European Film Academy Director and Yorgos Lanthimos Producer Headline Sarajevo Film Festival Jury
The prestigious Sarajevo Film Festival has announced a formidable jury for its feature film competition, spearheaded by acclaimed British actress Emily Watson. Joining her in the crucial role of adjudicating the festival’s centerpiece competition are Matthijs Wouter Knol, Director of the European Film Academy, and Athina Rachel Tsangari, a prominent producer known for her collaborations with Yorgos Lanthimos. The esteemed panel also includes Croatian filmmaker Igor Bezinović and North Macedonian actress Sara Klimoska, rounding out a diverse and influential group tasked with awarding the coveted Heart of Sarajevo Awards.
The Sarajevo Film Festival, an annual cinematic event held in mid-August, has long been a vital platform for showcasing emerging and established talent from across Southeastern Europe and beyond. This year’s edition, set to run for a week, continues its tradition of drawing significant international attention and fostering a vibrant exchange of cinematic ideas. The selection of Watson, Knol, Tsangari, Bezinović, and Klimoska to preside over the feature film competition underscores the festival’s commitment to recognizing artistic merit and global cinematic dialogue.
A Stellar Lineup of Jurors
Emily Watson, a two-time Academy Award nominee, brings a wealth of experience and critical acclaim to her role as jury president. Her illustrious career boasts performances in critically lauded films such as Lars von Trier’s Breaking the Waves, for which she received her first Oscar nomination, and the A24 drama God’s Creatures alongside Paul Mescal. Her recent work includes a starring role as Mary Shakespeare in Chloë Zhao’s adaptation of Hamnet, and she currently leads the HBO/Max series Dune: Prophecy. Watson’s presence on the jury signifies a strong endorsement of the Sarajevo Film Festival’s standing within the global film community. She joins a distinguished lineage of jury presidents at Sarajevo, a list that includes renowned filmmakers and actors such as Mike Leigh, Jeremy Irons, Asghar Farhadi, Ruben Östlund, and Mia Wasikowska, further cementing the festival’s reputation for attracting high-caliber industry figures.
Matthijs Wouter Knol, a Dutch film producer, lecturer, editor, and journalist, assumes his position as a juror with significant institutional weight. As the CEO and Director of the European Film Academy since 2021, Knol is instrumental in shaping the future of European cinema, overseeing its strategic direction, programming, and the prestigious annual European Film Awards. His extensive involvement in the industry, including previous jury tenures at festivals in Buenos Aires, Jerusalem, Istanbul, and Locarno, provides him with a broad perspective on international filmmaking. His participation highlights the strong ties between the Sarajevo Film Festival and the broader European film landscape.
Athina Rachel Tsangari, a Greek director, screenwriter, and producer, is a pivotal figure in the "Greek New Wave." Her distinctive approach to filmmaking, often characterized by genre-bending narratives that explore power dynamics and desire across gender, class, and alterity, has garnered international recognition. Her debut feature, The Slow Business of Going (2001), a science-fiction road movie, is now part of MoMA’s permanent film collection. Her sophomore feature, Attenberg (2010), premiered at the Venice Film Festival, winning the Coppa Volpi for Best Actress and the Lina Mangiacapre Directing Award. Chevalier (2015) further solidified her reputation, earning best film at the BFI London Film Festival and an Independent Spirit Award nomination. As a producer through her Athens-based company Haos Film, Tsangari has been instrumental in bringing acclaimed films to audiences, including Yorgos Lanthimos’s Kinetta and Alps, Georgis Grigorakis’s Digger, and co-producing Richard Linklater’s Before Midnight. Her most recent directorial effort, the neo-western Harvest, premiered at Venice in 2024. Her inclusion on the jury brings a unique artistic vision and a deep understanding of independent and auteur cinema.
Croatian director Igor Bezinović is celebrated for his innovative documentary filmmaking. His 2025 film Fiume o morte! has already garnered significant accolades, including the European Film Award for Best Documentary and multiple AFA Awards. His previous works, such as the award-winning documentaries The Blockade (2012) and Veruda – A Film About Bojan (2015), both received the Oktavijan Award for Best Croatian Documentary Film. Bezinović’s debut feature, A Brief Excursion (2017), premiered at Rotterdam and secured the Grand Golden Arena for Best Film at the Pula Film Festival. His inclusion reflects the Sarajevo Film Festival’s dedication to supporting and recognizing filmmakers from the Balkan region.
