Ten feature films from Slovenia, Serbia, North Macedonia, Croatia and Montenegro, made in collaboration with European coproducers, run for the Golden Mimosa.
A total of 24 documentary films by authors from all over the world competed in the Documentary Competition, while 30 films from academies from Belgrade, Novi Sad, Zagreb, Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Ljubljana, Skoplje, and Cetinja were included in the Student Film Competition.
The festival closed with a screening of the acclaimed documentary To Hold a Mountain / Planina (Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia) directed by Biljana Tutorov and Petr Glomaz, and shot in Montenegro.
The most important film festival in Montenegro and one of the most important in Southeast Europe took place under the slogan All the Colours of Film / Sve boje filma.
An important part of the festival was the 3rd edition of the Montenegro Film Rendezvous, an industry segment that developed from one year to another, and which this year focused on the development and networking of film professionals through a rich programme aimed at the film industry, and which the Film Centre of Montenegro created in partnership with the Festival.
With the support of the French Embassy and the French Institute in Montenegro, the programme included the Female Filmmakers workshop, intended for directors and producers who develop international coproductions. In cooperation with the International Organisation of Francophonie (Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, OIF), the New African Voices programme was be presented, through which the audience had the opportunity to learn about projects in development, as well as films by prominent directors and producers from Francophone countries.
The industry programme was completed by ReActing+ Regional acting workshop, a new module programme of ReActing as a Star, with the support of the British Council, as well as the EAVE on Demand RE-ACT (https://www.filmreact.eu/) workshop within the RE-ACT programme, which Montenegro joined in 2026.
The 39th Film festival Herceg Novi - Montenegro film festival is organised by the JUK – Herceg Fest in partnership with the Film Centre of Montenegro and with support from the Ministry of Culture and Media of Montenegro and the Municipality of Herceg Novi.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS:
Feature Film Competition:
Golden Mimosa for Best Film and Plaque "Zoran Živković:
Our Father / Oče naš (Serbia, Italy, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Directed by Goran Stanković
Produced by This and That Productions
Coproduced by Nightswim, PomPom Film, Dream Factory, Kino, Srđan Novi Film, Cineplanet
Supported by Film Center Serbia, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the Ministry of Culture of Italy, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, the Film Centre of Montenegro, the North Macedonia Film Agency, Film Fund Sarajevo, Creative Europe - MEDIA, the RE-ACT Fund
Best Director:
Kosara Mitić for 17 (North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia)
Produced by Black Cat Production
Coproduced by Art & Popcorn, December
Supported by the North Macedonia Film Agency, Film Center Serbia, the Slovenian Film Centre
Goran Stanković for Our Father / Oče naš (Serbia, Italy, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Best Script:
Miha Hočevar and Srđan Koljević for Hidden People / Skriti ljudje (Slovenia, Sebia, Island)
Directed by Miha Hočevar
Produced by Vertigo
Coproduced by RTV Slovenija, Backroom Productions, Ursus Pavrus
Supported by the Slovenian Film Centre, Film Center Serbia, Creative Europe - MEDIA, RE-ACT, the Serbian Ministry of Culture
Vladimir Arsenijevic for 3 Weeks After / 3 nedelje posle (Serbia, Luxembourg, Italy, Bulgaria, Croatia)
Directed by Miroslav Terzić
Produced by This and That Productions
Coproduced by Paul Thiltges Distribution, Nightswim, Invictus, Kinorama
Supported by Film Center Serbia, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the Luxembourg Film Fund, MIC Italian Ministry of Culture, the Bulgarian National Film Center, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Creative Europe – MEDIA
Best Leading Actress:
Snjejana Sinovčić Šiškov in Honey Bunny / Koke (Croatia, Serbia)
Directed by Igor Jelinović
Produced by Eclectica
Coproduced by Baš Čelik
Supported by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Film Center Serbia, Creative Europe – MEDIA
Best Leading Actor:
Vučić Perović in Our Father / Oče naš (Serbia, Italy, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Directed by Goran Stanković
"Živko Nikolić" Award for Special Contribution to Film Expression:
Bojan Stijović for Black Trumpet / Crna truba (Montenegro, Serbia)
Directed by Bojan Stijović
Produced by Cut-Up d.o.o.
Coproduced by Pelicula Production
Supported by the Film Centre of Montenegro, Film Center Serbia, the Radio and Television of Montenegro
Special Awards:
Teona Strugar Mitevska for Mother / Majka (North Macedonia, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, India)
Directed by Teona Strugar Mitevska
Produced by Sisters and Brother Mitevski
Coproduced by Entre Chien et Loup, Rainy Days, Frau Film, Raging Film
Dina Duma for Skateboarding Is Not for Girls / Skejtanjeto ne e za devojcinja (North Macedonia, Belgium, Slovenia, Croatia)
Directed by Dina Duma
Produced by Sisters and Brother Mitevski
Coproduced by Entre Chien et Loup, Vertigo, Terminal 3
Supported by the North Macedonia Film Agency, Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC), the Slovenian Film Centre, Eurimages
FEDEORA Awards:
Main Award:
Our Father / Oče naš (Serbia, Italy, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Directed by Goran Stanković
Special Mention:
Black Trumpet / Crna truba (Montenegro, Serbia)
Directed by Bojan Stijović
Documentary Competition:
Golden Mimosa for Best Documentary:
Memories of a Window / Khaterate panjereh (Iran)
Directed by Mehrane Salimian, Amin Pakparvar
First Special Award:
Intersecting Memory (France, Palestine)
Directed by Shajma Awawdeh
Second Special Award:
The Right to Forget (Switzerland)
Directed by Lisa Mazenauer
Student Film Competition:
Golden Mimosa for Best Student Film:
Tarik (Serbia)
Directed by Adem Tutić
Produced by FDU Belgrade
Special Award for Directing:
Existence Is a Coincidence (Serbia)
Directed by Veljko Petrović
Produced by FDU Belgrade
Special Prize for Visual Identity:
Everything I’ve Wanted to Hear (Slovenia)
Directed by Ema Paš
Produced by AGRFT Ljubljana
"Milan Žmukić" Award for Outstanding Contribution to Film Art:
Actor Bogdan Diklić
