Macedonian film ‘17’ wins four awards at Sarajevo Film Festival

The Macedonian feature film ‘17’, directed by Kosara Mitic, achieved a historic victory at the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival by winning a total of four awards. This marks the most significant success for Macedonian cinema at this European festival to date.

In the official competition, the film received the ‘Heart of Sarajevo’ award for Best Actress, presented to Eva Kostic. The jury praised her performance as a ‘fearless entry onto the acting scene’ characterized by exceptional emotional honesty. Additionally, director Kosara Mitic received a Special Award for the Promotion of Gender Equality. The jury noted the film’s masterful direction in addressing social taboos regarding sexual abuse and the trauma of young girls, describing it as a critique of patriarchal toxicity.

Beyond the official competition, ‘17’ secured two additional festival partner awards: the Cineuropa award for production, recognizing its promotion of European dialogue and integration, and the Audience Award for Best Film.