Summary
- Sandra Wollner’s “Everytime” won the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Narrative Feature Film
- The film had already won the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes in May 2026
- The jury chaired by Emily Watson selected the film unanimously
- “Everytime” is a 121-minute Austrian-German production exploring grief, guilt and memory
- Ana Urushadze won Best Director, while Eva Kostić and Adrian Văncică received the acting awards
Sandra Wollner’s “Everytime” won the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Narrative Feature Film at the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival, confirming its momentum after winning the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes.
The Austrian filmmaker left Sarajevo with the top prize in the narrative feature competition and its €16,000 cash award. The film was the unanimous choice of the jury chaired by Emily Watson, with Igor Bezinović, Sara Klimoska, Matthijs Wouter Knol and Athina Rachel Tsangari serving as members.
The distinction carries particular weight because it comes just three months after the film’s biggest international award to date: on May 22, 2026, “Everytime” won the top Un Certain Regard Prize at the 79th Cannes Film Festival. It is Wollner’s third feature and explores loss, guilt and memory through the aftermath of a family tragedy.
From Cannes to Sarajevo
“Everytime” had its world premiere at Cannes, where it competed in Un Certain Regard, one of the central sections of the Official Selection and a platform traditionally focused on distinctive filmmaking voices and adventurous approaches to storytelling. The jury chaired by Leïla Bekhti selected it as the winner from a lineup of 19 feature films.
Its regional premiere followed on August 17 at the National Theatre Sarajevo as part of the Competition Programme – Narrative Feature Film. Nine films competed for the main narrative awards at the 32nd edition, which ran from August 14 to 21, 2026.
A second top prize in such a short period suggests that the film is resonating with juries of very different composition and focus, from the international platform of Cannes to a festival whose core mission includes championing cinema from the wider Southeast European region and neighbouring territories.
The story of “Everytime”
At the centre of the film is Ella, a mother trying to cope with the death of her teenage daughter Jessie. A year after the tragedy, Lux, Jessie’s boyfriend, re-enters the lives of Ella and her younger daughter Melli. Loss, guilt and the need for forgiveness bring the three characters closer together as they travel to Tenerife for the family holiday that never happened as originally planned.
Wollner uses the journey to gradually blur the boundaries between past and present, approaching grief not simply as a psychological condition but as a force capable of reshaping the characters’ perception of time and their relationships with one another.
The Austrian-German production runs for 121 minutes. Its principal cast includes Birgit Minichmayr, Tristan López, Lotte Shirin Keiling and Carla Hüttermann, with Naomi Elia Richard also appearing. Gregory Oke is the cinematographer, Hannes Bruun edited the film and David Schweighart composed the music.
Who won the major awards
In the Narrative Feature Film competition, the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Director and its €10,000 award went to Ana Urushadze for “Supporting Role.” Eva Kostić won Best Actress for “17,” while Adrian Văncică was named Best Actor for “You Don’t Belong Here.” Both acting prizes carry awards of €2,500.
In the documentary competition, Biljana Tutorov and Petar Glomazić’s “To Hold a Mountain” won the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Documentary Feature, while Karla Jelić’s “Holy Defiance” took Best Short Documentary. The Special Jury Award went to Zhora Papoian’s “The Ferry Flows.”
Tamara Todorović’s “Nobody Said Anything” won Best Narrative Short Film, with a Special Mention for Sis Gürdal’s “Porkatal.” Réka Pinczés’ “Unwellness” won the student film competition.
Kosara Mitić’s “17” also received the Special Award for Promoting Gender Equality, with a Special Mention for Helena Maksyom’s “Don’t Ask Me if I Killed.” The Special Youth Perspectives Award went to Dina Duma’s “Skateboarding Is Not for Girls.”
Why the double victory matters
The trajectory of “Everytime” stands out because two major European festivals placed the same film at the top of their respective competitive selections within a matter of months.
Cannes gave Wollner’s film a major international platform through Un Certain Regard, while Sarajevo has brought it back into focus ahead of the autumn period of international festivals and theatrical releases. That does not by itself guarantee commercial success or any particular distribution deal, but it significantly strengthens the international profile of both the film and its director.
The choice of Wollner also reflects the direction of this year’s Sarajevo competition: six of its nine narrative features were directed by women, in a programme combining emerging voices with filmmakers who had already established themselves on the regional and international festival circuit.
What we think
A second major award for “Everytime” in the same year is difficult to dismiss as an isolated festival success. The Cannes and Sarajevo juries operated independently and with different priorities, yet both ultimately chose the same film, reinforcing the impression of a work with a strong directorial identity. The next point of interest will be how far it can travel beyond the festival circuit and how widely it secures international distribution.
Frequently asked questions
What did “Everytime” win at the Sarajevo Film Festival?
It won the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Narrative Feature Film at the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival. The prize carries a €16,000 cash award.
Had the film already won an award at Cannes?
Yes. On May 22, 2026, “Everytime” won the top Un Certain Regard Prize at the 79th Cannes Film Festival.
What is “Everytime” about?
The film follows a mother, her younger daughter and a teenage boy connected by a family tragedy. A trip to Tenerife becomes an exploration of grief, guilt, forgiveness and memory.
Who stars in the film?
The main cast includes Birgit Minichmayr, Tristan López, Lotte Shirin Keiling and Carla Hüttermann, with Naomi Elia Richard also appearing.
