Sarajevo Film Festival's CineLink Industry Days has announced the new CineLink Impact Award presented by Think-Film Impact Production, an award-winning impact media company with specialist expertise at the intersection of film and social change. The purpose of the award is to provide support in developing a comprehensive impact campaign for a project in post-production phase participating in the CineLink Work-in-Progress or Docu Rough Cut Boutique. The award comprises of in-kind consultation services worth €20,000 for the impact campaign.

The winner will be selected by the CineLink Impact jury, whose members are Amy Shepherd (chief operating officer at Think-Film Impact Production), Rory Thost (director of documentary at Participant, the leading media company dedicated to entertainment that stands at the intersection of art and activism) and Faridah Gbadamosi (senior programmer at Tribeca Enterprises, director of distribution at Open Your Eyes and Think MF, a consultant on different film projects and a freelance culture critic, a pop culture lover, who focuses in her work on making film spaces more inclusive).

“Filmmakers today are increasingly embedding impact thinking and actions into productions as they seek to engage and mobilise audiences for good. This award recognises the unique value that impact holds for film success, and honours the creatives who are harnessing its potential to unlock the full power of their film,” explains Danielle Turkov Wilson, Founder & CEO of Think-Film Impact Production. Think-Film partners with world-leading film, television, AR, VR and music artists to drive forward decisions, commitments and actions that bring measurable, lasting change to global situations. Pioneers of Cannes impACT in 2021, Think-Film also leads impact programmes at the world's top film festivals, training filmmakers and shaping the film industry to be more sustainable and impactful.

“Filmmakers from Southeast Europe are known to tackle social issues in their films with great care and dedication. However, the post-screening impact of these films on society is, unfortunately, often overlooked. To address this gap, we are delighted to announce our collaboration with Think-Film Impact Production. This partnership offers either one feature or one documentary film the opportunity to create a campaign that can expand its reach and engage audiences on a deeper level. By doing so, we hope to contribute to a wider, more informed and enlightened audience,” comments Maša Marković, the Sarajevo Film Festival’s head of industry.

The eligibility of a project for the award will be determined by the CineLink team. CineLink Work in Progress chooses post-production projects to showcase to exclusive guests at the Sarajevo Film Festival, including international sales agents, top festival programmers, distributors, public fund representatives, and post-production houses. Meanwhile, the Docu Rough Cut Boutique, co-organized by the Sarajevo Film Festival and Balkan Documentary Center, serves as a regional platform for documentaries in the advanced stages of editing. The upcoming CineLink programme will unfold during this year's Sarajevo Film Festival, which takes place from 11 to 18 August.