The drama series I Know Your Soul and the comedy Smashing It have been recognized as the best TV series, winning the Hearts of Sarajevo at the 30th Sarajevo Film Festival.
The awards ceremony, held at Hotel Hills, celebrated excellence in television with accolades given in two categories: drama series and comedy.
I Know Your Soul, created by Jasmila Žbanić and Damir Ibrahimović, dominated the drama category, taking home seven Heart of Sarajevo Awards. These included Best Drama Series, Best Actress (Jasna Đurčić), Best Supporting Actress (Jelena Kordić Kuret), Best Supporting Actor (Mirvad Kurić), Rising Star (Lazar Dragojević), Best Screenplay (Jasmila Žbanić and Elma Tataragić), and Best Direction (Nermin Hamzagić).
The Heart of Sarajevo for Best Actor in a Drama Series was posthumously awarded to Žarko Laušević (1960-2023) for his role as Živojin Mišić in the series A Time of Death.
In the comedy category, Smashing It, created by Elma Tataragić, Dušan Vranić, Enes Zlatar, and Amra Bakšić Čamo, took home the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Comedy. The series also won awards for Best Actor (Alen Muratović) and Best Screenplay (Elma Tataragić, Dušan Vranić, Enes Zlatar).
The series Radio Mileva, created by Nebojša Garić, earned three Heart of Sarajevo Awards in the Comedy category—for Best Actress (Olga Odanović), Rising Star (Kris Gavrić), and Best Direction (Elmir Jukić).
The Heart of Sarajevo Awards for TV series at the 30th Sarajevo Film Festival were decided by a jury of over 500 film professionals from the region. This year, eight series were nominated in 14 categories. Eligible entries included drama and comedy series from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Slovenia, and Serbia, which premiered between April 1, 2023, and April 30, 2024.
During the awards ceremony, Honorary Hearts of Sarajevo were presented to Christof Papousek and Philippe Bober by the president of the Sarajevo Film Festival, Mirsad Purivatra.
The media partner for the Heart of Sarajevo Awards for TV series is the film magazine Deadline.
The gala dinner for the Heart of Sarajevo Awards for TV series was organized in collaboration with the Sarajevo Film Festival and the Croatian edition of the renowned international gastronomic guide Gault&Millau.
The Kvarner Tourist Board, along with the island of Lošinj and Lošinj Hotels & Villas, partnered for this exclusive dinner. Kvarner, a region with a rich history at the crossroads of cultures and civilizations, is also known for its gastronomic heritage, which continues to evolve while preserving its authenticity and enhancing quality. This is why it earned the title of European Region of Gastronomy 2026.
The dinner for 160 guests was prepared by two top chefs from two outstanding Kvarner restaurants: Michael Gollenz (Trophy for Best Chef of Tomorrow, Gault&Millau Croatia 2022), head chef at Alfred Keller Restaurant in the luxury Boutique Hotel Alhambra in Mali Lošinj, and Deni Srdoč (Young Talent of the Year Trophy, Gault&Millau Croatia 2018), owner of Nebo and Hidden Wine Bistro in Rijeka. Their meat and vegetarian delicacies were accompanied by wines from Saints Hills Winery.
In addition to tasting the flavors of Kvarner, guests at the dinner were treated to a glimpse of its beauty through the world premiere of the music video for “Secret Garden,” a piece by the famous cellist Stjepan Hauser, filmed at stunning locations on the island of Lošinj, known as the island of vitality.
