, Visar Morina (Germany, Kosovo, Slovenia, Albania, North Macedonia, Belgium, 2026, 129 min.) – Regional Premiere
A couple in their forties live with their extended family in rural Kosovo, where they make a modest living from their farm. Following a familial dispute, their livelihood is lost. They are forced to move to Pristina, where the pressure to provide for their family weighs heavily on the parents as they do their best to find work and a place to stay. A journey into a hyper-capitalist society begins.
SUPPORTING ROLE, Ana Urushadze (Georgia, Estonia, Türkiye, 2026, 139 min.) – Regional Premiere
Niaz Ninua has seen brighter days. Once a leading man, he stepped away from cinema some 15 years ago. When he decides to return, he discovers a landscape that no longer revolves around him. He attends a casting session for a supporting role in a debut feature directed by a young woman. The encounter bruises his pride, and he leaves unconvinced, dismissing the role as pretentious. Yet, as he replays the encounter, Niaz begins to sense a pull toward the role he so quickly dismissed. What seemed beneath him starts to reveal contours he did not anticipate.
YOU DON’T BELONG HERE, Florin Șerban (Romania, 2026, 154 min.) – Regional Premiere
Marius, the chief medical officer at a hospital in his small hometown, is raising his teenage son Ioan alone after the death of his wife. Marius is a confident professional who has no idea what his son gets up to at night: cycling through town vandalizing cars with a gang of masked vigilantes. Marius’ world is shaken when he learns the police have come to suspect his son of murder.
Competition Program – Documentary Feature:
BEAR WITH ME, Martin Genovski (Bulgaria, 2026, 84 min.) – World Premiere
GOOD PEOPLE, Milcho Manchevski (North Macedonia, 2026, 86 min.) – World Premiere
THE BALKAN COWBOY, Dragana Jurišić (Croatia, Ireland, 2026, 93 min.) – World Premiere
THE FORBIDDEN AUNT, Bojana Novaković (Serbia, Australia, 2026, 82 min.) – World Premiere
WE SHALL LIVE TOGETHER, Damir Markovina (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2026, 75 min.) – World Premiere
DON’T ASK ME IF I KILLED, Helena Maksyom (Romania, Netherlands, Germany, Ukraine, 2026, 103 min.) – International Premiere
FRAGMENTS OF BELONGING, Tatjana Božić (Croatia, Netherlands, Germany, 2026, 80 min.) – International Premiere
WHEN I GET OUT, Metod Pevec (Slovenia, 2026, 106 min.) – International Premiere
32 METERS, Morteza Atabaki (Türkiye, Iran, Qatar, 2025, 83 min.) – Regional Premiere
BUGBOY, Lucas Paleocrassas (Greece, France, Denmark, 2026, 87 min.) – Regional Premiere
ELECTING MS SANTA, Raisa Răzmeriță (Moldova, Romania, 2025, 95 min.) – Regional Premiere
FOR LIFE, Ahmet Seven (Türkiye, 2026, 89 min.) – Regional Premiere
TO HOLD A MOUNTAIN, Biljana Tutorov, Petar Glomazić (Serbia, France, Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia, 2026, 105 min.) – Regional Premiere
Competition Program – Documentary Shorts:
BRO RAM, Branko Schmidt (Croatia, 2026, 14 min.) – World Premiere
FAHRUDIN, Alen Drljević (Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2026, 20 min.) – World Premiere
OF LIGHT GHOSTS, Isabella Fellinger (Austria, 2026, 27 min.) – World Premiere
THE CAPTAIN AND THE CASPIAN SEA, Turkan Huseyin (Azerbaijan, 2026, 30 min.) – World Premiere
DEAR ORCHID, Hana Selena Sokolović (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Netherlands, 2026, 18 min.) – International Premiere
ASPARAGUS BEAR, Ivan Grgur (Croatia, 2025, 18 min.) – Regional Premiere
HOLY DEFIANCE, Karla Jelić (Croatia, 2026, 15 min.) – Regional Premiere
THE FERRY FLOWS, Zhora Papoian (Ukraine, United Kingdom, 2026, 18 min.) – Regional Premiere
Out of Competition
YUGO GOES TO AMERICA, Filip Grujić, Aleksa Borković (Serbia, Croatia, 2026, 87 min.) – National Premiere
Competition Program – Narrative Short Film
DITCH, Marianna Vas (Hungary, 2026, 24 min.) – World Premiere
HIDDEN IN FRAME, Anna Sarukhanova (Georgia, United Kingdom, 2026, 16 min.) – World Premiere
MAMAMA, Danica Dakić (Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2026, 8 min.) – World Premiere
PATCH, Luka Galešić (Croatia, 2026, 13 min.) – World Premiere
PORKATAL, Sis Gürdal (Türkiye, France, United Kingdom, 2026, 16 min.) – World Premiere
ADGWA-ATA, Zsuzsanna Krief (Hungary, France, 2026, 15 min.) – Regional Premiere
COSMONAUTS, Leo Černic (Slovenia, Italy, 2026, 14 min.) – Regional Premiere
GO OUTSIDE AND HUG A TREE, Irina Alexiu (Romania, 2026, 14 min.) – Regional Premiere
MOTHERHOOD, Anca Damian (Romania, Belgium, France, 2026, 18 min.) – Regional Premiere
NOBODY SAID ANYTHING, Tamara Todorović (Serbia, France, Slovenia, Croatia, 2026, 15 min.) – Regional Premiere
Competition Program – Student Short Film
HYENA, Fanny Rösch (Austria, 2026, 23 min.) – World Premiere
NEIGHBOR, Dan Grabnar (Serbia, 2026, 17 min.) – World Premiere
SISTERS, Sara Ećimović (Serbia, 2026, 21 min.) – World Premiere
THE GO-BETWEEN, Emir Solaković (Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2026, 7 min.) – World Premiere
UNWELLNESS, Réka Pinczés (Hungary, 2026, 21 min.) – World Premiere
WATER WALLS, Bianka Szelestey (Hungary, 2026, 34 min.) – World Premiere
THE FUTURE IS IN YOUR HANDS, BUT WHY NOT LEND IT TO THE SPECIALISTS?, Alexandra Schinteie (Romania, 2026, 18 min.) – International Premiere
A. WANTS OUT (ON NEUTRALITY), Zorah Berghammer (Austria, 2026, 18 min.) – Regional Premiere
BONEFUZZ, Márk László (Hungary, 2026, 10 min.) – Regional Premiere
OVER THE THRESHOLD, Tara Gajović (Serbia, 2026, 15 min.) – Regional Premiere
RABBIT DON’T RUN, Maximilian Conway, Elisabeth Jakob (Austria, 2026, 30 min.) – Regional Premiere
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