The inaugural Adriatic Film & TV Awards (AFA Awards) have been handed out to honor the region’s best achievements in film and television, with Croatian Oscar contender Fiume o morte! being honored as the best film, and director Igor Bezinović also receiving the AFA for best director and best screenplay.
The AFA Award for best debut film went to Kajtijedeklica, directed by UrškaDjukić.
The AFA Award for best leading actress went to Jara Sofija Ostan for her performance in Djukić’s debut, while Leon Lučev was named best leading actor for his role in The Working Class Goes to Hell, directed by Mladen Đorđević. Meanwhile, the Rising Star Award was presented to LidijaKordić for her role in The Working Class Goes to Hell.
In television, the AFA Award for best TV series went to Operation Sabre, created by Vladimir Tagić and Goran Stanković. The AFA Award for leading actress in a series went to Milica Gojković, with Dragan Mićanović winning the AFA best actor honor, both for their roles in Operation Sabre.
Winners were selected by a jury made up of more than 550 members of the Film and TV Academy, which is currently being established to bring together professionals from across the Adriatic region and various fields of the film industry. The Academy is being founded by members of the Adriatic Region Festival Network, namely the Sarajevo Film Festival, the Festival of Auteur Film Belgrade and the Zagreb Film Festival.
“The first edition of the Adriatic Film Awards is everything we have dreamed of and planned for years,” said Mirsad Purivatra, president of the AFA Committee. “We celebrate the creativity of this entire region and hope this will become an additional form of recognition for our directors and actors.”
The awards event was held at the Porto Montenegro venue in Tivat, Montenegro.
Highlighted Jovan Marjanović, director of the Sarajevo Film Festival: “This is not just an award ceremony. It is a space for ongoing dialogue, knowledge exchange and intergenerational solidarity. A place where experienced filmmakers and producers pave the way for newcomers, where learning and sharing occur and where the entire region is recognized for what it truly is — one of the most vital and creative film spaces in Europe. This event connects not only film professionals but also audiences, representing a cultural treasure of tomorrow.”
