Overview
The Herceg Novi Film Festival - Montenegro Film Festival (FFHN) is the largest and most significant film festival in Montenegro and one of the most important in Southeast Europe. The 39th edition will run August 22 to 28, 2026. The 38th edition ran August 23 to 29, 2025, screening more than 60 films across three competitive selections and review programs. The festival is organized by the Public Cultural Institution Herceg-fest, with patrons including the Ministry of Culture and Media of Montenegro and the Municipality of Herceg Novi. In 2025, FFHN received official FIAPF accreditation, one of five new festivals accredited that year and the only one from the Balkan region. The artistic director is playwright Stevan Koprivica.
Screenings are held at open-air venues across Herceg Novi: the Kanli Kula fortress, the Forte Mare fortress, Mića Pavlović Square, and the garden of the House of Nobel laureate Ivo Andrić. These historic settings, combining medieval fortifications with the Bay of Kotor backdrop, are a defining feature of the festival experience.
Submission Details
The festival accepts submissions for its competitive sections. Submission information is available through the festival website at filmfestival.me.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Festival Dates (2026) | August 22 to 28, 2026 |
| Typical Timing | Late August each year |
| Duration | 7 days |
| Competitive Sections | Feature Films, Documentary Films, Student Films |
| Non-Competitive Sections | Kino Evropa, TV Nisa, Adriatic Region Festival Network |
| Industry Program | Montenegro Film Rendezvous |
| Accreditation | FIAPF (accredited 2025) |
| Organizers | Herceg-fest, Film Center of Montenegro |
| Venues | Kanli Kula, Forte Mare, Mića Pavlović Square, Ivo Andrić Garden |
The festival does not publicly list submission fees. The feature film competition is curated by selector Vuk Perovic, meaning films are typically invited rather than selected through open submission.
Competition Sections
- Feature-Length Fiction Film Competition - the main competitive section, programmed by selector Vuk Perovic. A five-member jury awards the Golden Mimosa prizes
- Documentary Film Competition - curated by Vladimir Perovic. Awards include Best Documentary and a Special Documentary Award
- Student Film Competition - curated by Sara Stijović. A three-member jury awards the Golden Mimosa for Best Student Film and two special mentions
- TV Nisa - introduced in 2024, presenting regional television series productions, including projects by young Montenegrin authors supported by the Film Center of Montenegro
- Kino Evropa - a non-competitive program presenting recent European cinema to Montenegrin audiences
- Adriatic Region Festival Network - a collaborative program with Sarajevo, Zagreb, and Belgrade festivals, presenting selected films across all four festivals
The festival's awards are named the Golden Mimosa (Zlatna mimoza). Additional awards include the Adriatic Audience Award, the FEDEORA Award, and the Milan Zmukić Award for Contribution to the Festival. See Past Winners below for 2025 results.
Montenegro Film Rendezvous
The Montenegro Film Rendezvous is the festival's industry program, organized with the Film Center of Montenegro. The 2026 edition will be the third iteration. It brings together filmmakers, producers, and film professionals from across the region for industry days focused on co-productions and partnerships.
Festival History
The Herceg Novi Film Festival was founded in 1987, making it one of the longest-running festivals in the Balkans. It operated through the Yugoslav era and continued through Montenegro's independence in 2006. The 2025 FIAPF accreditation placed Montenegrin cinema on the global industry map. The Film Center of Montenegro supports national cinema through development grants and co-production financing.
Past Winners
The 38th edition (August 2025) awarded Golden Mimosa prizes across three competitive sections.
38th Edition (2025) Feature Film Competition
- Grand Prix - Golden Mimosa for Best Film - DJ Ahmet directed by Georgi M Unkovski (North Macedonia/Czech Republic/Serbia/Croatia). The film had its world premiere at Sundance 2025, where it won two awards, before securing UK and Irish theatrical distribution through Conic.
- Best Director - Nikola Lezaic for How Come It's All Green Out Here? (Serbia/Croatia/Bulgaria)
- Best Screenplay - Stefan Boskovic for Otter (Montenegro/Bosnia and Herzegovina/Italy/Croatia/Kosovo)
- Best Female Role - Anica Dobra and Lea Cok (ex aequo) for Whites Wash at Ninety (Slovenia/Serbia/Croatia/Italy/Montenegro/North Macedonia)
- Best Male Role - Andrija Kuzmanovic for Yugo Florida (Serbia/Montenegro/Bulgaria/Croatia)
- Special Jury Award - 15 and a Half directed by Miso Obradovic (Montenegro)
- Zivko Nikolic Award for Special Contribution to Film Expression - Wondrous Is the Silence of My Master directed by Ivan Salatic (Montenegro/Italy/France/Croatia/Serbia)
- Zoran Zivkovic Award for Best Production - Tower of Strength directed by Nikola Vukcevic (Montenegro/Serbia/Croatia/Germany)
38th Edition (2025) Documentary Competition
- Best Documentary - Vibrations from Gaza directed by Rehab Nazzal (Palestine)
- Special Documentary Award - Autobiography of My Diabetes directed by Matthew Lancit (France/Canada)
38th Edition (2025) FEDEORA Award
- FEDEORA Award - Little Trouble Girls directed by Urska Djukic (Slovenia/Italy/Croatia/Serbia). The film won the FIPRESCI Prize at Berlinale 2025 and Best Cinematography at Tribeca, and was selected as Slovenia's official Oscar entry. Kino Lorber acquired US distribution rights.
