21 August 2026, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina: The Youth Perspectives Award, established in cooperation with the Council of Europe, was presented for the second time at the gala closing ceremony of the 32nd edition of the festival on 21 August. The award acknowledges the essential role young people play in protecting and strengthening our democracies, using culture to carve out spaces and claim agency.
Andrei Dragos Tarta, member of the Advisory Council and jury, introduced the award to the film Skateboarding Is Not for Girls by Dina Duma. According to the jury, by awarding this film, this year’s prize celebrates the freedom to make one’s own choices in the face of traditions and societal expectation. This international co-production between North Macedonia, Belgium, Slovenia and Croatia presents a touching story of unity, family, and hope that comes from belonging. Defying stereotypes with a warm intergenerational story, it offers an authentic portrait of youth and the agency of people living within marginalised communities, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
The Youth Perspective Special Film Award forms part of the Council of Europe’s broader efforts to integrate youth perspectives into decision-making, supported by the Reference Framework on a Youth Perspective, as recognition of the positive contribution and creative potential that young people bring to democracies and European unity. The award uses cinematic art to provoke discussion on topics relevant to young people, offering a space for them to re-imagine futures and societies.
Tobias Flessenkemper, Head of the Council of Europe Youth Department, stated that “At the heart of the film Skateboarding is Not for Girls is a young girl trying to understand the world around her, find her own voice, claim the right to make choices about her own life. The film shows how arts and culture are creating an indispensable space for democratic dialogue, raise questions, make audiences open to challenge dominant narratives. This reflects the reality that young people are not a homogeneous, and that democratic societies need discussion, contradiction and experimentation within a common framework of human rights, fundamental freedoms, equality and the rule of law."
This year's festival also spotlighted the role of young artists in democracy through the panel What Do We Ask of the Next Generation? Film, Democracy and Regional Competitiveness, held as part of the second Regional Conference on Youth Cultural Cooperation, organised by the Regional Cooperation Council in partnership with the Sarajevo Film Festival, with the participation of the Head of the Council of Europe Youth Department alongside film professionals from Croatia and Serbia.
The Special Youth Perspectives Award, including a prize of 7,500 euros, was first presented during the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival in 2025 to the film DJ Ahmed. The award is also part of the long-standing cooperation between the Council of Europe and the Festival, renewed through a Memorandum of Cooperation in 2025.
