Romanian filmmaker Emanuel Pârvu received the Best Director award at this year’s edition of the Sarajevo Film Festival, which took place between August 11 and August 18. The award was granted for the film Meda or the Not So Bright Side of Things, his feature film debut.

Romanian actor Şerban Pavlu received the Best Actor distinction for his performance in the same film.

The director’s award amounts to EUR 10,000, while the Best Actor one stands at EUR 2,500.

Mexican director Michel Franco presided over the festival’s jury, which included Mark Adams, artistic director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival; actor Goran Bogdan; Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO of Doha Film Institute in Qatar; and Turkish actress Melisa Sözen.

The film Scary mother/ Sashishi Deda, directed by Ana Urushadze, received the Heart of Sarajevo award, and Ornela Kapetani was deemed Best Actress for her performance in the film Daybreak.

Petrila Planet, another Romanian film, was included in the documentary competition section of the festival. However, the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Documentary Film went to the co-production City of Sun, directed by Rati Oneli.

Meda or the Not So Bright Side of Things tells the story of a woodman who, after becoming a widower, realizes he has to take Meda, the girl who has been in his care for the past eight years, back to the orphanage.

The cast of the film includes Florin Zamfirescu, Adrian Titieni, Dan Aştilean, Radu Gabriel, Rodica Negrea, Ion Sapdaru, Mihai Dinvale, Vlad Corbeanu, Lucian Ghimişi, Costel Caşcaval, Radu Zetu, Alexandru Mavrodineanu, and Ana Radu.

The full list of awards is available here.

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editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Sarajevo Film Festival Facebook Page)