Overview
CineLink Industry Days is the industry platform of the Sarajevo Film Festival, running for six days each August during the festival. It connects filmmakers from Southeast Europe and the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region with European co-producers, financiers, sales agents, distributors, and broadcasters. The 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival takes place August 14 through 21, 2026, with CineLink Industry Days scheduled for August 15 through 20, 2026.
CineLink is not a single grant. It is a multi-track industry program with three main strands: the Co-Production Market (feature film projects in development), CineLink Drama (television drama series in development), and Work in Progress (films in post-production seeking sales agents and distribution). Each strand has its own selection process, award structure, and eligibility criteria.
In 2025, CineLink awarded a total of EUR 171,000 in cash prizes and EUR 80,000 in in-kind services across all three strands. Individual awards range from EUR 6,000 to EUR 50,000. The program also includes a year-round workshop structure: selected Co-Production Market projects participate in three hybrid workshop modules (April, June, and August) covering script development, financing strategy, sustainability practices, and pitch preparation before presenting to decision-makers at the festival.
History
The Sarajevo Film Festival was founded in 1995 during the Siege of Sarajevo, making it one of the few major festivals established in a war zone. The festival began as a cultural act of resistance and has grown into the largest film festival in Southeast Europe, screening approximately 240 films across 16 venues and attracting over 100,000 attendees annually.
CineLink Industry Days launched in 2003 as the festival's industry arm. The program expanded over the years to include CineLink Drama (2015) and Work in Progress, reflecting the growth of TV drama production in the region and the need for post-production market access. In 2025, CineLink restructured its workshop format from a single session to three hybrid modules (April, June, August) to provide more sustained development support.
In 2024, founder Ben Fowlie stepped down, and the festival continued under new leadership. The 31st edition in 2025 opened with the world premiere of The Pavilion (Paviljon) by Dino Mustafic. The 2025 CineLink Industry Days gathered more than 1,200 film and television professionals and presented 45 new projects across all strands.
Films developed through CineLink have premiered at Cannes (Un Certain Regard, Directors' Fortnight), Berlin (Competition, Panorama), Venice (Orizzonti), and Rotterdam. The program has been particularly effective at connecting first and second-time feature directors from the region with established European co-producers.
Award Value
CineLink operates three main programs, each with distinct awards:
CineLink Co-Production Market (feature films in development):
- Eurimages Co-Production Development Award: EUR 20,000
- Film Center Montenegro CineLink Award: EUR 10,000
- Film Center Serbia CineLink Award: EUR 10,000
- Kosovo Cinematography Centre CineLink Award: EUR 10,000 (new for 2026)
- Artekino International Prize: EUR 6,000
- Female Voices Award (cross-category with CineLink Drama, sponsored by Slovenian Film Centre and UN Women): EUR 20,000
CineLink Drama (TV drama series in development):
- Council of Europe Series Co-Production Development Award
- Croatian Audiovisual Center Drama Award
- TV Drama Vision Pitch Award
- The Female Voices Award (EUR 20,000) is available across both Co-Production Market and Drama strands
CineLink Work in Progress (films in post-production):
- HBO Award: EUR 30,000 cash (new for 2025)
- Post-production awards including cash and in-kind services (e.g., EUR 30,000 in-kind from Post Republic, EUR 20,000 in-kind from AvanPost Media)
- Turkish National Radio Television Award: EUR 25,000
Workshop and development support (no cash value, but significant for project advancement):
- Three hybrid workshop modules (April, June, August) with script editors, financing consultants, sustainability advisors, and marketing strategists
- Tailored consultations with industry professionals
- Presentation to decision-makers including co-producers, sales agents, distributors, broadcasters, and funders
Eligibility
CineLink Co-Production Market eligibility is based on the territorial focus of Southeast Europe and the MENA region. Eligible countries include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey, and countries in the MENA region.
Starting in 2026, projects from outside Southeast Europe may apply if they meet at least one of the following criteria: they have a producer from an eligible Southeast European country, the story is related to the region, or there is involvement with regional talent. However, projects from outside the region are not eligible for any cash awards.
CineLink Drama accepts television drama series projects from the same territorial focus. Work in Progress accepts feature films in post-production from the region. Both narrative and documentary features are eligible for the Co-Production Market, though the program prioritizes feature-length fiction projects.
Past Recipients
2025 CineLink Award Winners
Co-Production Market:
- Eurimages Co-Production Development Award (EUR 20,000): Places Half Empty (Hungary), dir. Dorka Vermes, prods. Evelyn Balogh, Botond Lelkes. A queer drama about two women who meet and fall in love.