North Macedonian actress Sara Klimoska is a rising star whose talent has been recognized both domestically and internationally. Her most recent leading role is in Milcho Manchevski’s upcoming 2026 film Sister Brother Manhole Cover, marking her third collaboration with the acclaimed director. Klimoska’s credits also include Goran Stolevski’s Sundance premiere You Won’t Be Alone and Housekeeping for Beginners, which screened at the Venice Film Festival. Her international appearances extend to films like Nico by Eline Gehring, Family Secrets by Malik Vitthal, and Replay by Jason Lester. Klimoska’s connection to Sarajevo is personal, having participated in the Talents Sarajevo program, a testament to her burgeoning career and the festival’s commitment to nurturing new talent. Her nomination for the Heart of Sarajevo award in 2022 for her role in the TV series Underneath further highlights her significant contributions to regional cinema.
The Heart of Sarajevo Awards: A Beacon of Cinematic Excellence
The culmination of the feature film competition will be the awarding of the Heart of Sarajevo Awards on August 21st. These awards are highly regarded within the film industry, celebrating outstanding achievements in filmmaking and providing a significant platform for the recognized works. The Heart of Sarajevo has become synonymous with quality cinema and a launchpad for many films and filmmakers who go on to achieve international success.
Context and Significance of the Sarajevo Film Festival
Established in 1995 amidst the Siege of Sarajevo, the Sarajevo Film Festival emerged as a powerful symbol of resistance and a beacon of hope during a period of immense conflict. Its founding mission was to reconnect a city under siege with the outside world through the universal language of cinema. Over the decades, it has evolved from a small, courageous initiative into one of Europe’s most important and influential film festivals. It serves as a crucial meeting point for filmmakers, industry professionals, and cinephiles from Southeastern Europe and the wider global film community. The festival is renowned for its diverse program, which includes feature films, documentaries, short films, and retrospectives, often with a strong focus on films that address social and political issues.
The festival’s dedication to discovering and promoting new cinematic voices, particularly from regions with often underrepresented narratives, has earned it international acclaim. The presence of industry leaders like Matthijs Wouter Knol, whose role at the European Film Academy is central to the continent’s cinematic infrastructure, and Athina Rachel Tsangari, a champion of bold and innovative filmmaking, underscores the festival’s growing global significance. Their participation as jurors reinforces the Sarajevo Film Festival’s position as a vital curator of contemporary cinema.
Broader Impact and Implications
The selection of such a distinguished jury for the feature film competition at the Sarajevo Film Festival carries several implications. Firstly, it signals the festival’s continued ascent in the international film calendar, attracting A-list talent and further bolstering its prestige. This elevated profile can translate into increased visibility for the selected films, potentially opening doors for wider distribution and international festival runs. For the filmmakers whose works are in competition, the scrutiny of a jury comprising such experienced and respected professionals offers invaluable exposure and critical feedback.
Secondly, the jury’s composition reflects a commitment to diverse perspectives within filmmaking. The inclusion of individuals from different national backgrounds and professional disciplines – acting, directing, producing, and academy leadership – ensures a well-rounded evaluation of the competing films. This diversity can lead to a more nuanced and comprehensive assessment of cinematic achievements, moving beyond purely commercial considerations to embrace artistic innovation and cultural relevance.
Furthermore, the involvement of figures like Knol and Tsangari highlights the interconnectedness of European cinema. The European Film Academy, under Knol’s leadership, plays a crucial role in fostering collaboration and supporting filmmakers across the continent. Tsangari’s own career, deeply rooted in the avant-garde and independent scene, represents a vital strand of European cinematic expression. Their presence at Sarajevo reinforces the festival’s role as a key node in this network.
The jury’s decisions in awarding the Heart of Sarajevo Awards will undoubtedly shape the discourse around the selected films and their filmmakers. These awards often serve as critical early indicators of future festival successes and potential award contenders on the international stage. The attention drawn by the jury members themselves will amplify the impact of these awards, providing a significant boost to the winning films and their creators. As the Sarajevo Film Festival continues to grow, its jury selections remain a crucial indicator of its evolving identity and its enduring commitment to celebrating the art and craft of filmmaking.
