Sarajevo Film Festival: Promoting Gender Equality through Dedicated Awards and Industry Support for Women in Film

Anna Croneman, is a Swedish film and television producer who assumed the role of CEO of the Swedish Film Institute in April 2024. With a background in the industry, Croneman earned her producer credentials from the Swedish Institute of Dramatic Art and has since curated an esteemed portfolio, producing celebrated TV dramas and feature films. In 2017, she was appointed Head of Drama at Sveriges Television (SVT), a position she held with distinction until her current appointment as CEO. In addition to her on-screen achievements, Croneman has held significant leadership roles off-screen. She served as vice chair of the Swedish Film Institute board and chaired the Swedish Film & TV Producers Association's section for feature films and TV drama. As CEO, Croneman leads the Swedish Film Institute through a challenging period in Swedish cinema, with a focus on bolstering film production, distribution, and heritage preservation.

 

Ivan Marinović is a multi-award-winning Montenegrin director, screenwriter, and producer from Montenegro.  His debut feature film, „The Black Pin“, premiered in the Competition Programme of the Sarajevo Film Festival in 2016. The film was screened at over 50 international and regional festivals. It was also Montenegro’s official submission for the Academy Awards®. His second feature film, “Forever Hold Your Peace”, had its world premiere in the main competition programme of the Black Nights Film Festival in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2023. It received critical acclaim at regional and European festivals, winning several awards, including the FEDEORA critics’ award. His upcoming TV series “Hotel**”, starring Nikola Đuričko, is set to premiere soon. Marinović is also the co-producer of the films “All Alone” by Bobo Jelčić (Sarajevo Film Festival), “Working Class Goes to Hell” by Mladen Đorđević (Toronto International Film Festival), “Yugo Florida” by Vladimir Tagić, and “The Kids Sing the Hits” by Mina Đukić (currently in pre-production). He has taught as a guest lecturer at FAMU in Prague and FIOFA Institute in Ohrid, and delivered a Master Class at Chapman University in California. Ivan is a member of the European Film Academy (EFA).

 

Norika Sefa is a filmmaker from Kosovo*, best known for her acclaimed 2021 debut feature “Looking for Venera”. The film received widespread recognition and numerous awards, establishing her as a bold new voice in contemporary cinema. A writer and director, Norika also produces and edits her own work. Her earlier projects include “Desde Arriba”, a short documentary filmed in the Peruvian jungle under the mentorship of Werner Herzog. Her most recent film, “Like a Sick Yellow” (2024), an avant-garde short, expands on her signature style - using experimental documentary to explore new emotional and aesthetic terrain. Norika has presented her work and spoken at various cultural and arts institutions, often discussing her distinct cinematic style and her experience within Kosovo’s emerging film scene. In addition to her creative practice, she is actively involved in teaching. She is a member of the European Film Academy. Norika is the first recipient of Gender Equality Award for her film “Looking for Venera”.

Aida Begić was born in Sarajevo. Her debut “Snow” was premiered at Cannes’ Semaine de la Critique where it won Grand Prix. Her film “Children of Sarajevo” premiered in Un Certain Regard where it got Special Distinction of Jury Award. She did short film “Album”, part of omnibus “Bridges of Sarajevo” that had its world premiere in Special Screening section of Cannes. Aida Begić is Professor at the Academy of Performing Arts Sarajevo. She is member of AMPAS, EFA, UFRBiH and SACD. Her feature film “Never Leave Me” won numerous awards at the festivals worldwide, as well as her last feature film “A Ballad” that premiered in Competition Program of the Sarajevo Film Festival. All four features were Bosnian candidates for Oscar®.

 

Nataša Bučar is a Managing Director of Slovenian Film Center. She has extensive experience in film industry. For several years she has been managing Ljubljana International Film Festival, the largest International Film Festival in Slovenia. At the same time she was running film distribution activities inside Cankarjev dom. In the past she gained management experiences as the Director of the Festival of Slovenian Films, as Assistant Director of the Slovenian Film Fund and as the General Director of the Media Directorate at the Slovenian Ministry of Culture. In 2016 she was appointed as the Managing Director of Slovenian Film Center. She has been reappointed as the head of the main Slovenian film institution for another 5 years term in December 2021. She is a strong supporter of gender balance in the film sector and also a member of the Board of EFAD, European Film Agency Directors Association as well as member of European Film Academy (EFA).

 

Dita Rietuma, Dr. Art. is a film historian, critic, and director of the National Film Centre of Latvia. From 1993 to 2014, she served as editor and film critic for Diena, Latvia’s largest daily newspaper. Since 2007, she has taught at Riga Stradiņš University as an Assistant Professor and is currently a Professor at the Latvian Academy of Culture. She is the author and co-author of six books on the history of world cinema. Since 2014, Dr. Rietuma has led the National Film Centre of Latvia, a government institution under the Ministry of Culture that shapes and implements national film policy. Dr. Rietuma has been a member of the European Film Academy since 2014. She also represents Latvia in the European Film Promotion (EFP) and is a member of EFAD (European Film Agency Directors Association). In 1995, she founded the Latvian branch of FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics).