24/06/2025 - New works by Ena Sendijarević, Aida Begić and Biljana Tutorov feature in the initiative run by UNIQA SEE FUTURE Foundation, Sarajevo Film Festival and Slano Film Days

Director Ena Sendijarević, selected with her project The Possessed

The UNIQA SEE FUTURE Foundation, in collaboration with the Sarajevo Film Festival and Slano Film Days, has announced the selection of five projects for the 2025 edition of the Female Filmmakers Support Programme, an initiative launched in 2024 to promote gender equality in Southeast European cinema.

The programme offers €180,000 in funding, alongside mentorship and access to CineLink Industry Days, supporting women directors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania and Bulgaria - countries where the UNIQA Insurance Group operates. The initiative marks a growing trend towards inclusive and strategic support for female creatives in Southeast Europe’s audiovisual sector.

Projects were chosen for their strong artistic vision and originality, with a focus on supporting the production and post-production stages. Adel Bahtanović, president of the UNIQA SEE region, expressed pride in the initiative’s impact, calling it "a meaningful contribution to the visibility and affirmation of creative work in the region". Slano Film Days director Mirsad Purivatra emphasised the festival’s role in championing new voices, while Sarajevo Film Festival director Jovan Marjanović highlighted the programme’s potential to address systemic imbalances in film funding.

Announced during the Slano Film Days (17-21 June), the selected projects are:

The Possessed - Ena Sendijarević (Bosnia and Herzegovina/Netherlands) (fiction feature)
Production: SCCA/pro.ba, Studio Ruba

Air in a Bottle - Aida Begić (Serbia)
Production: This and That Productions

Embryo - Maša Šarović (Montenegro) (fiction feature)
Production: KINO d.o.o.

The Last Nomads - Biljana Tutorov (Serbia) (documentary)
Production: Wake Up Films

Confessions of a Female Gamer - Dolya Gavanski (Bulgaria) (documentary)
Production: Agitprop, Thea Films