Notable Alumni Films
The Herceg Novi Film Festival has served as a competitive platform for Balkan and regional cinema. Several 2025 winners achieved international distribution:
- *DJ Ahmet* (Georgi M Unkovski, North Macedonia, 2025) - Won the Grand Prix at Herceg Novi after winning two awards at Sundance 2025. The film secured UK and Irish theatrical distribution through Conic for a March 2026 release. The co-production tells the story of a 15-year-old Yoruk boy in a remote village who finds refuge in music.
- *Little Trouble Girls* (Urska Djukic, Slovenia, 2025) - Won the FEDEORA Award at Herceg Novi after winning the FIPRESCI Prize at Berlinale 2025 and Best Cinematography at Tribeca. Kino Lorber acquired US rights for a December 2025 theatrical release. Slovenia selected the film as its official Oscar entry. The co-production is Djukic's debut feature.
- *Otter* (Stefan Boskovic, Montenegro, 2025) - Won Best Screenplay at Herceg Novi. The Montenegrin-led co-production represents the kind of regional co-production that the festival's competition attracts.
- *Wondrous Is the Silence of My Master* (Ivan Salatic, Montenegro, 2025) - Won the Zivko Nikolic Award. The Montenegrin/Italian/French/Croatian/Serbian co-production reflects the international co-production infrastructure that Montenegrin filmmakers access through European partnerships.
Submission Tips
- Contact the festival directly for feature film competition consideration: The feature film competition is curated by selector Vuk Perovic, meaning films are typically invited rather than selected through open submission. If you have a Balkan or regional co-production, contact the festival through filmfestival.me with a screener link and production details.
- Documentary and student competitions may have open submission windows: The documentary and student programs may accept open submissions. Check the festival website for submission calls, which typically open in spring for the August festival.
- Balkan and regional co-productions are the primary focus: The feature film competition screened 11 films from Balkan countries in 2025. Films from the former Yugoslav states and neighboring countries (Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, Italy) align with the programming focus. Non-Balkan films are less likely to be selected.
- Montenegrin filmmakers should prioritize this festival: FFHN is the most important domestic platform for Montenegrin cinema. The festival's national focus, the Film Center of Montenegro partnership, and the Montenegro Film Rendezvous industry days create the primary domestic networking and visibility opportunity.
- Prepare for outdoor screening venues: All screenings take place at open-air venues in historic fortresses and squares. The August timing means warm evenings ideal for outdoor screenings, but technical specifications may differ from indoor cinema venues. Confirm DCP and technical requirements with the festival if your film is selected.
- The Montenegro Film Rendezvous is the industry value: For international producers seeking Montenegrin co-production partners, the Rendezvous (third edition in 2026) provides direct access to local filmmakers, the Film Center of Montenegro, and regional producers. Contact the Film Center of Montenegro (fccg.me) in advance to arrange meetings.
Industry Reputation Notes
The Herceg Novi Film Festival occupies a specific position in the Balkan and European festival landscape:
Strengths: FIAPF accreditation (2025) places Montenegrin cinema on the global industry map. The festival is one of the longest-running in the Balkans (founded 1987, 39 editions). The Golden Mimosa competition focuses on Balkan and regional cinema. The Montenegro Film Rendezvous provides regional co-production networking. The Adriatic Region Festival Network partnership with Sarajevo, Zagreb, and Belgrade extends the festival's reach. The outdoor fortress venues attract regional audiences.
Limitations: The festival does not have an attached film market. Acquisition deals are not a primary function. The feature film competition is selector-curated, creating a higher barrier to entry for international filmmakers without regional connections. Herceg Novi is a small town (population approximately 30,000) with limited industry infrastructure. The August timing coincides with peak tourist season, making accommodation expensive.
Who attends: The audience is primarily Montenegrin and regional (Balkan) film professionals, audiences, and international guests. The festival attracts filmmakers from the former Yugoslav states and Central European producers seeking Balkan co-production partners. The festival does not draw the international sales agents and distributors that attend major European festivals.
Compared to peers: FFHN is smaller and more regionally focused than the Sarajevo Film Festival, which is the leading competitive festival in the Balkans with a strong industry market (CineLink). Sarajevo's larger scale makes it the primary acquisitions and co-production market in the region. Compared to the Pula Film Festival (Croatia), FFHN has a stronger Balkan regional focus and the newer FIAPF accreditation.
See Also
Calculate your total festival submission costs and projected return using the Festival ROI Calculator. Estimate your acceptance probability with the Festival Acceptance Odds Estimator. For festival circuit strategy and planning, see Film Festival Strategy. For understanding the Balkan film market and regional co-productions, see International Film Markets. Visit the festival website for current submission information and the Film Center of Montenegro for co-production funding details.