- Film Center Montenegro CineLink Award: Stone Over Stone (Austria-Azerbaijan), dir. Hilal Baydarov
- Film Center Serbia CineLink Award: Pogana (Croatia-Slovenia), dir. David Kapac
- Artekino International Prize (EUR 6,000): Two Little Nightmares (Croatia-Serbia-Slovenia-Bulgaria-France), dir. Nebojsa Slijepcevic
- Female Voices CineLink Award (EUR 20,000): Rain Country (Turkey), dir. Zeynep Koprulu
CineLink Drama:
- Council of Europe Series Co-Production Development Award: Red Water (Croatia), cre. Ljubica Lukovic, prod. Danijel Pek
Work in Progress:
- HBO Award (EUR 30,000): Who Are We, dir. Miroslav Terzic
2024 CineLink Award Winners
- Eurimages Co-Production Development Award (EUR 20,000): Big Women (Serbia), dir. Milica Tomovic, prod. Jelena Radenkovic
- Eurimages Special Co-Production Development Award: Times New Roman (Ukraine-Lithuania), dir. Philip Sotnychenko, prod. Valeria Sochyvets
- Female Voices CineLink Award (EUR 20,000): Lullaby (Greece-Georgia), dir. Keti Machaviarani
- Film Center Serbia CineLink Award: Air in a Bottle, dir. Aida Begic
- Work in Progress Turkish National Radio Television Award (EUR 25,000): Honey Bunny (Croatia-Serbia), dir. Igor Jelinovic
What Made Their Application Stand Out
Successful CineLink projects share several characteristics:
- A completed screenplay or strong treatment that demonstrates both narrative clarity and artistic ambition. The Co-Production Market prioritizes feature-length fiction projects with a clear vision
- Regional relevance: Projects must have a connection to Southeast Europe or the MENA region, either through the director, producer, story, or talent. The 2025 winners reflect the region's thematic preoccupations, with projects exploring trauma, identity, belonging, and the tension between collective expectations and personal autonomy
- Production readiness: Projects should be at the development or financing stage, not early concept. The workshop structure is designed to move projects from development to production readiness
- Co-production potential: The program's real value is access to co-producers and financiers. Projects that demonstrate clear co-production potential across European countries are more competitive
- For Work in Progress: A rough cut or assembly that demonstrates the film's quality and commercial potential. Work in Progress projects should be seeking sales agent attachment or post-production financing
Renewal Requirements
CineLink is not a renewable grant. Each project participates for a single cycle. There is no ongoing reporting obligation, no GPA requirement, and no multi-year commitment.
However, filmmakers can apply to different CineLink strands in subsequent years. A director who presents a project in the Co-Production Market can later submit a different project to Work in Progress, or apply to CineLink Drama with a television series. The program's year-round workshop structure provides ongoing development support for selected projects, but this is limited to the cycle in which the project is selected.
The in-kind post-production awards must be used with the sponsoring post-production facility (e.g., Post Republic, AvanPost Media). These awards are not transferable and must be claimed within the timeframe specified by the sponsor.
Application Process
Applications are submitted through the Sarajevo Film Festival's online industry portal. The deadline for the 2026 CineLink Co-Production Market is February 10, 2026. The final selection of projects is announced by mid-March 2026.
Required submission materials include:
- Project description or synopsis
- Screenplay or treatment (depending on development stage)
- Director's statement
- Budget and financing plan
- Filmmaker CV and production company information
- Producer's statement
For CineLink Drama, similar materials are required, adapted for series format (series bible, pilot episode script or treatment, season outline). CineLink Work in Progress requires a rough cut or assembly, project description, and post-production status report.
There is no application fee for CineLink programs.
What Filmmakers Should Know
A EUR 20,000 Eurimages Co-Production Development Award is a development grant, not a production budget. It is designed to cover the costs of moving a project from development to production readiness: script revisions, legal fees for co-production agreements, attachment of cast and crew, and pre-production planning. A typical Southeast European feature film budget ranges from EUR 500,000 to EUR 2,000,000 depending on country and scope. A EUR 20,000 development award covers approximately 1 to 4 percent of a typical production budget.
The in-kind post-production awards (EUR 30,000 in services) are more directly useful for completing a film. A full post-production package (color grading, sound mixing, DCP mastering) at a European lab typically costs EUR 15,000 to EUR 50,000. An in-kind award at this level can eliminate a significant portion of post-production costs.
Filmmakers should not rely on CineLink awards as their primary funding source. The program's real value is access to co-producers and financiers. Projects selected for the Co-Production Market present to approximately 200 to 300 industry professionals during CineLink Industry Days, including representatives from Eurimages, national film funds, European sales agents, and streaming platforms.
The deadline has moved earlier for 2026. The Co-Production Market deadline is February 10, 2026, not March or April as in previous years. The workshop structure now begins in April, not at the festival in August.
Non-regional projects cannot win awards. Starting in 2026, projects from outside Southeast Europe can participate if they have a regional connection, but they are explicitly not eligible for any cash awards. If your primary goal is funding rather than networking, and you are not from the region, other co-production markets may be more appropriate.
CineLink Drama and CineLink Co-Production Market are separate programs. The Female Voices Award (EUR 20,000) is the only award that crosses both strands. If you have a TV drama project, you apply to CineLink Drama, not the Co-Production Market. The application requirements and evaluation criteria differ.
Filmmakers based in Southeast Europe or the MENA region with feature film or TV drama projects at the development or post-production stage who need co-production partners, financing, or distribution should apply. The program is particularly valuable for directors and producers with a completed screenplay seeking their first or second international co-production, filmmakers with a rough cut needing sales agent attachment, and TV drama creators looking to connect with European broadcasters and streaming platforms.
Watch
See Also
For understanding European co-production structures, see International Film Markets. To plan your feature film budget, use the Production Budget Calculator. For exploring other funding opportunities, browse the full Film Scholarships Directory.
