The Sarajevo Film Festival has revealed the seven projects selected for this year’s Filmmaker Support Programme.
Announced at Slano Film Days in Croatia on Saturday in the presence of filmmakers, producers and festival representatives, the UNIQA See Future Foundation – in collaboration with the Sarajevo Film Festival and Slano Film Days – features female directors who will receive tailored financial and professional support through production and post-production.
Launched in 2024, the issue empowers filmmakers from six countries in Southeast Europe where UNIQA Insurance Group operates: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania and Bulgaria.
The Sarajevo Film Festival said the program was created to “promote women’s presence and visibility in the regional film industry, and provide financial support, mentorship and professional development opportunities.” Selected participants also receive access to industrial training and a festival skills programme.
The 2026 projects include the Marta Popivoda project The body is in the plurala photo of dancers from Serbia and the United States as well Citizens of beautya documentary by Serbian Mila Turajlić, and a legal document by Romanian director Ilinka Kalogreanu called Anatomy of indifference.
Ona Junjak How Melissa blew a fuseThe film, which tells the story of a woman who steals 200,000 euros from her workplace in Germany, buys a car and heads to her hometown in Bosnia, has been selected alongside Katarina Bulajić’s feature film. leech From Montenegro Jelena Maksimovic Until the day endsabout Serbian teenagers who flee while protesting political repression. Rounding out the selection is Swamp Written by Croatian director Daria Blazevic, it is an anthology of five horror stories set in the Neretva River Valley.
“Two years ago, we launched the Filmmaker Support Program as one of the first steps of the UNIQA See Future Foundation,” said Petra Schulman, Director of the UNIQA See Future Foundation, adding that she is proud to see how far the program has come in its second generation.
“What fills me with joy is that this initiative is steadily turning into a tradition that we are building with our partners, and I sincerely hope that it continues to flourish, as each new generation brings a wave of new, exciting and memorable projects… I am deeply honored that our efforts are being recognized, and I am especially grateful that we are considered an institution that empowers women filmmakers.”
“None of this would have been possible without the exceptional partnership between Slano Film Days and the Sarajevo Film Festival, and I sincerely thank them for their support,” she added. “This year’s recipients are truly inspiring. Their talent gives me great hope for the future of cinema.”
