Exploring Diverse Narratives: Highlights from the 2025 Sarajevo Film Festival CineLink Industry Days Awards
The Sarajevo Film Festival has announced the winners of the 2025 CineLink Industry Days Awards. Among the winners is "Places Half Empty," a film depicting a queer relationship in Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, which received the Eurimages Co-Production Development Award. Another winner is "Gorilla," which won the TV Drama Vision Pitch Award for its story set in 1960s Paris. The festival showcased projects from Southeast Europe and the MENA region in various stages of development, and awards were given in the CineLink Co-Production Market, CineLink Work in Progress, and CineLink Drama sections.
The 31st edition of the Sarajevo festival concludes today, Friday, with the announcement of the CineLink winners. The winners include "Places Half Empty," "Stone Over Stone," "Pogana," "Two Little Nightmares," "Rain Country," "Red Water," "Wonderful," and "Gorilla." These projects received awards ranging from €6,000 to €50,000 in various categories such as co-production development, drama, and TV series.
The CineLink Co-Production Market Awards recognized outstanding projects like "Places Half Empty," "Stone Over Stone," and "Pogana," each receiving financial support for their development. The Female Voices Cinelink Award went to "Rain Country," while the Council of Europe Series Co-Production Development Award was given to "Red Water." The Croatian Audiovisual Center Drama Award was presented to "Wonderful," and the TV Drama Vision Pitch Award was won by "Gorilla."
In the CineLink Work in Progress Awards, projects like "Who Are We," "Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep," "Where To?," and "17" were recognized for their potential. The awards included financial support and in-kind prizes to help these projects move forward in their development. Additionally, the Think-Film Impact Production Award was given to "Lost and Found: Romania’s Hidden Adoption Market" for its impactful storytelling and social relevance.
In conclusion, the Sarajevo Film Festival's CineLink Industry Days Awards celebrated a diverse range of projects from different regions, highlighting unique stories and creative visions. The winners received recognition and support to further develop their projects and bring them to audiences worldwide.