News
Talents Sarajevo 2025 Unveils Its New Generation of Filmmakers
The Sarajevo Film Festival announces the selection of 63 emerging film professionals from Southeast Europe and the Southern Caucasus for the 19th edition of Talents Sarajevo, held under the theme FILMING AS CARING.
Representing 17 of the 20 eligible countries, the participants were chosen from a competitive pool of 560 applicants, with Greece, Romania, and Turkey contributing the highest number of applicants.
Amid rapid technological shifts—streaming platforms, AI, and new business models—the film industry is also experiencing deeper, personal transformations that impact the mental and emotional well-being of those working within it. These changes remind us that every structural evolution directly affects the people behind the scenes. The 2025 edition of Talents Sarajevo centers on these issues, spotlighting the voices of emerging filmmakers and professionals from the region. Through dialogue with peers and industry professionals, participants will explore mental health in filmmaking as a shared responsibility—not just a personal one.
The program provides a dynamic platform for participants to engage in masterclasses, lectures, moderated discussions, hands-on workshops, and curated screenings. Structured into eight modules and led by internationally renowned mentors, Talents Sarajevo features: Directors Summit, Producers Summit, Acting Studio, Camera Studio, Editing Studio, Pack & Pitch, Script Station, and Talent Press.
Talents Sarajevo expands further this year with two exciting new initiatives:
• The Talents Sarajevo Innovation Forum offers an open, cross-industry platform centered on IP management, gaming, and cross-media storytelling. This forum responds to growing interest in AI, new technologies, and media innovation and is open to all participants, fostering collaboration and continuous learning beyond traditional film disciplines.
• The Script Station evolves into a Writers’ Room, reflecting rising script standards and the growing demand for serial storytelling in the region. This new format emphasizes collaborative writing, character development, and episode structuring, providing participants with hands-on experience in a dynamic team environment.
These additions reinforce Talents Sarajevo’s role as the premier regional hub nurturing emerging talent and supporting long-term creative growth.
Since its inception in 2006 in partnership with the Berlin International Film Festival and Berlinale Talents, Talents Sarajevo has been a cornerstone of CineLink Industry Days. It focuses on skill-building, training, and cross-border collaboration, offering young filmmakers the chance to develop their craft, engage with industry challenges, and build enduring connections within the global film community.
Talents Sarajevo 2025 Selection:
DIRECTORS SUMMIT
Vlad Bolgarin (MOLDOVA)
Adelina Borets (UKRAINE)
Angelos Charalambous (GREECE)
Lucia Chicos (ROMANIA)
Maja Doroteja Prelog (SLOVENIA)
Emilija Gašić (SERBIA)
Lada Imamović (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA)
Klara Kaliger (CROATIA)
Markela Kontaratou (GREECE)
Jordan Mihailovsky (BULGARIA)
Fırat Özeler (TURKEY)
Sara Radulović (MONTENEGRO)
Ioan-Alexandru Sirbu (ROMANIA)
Eva Vidan (CROATIA)
ACTING STUDIO
Laura Anić Kaliger (CROATIA)
Era Balaj (KOSOVO)*
Jana Bjelica (SERBIA)
Sissy Cui (HUNGARY)
Harun Ćehović (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA)
Milica Gicić (SERBIA)
Selin Hasar (TURKEY)
Tamara Jovanović (SERBIA)
Diana Kolenc (SLOVENIA)
Thanos Koniaris (GREECE)
Victoria Ecaterina Moraru (ROMANIA)
Vlad Popescu (ROMANIA)
Yorgos Tsiantoulas (GREECE)
PRODUCERS SUMMIT
Ana Ćulum (SERBIA)
Dora Galosi (HUNGARY)
Noa Nikolić (CROATIA)
Sami Mustafa (KOSOVO)*
Olha Tuharinova (UKRAINE)
Nikola Uzelac (SERBIA)
SCRIPT STATION
Zsombor Aurél Biró (HUNGARY)
Ela Božič (SLOVENIA)
Vangelis Dikopoulos (GREECE)
Evi Gjoni (ALBANIA)
Zoe Ibrahimović (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA)
Octavian Saramet (ROMANIA)
Emina Šehić (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA)
Vasile Todinca (ROMANIA)
CAMERA STUDIO
Milena Bečanović (MONTENEGRO)
Tiku Kobiashvili (GEORGIA)
Galatia Lagoutari (GREECE)
Filip Tasić (SERBIA)
Tadej Vintar (SLOVENIA)
EDITING STUDIO
Kasiyana Angelova (BULGARIA)
Emanuel Dan Avram (ROMANIA)
Alexandra Babau (ROMANIA)
Marta Bregeš (CROATIA)
PACK & PITCH
Sara Alavanić (CROATIA)
Can Deniz Atici (TURKEY)
Alemdar Faig Dadashov (AZERBAIJAN)
Petar Lakić (SERBIA)
Kyriaki Kontaratou (GREECE)
Nargiz Mammadli (AZERBAIJAN)
Konstantinos Mavrias (GREECE)
Lun Sevnik (SLOVENIA)
TALENT PRESS
Pavla Banjac (SERBIA)
Bernard Grubišić (CROATIA)
Esra Kars (TURKEY)
Diana Martirosjan (ARMENIA)
Marina Zigneli (GREECE)
The 31st Sarajevo Film Festival will take place from 15 to 22 August 2025.
* This label does not prejudge the status of Kosovo and is in accordance with Resolution 1244 and the opinion of the ICJ on Kosovo's declaration of independence.