The 23rd Zagreb Film Festival Awards

FEATURE FILM
Jury for the feature film competition: Una Gunjak, Nicola Marzano, Meinolf Zurhorst

Golden Pram for Best Feature Film
Wind, Talk to Me
dir. Stefan Đorđević
Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia

“For its honest, authentic, and attentive approach that gives us a deeply emotional family drama, that instead of relying on conventional dramatic tools adopts an evocative soundscape and a visual lyricism to create a cinematic poem. The Golden Pram for the Best Feature Film goes to Wind, Talk to Me by Stefan Đorđević.”

INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM AND CHECKERS
Jury for the short film and Checkers competition: Sara Alavanić, Bard Ydén, Ivan Ramljak

Golden Pram for Best Croatian Film in the Checkers program
Shallow Ground
dir. Jozo Schmuch
Croatia

“A touching portrait of remnants of life after the war, as seen through a dying woman’s reconciliation with her long-lost son, who went missing 30 years ago. The Golden Pram for Best Croatian Film in the Checkers program goes to Shallow Ground, directed by Jozo Schmuch.”

Golden Pram for Best International Short Film
Family Sunday / Domingo Familiar
dir. Gerardo Del Razo
Mexico

“A powerful and impressive single shot, in a simple circular structure from a bystander’s point of view, amplifies the sometimes horrific nature of Mexican life, often out of sight, yet omnipresent. The Golden Pram for Best International Short Film goes to Family Sunday, directed by Gerardo del Razo.”

Candidate for Best European Short Film – Prix Vimeo / European Film Awards 2026.
God is Shy / Dieu est timide
dir. Jocelyn Charles
France

“An existentialist horror tale, naturalistic and raw. At its core a very humanistic and honest representation of our common need for knowledge, even if it means destruction of oneself. Our nominated film for the European Film Awards 2026 is God is Shy, directed by Jocelyn Charles.”

TOGETHER AGAIN
Jury for the Together Again program: Bruno Anković, Dora Šustić, Tina Tišljar

Golden Bicycle for Best Film in the Together Again program
Sentimental Value / Affeksjonsverdi
dir. Joachim Trier
Norway, France, Denmark, Germany, Sweden

“We were faced with a challenging task – all six titles competing in the Together Again program were truly impressive. The film that shook us emotionally and that we truly believe it is important for as many people as possible to see, which is why we want to specially highlight it, is The Voice of Hind Rajab. Primarily because it reminds us of the brutality of the times we live in. And one film shows us how to restore hope through its exceptionally complex and impressive directing, emotional depth, lavish and imaginative dramaturgical structure, and outstanding ensemble cast. It is a film which gently portrays family wounds and human imperfections. It is precisely this gentleness that particularly touched us, as it awakens optimism and reminds us that familial wounds can be healed, through art. The Golden Bicycle goes to the film Sentimental Value directed by Joachim Trier.”

PLUS
Young jury: Maša Batinović, David Jurić, Kali Martinović

The PLUS Award for Best Film, as decided by the young jury
Wild Foxes / La danse des renards
dir. Valéry Carnoy
Belgium, France

“This year, we give the award to a film which stands out with its originality and realistic depiction of interpersonal relationships. We loved the innovative exploration of the theme of vulnerability, the depth of the characters, and the emotional value of the film. With its consistent pacing and intensity, the film keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, which is why we are awarding the prize to Wild Foxes. The young jury of the PLUS program would also like to highlight the film My Father’s Shadow, and congratulate it on an outstanding cinematic achievement.”

KINOKINO
Children’s jury: Vigo Krakar, Tea Kranjčec, Tin Sušec

The KinoKino Award for Best Film, as decided by the children’s jury
Savages / Sauvages
dir. Claude Barras
Switzerland, France, Belgium

“The film Savages talks about the importance of preserving nature and shows we can be drivers of change. Aside from a good story, the animation of the film is excellent – every corner of the rainforest is carefully constructed with lots of details, and we especially liked the imaginative characters. The film is full of sounds of nature, has great music and interesting instruments, so it is easy to imagine we are also in the rainforest.”

The Zagreb Film Festival is held with the support of the City Office for Culture and Civil Society, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Creative Europe – MEDIA sub-programme, Kultura Nova Foundation, and the Zagreb Tourist Board.