Heart of Sarajevo for the Best Student Film goes to Réka Pinczés

Sarajevo – Patroned by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Student Film once again celebrated young filmmaking talent from South East Europe. The award went to Réka Pinczés for the film Unwellness, presented during the closing awards ceremony of the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF). For emerging filmmakers from the region, it is an important opportunity to gain wider recognition and bring their work to new audiences.

We warmly congratulate Réka on this achievement. Seeing young filmmakers from South East Europe recognised at the region’s largest film festival is a reminder of the talent, creativity and potential our region has to offer. We are proud to support their journey and look forward to seeing where their work takes them next.

For a decade now, the RCC has proudly sponsored the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Student Film, supporting emerging filmmakers and helping give greater visibility to their work. Previous winners of the award include Adem Tutić for “Tarik” (2025); Nadja Petrović for “The Smell of Fresh Paint” (2024); Anna Gyimesi for “Falling” (2023); Klara Sovagović and Josip Lukić for “It's Not Cold for Mosquitoes” (2022); Alexandru Mironescu for “Summer Planning” (2021); Zeynep Dilan Süren for “The Great Istanbul Depression” (2020); Nikola Stojanović for “Sherbet” (2019); Hajni Kis for “Last Call” (2018); and Neven Samardžić for “Clean” (2017).

Art and culture play an important role in bringing people together, strengthening cooperation and creating shared experiences across the region. By supporting creativity and cultural exchange, RCC helps build stronger connections, open new opportunities and contribute to the region’s social and economic development.

RCC’s support for young filmmakers is part of its broader commitment to giving young people across the region more space to connect, create and have a say in shaping their future. This year at the Sarajevo Film Festival, RCC’s EU-funded Western Balkans Youth Lab project organised the Second Regional Conference on Youth Cultural Cooperation in cooperation with SFF. The conference brought together young filmmakers and film students from across the Western Balkans Six to exchange ideas, learn from one another and build regional connections. Through initiatives such as the Youth Lab, Western Balkans Six Women Entrepreneurs of the Year, Balkathon and the Butterfly Innovation Award, RCC supports young people in turning their ideas, creativity and ambition into opportunities with a wider regional impact.

This activity has been funded by the RCC participant Germany.

More on Second Regional Conference on Youth Cultural Cooperation:

• https://www.rcc.int/news/1068/young-filmmakers-from-western-balkans-six-take-centre-stage-at-sarajevo-film-festival
• https://www.rcc.int/news/1070/kapetanovic-film-and-creative-industries-open-new-opportunities-for-young-people
• https://www.rcc.int/news/1071/young-filmmakers-and-artists-from-across-the-western-balkans-six-connect-learn-and-collaborate-in-sarajevo