Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina — Renowned Ukrainian filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa will lead this year’s jury at the Sarajevo Film Festival, which celebrates emerging cinema from the region and beyond. Joining him on the jury are Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle, and prominent industry figures including Serbian actor Dragan Mićanović, Romanian filmmaker Emanuel Pârvu, and Bosnian-Dutch director Ena Sendijarević.
Loznitsa has made a significant mark in the world of film, directing 28 documentaries and five feature films. His impressive body of work includes titles such as My Joy and Donbass, the latter of which earned him the Best Director Prize in the Un Certain Regard category at Cannes. In addition to judging the festival, he will also offer a retrospective showcasing his extensive filmography in Sarajevo.
Tuttle has been at the helm of the Berlin International Film Festival since 2024, prior to which she directed the BFI London Film Festival as well as the BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival. Her experience also includes leading the Directing Fiction program at the National Film and Television School.
Mićanović, a veteran of the Yugoslav Drama Theatre since 1993, has appeared in films such as Barking at the Stars and Rocknrolla. Recently, he was featured in Operation Sabre, which garnered the Best Ensemble award at Canneseries in 2024.
Pârvu is an influential figure in Romanian cinema and education, as he co-founded the country’s first Film Acting graduate program at Ovidius University. His film Three Kilometers to the End of the World premiered at Cannes in 2024, secured the Queer Palm, and represented Romania at the Oscars. This film also won the Heart of Sarajevo Award for Best Feature at the festival in the same year.
Sendijarević has gained recognition for her work, including Take Me Somewhere Nice, which was her debut film that won the Heart of Sarajevo Award for Best Feature Film. Her follow-up project, Sweet Dreams, premiered in competition at the Locarno Film Festival and was submitted by the Netherlands for the upcoming Oscars.
Loznitsa’s appointment continues the tradition of celebrated directors leading the Sarajevo Film Festival jury, following in the footsteps of distinguished filmmakers including Mike Leigh, Jasmila Žbanić, and Paul Schrader, among others. The festival has a history of showcasing diverse storytelling from around the world, and its jury plays a pivotal role in acknowledging innovative cinematic achievements.
The 31st Sarajevo Film Festival is scheduled to take place from August 15 to 22, 2025, and is anticipated to draw filmmakers, industry professionals, and film enthusiasts from across the globe.
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