Sarajevo Film Festival x ERIAC Serbia Fellowship for Roma in Film | Tamara Jovanović & Sami Mustafa Participate at Talents Sarajevo 2025

The Sarajevo Film Festival x ERIAC Serbia Fellowship for Roma in Film is a unique initiative aimed at supporting emerging Roma filmmakers by granting them access to the prestigious Sarajevo Talents 2025 program. The recipients of this year’s fellowship, Sami Mustafa and Tamara Jovanović, will gain exclusive access to SFF industry programs, networking opportunities with established professionals, tailored mentorship, and dedicated support to develop their creative work and professional journey in film. The fellowship is designed to amplify Roma voices in cinema and empower their contributions to inclusive storytelling.

The recipients of the fellowship were selected by a distinguished jury comprising:

• Neđo Osman Actor, Poet, and Director
• Jose Luis Ucha Enríquez, Film & TV Director/Writer
• Véro Cratzborn, Writer and Filmmaker
• Mia Avdagić, Producer and Talents Sarajevo Project Coordinator
• Bratislav Mitrović, ERIAC Serbia Director

Sami Mustafa, a French-Kosovar Roma born in Pristina in 1984, is an independent documentary filmmaker, producer, and writer. He is the founder of the production company Romawood and the Rolling Film Festival, where he serves as artistic director. He is currently an honorary member of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) and a member of the European Film Academy. His latest film Trapped by Law won Best Film Award at the New York Film Festival, the Discovery Young Talent Award at Cottbus Film Festival and had numerous nominations. The film was released in North East Cinema in Germany and shown on Swedish Television channel YLE as well as on Kosovo National Channels.

Tamara Jovanović is a 25-year-old Serbian artist with a career spanning television, film, theater, and music. Currently working at RTS (Radio Television of Serbia) as part of the show Romanipen, she has also made her mark in acting with roles in the feature film Toma and the TV series Branilac. She also performed in the short documentaries My Path – Moro drom and Chronology of Hope, where she served as the visual narrator. A trained vocalist, Tamara graduated from lower music school in solo singing and now performs with an ethno ensemble dedicated to preserving Serbian traditional music.

Sami Mustafa and Tamara Jovanović share their experience at Sarajevo Film Festival 2025

Sami Mustafa

My participation at the Sarajevo Film Festival was filled with inspiration and connection. Alen Van Bargen—an artist, actor, photographer, and script advisor—generously shared his journey of navigating the film industry, weaving together anecdotes from his artistic life with practical advice for young filmmakers and storytellers. His reflections moved fluidly between the creative and the pragmatic: how to remain authentic in artistic choices, while also developing strategies to sustain a career in a demanding and often unpredictable field. For me, this was not only a moment of learning but also of recognition—the reminder that cinema, while deeply personal, is also an industry that requires resilience, adaptability, and openness to collaboration.

We joined fellow producers from different parts of the the region for engaging and honest discussions. Each of us had the chance to speak about the conditions of the film industry in our respective countries, shedding light on the unique challenges and advantages we each face. From funding opportunities and co-production models to censorship, audience development, and infrastructure, the exchange became a sort of mirror—where differences highlighted our realities, and similarities bound us together. It was both humbling and motivating to realize how our individual contexts shape the stories we tell and the paths we take to bring them to life.

A particularly memorable moment was Stellan Skarsgård’s talk, where he generously shared his enormous experience as an actor in Norway, his home country, as well as across the world. Listening to him speak about his craft, his dedication, and the subtle nuances of acting was a rare gift. His words carried the weight of decades in cinema yet were infused with humility and a passion for storytelling that felt timeless. I left the session not only inspired, but also with a deeper respect for the way acting can anchor a story’s truth.

I immersed myself in cinema once more by watching Joachim Trier’s new film Sentimental Value, starring Stellan Skarsgård. The screening felt like a perfect continuation of the earlier conversation—a chance to witness his artistry in motion.

Surrounded by fellow talents, filmmakers, and new friends, I felt the pulse of Sarajevo’s creative spirit—a city where cinema and community merge into unforgettable moment.

Tamara Jovanović

I had the opportunity participate in acting workshops that were both deeply inspiring and practical. One of the session was led by Goran Bogdan, one of Croatia’s most celebrated actors. He spoke about his path into acting and the challenges of sustaining a career in film and theatre in the region. What stood out in his workshop was his emphasis on truthfulness in performance — how an actor must always search for authenticity in every gesture, tone, and silence. Bogdan shared exercises that pushed us to strip away theatricality and instead embody sincerity. He highlighted that the audience can sense when an actor is “pretending,” and the most powerful moments often come from vulnerability and openness. His advice was to cultivate discipline and self-awareness, but also to leave space for spontaneity and instinct, since those are often the sparks that bring a character to life.

I also joined another workshop with Dragan Mićanović, one of Serbia’s leading actors, known for his versatility on stage and screen. Mićanović’s approach was very personal and reflective, as he shared anecdotes from his long career working in Serbia and abroad. He stressed the importance of resilience, reminding us that rejection is part of every actor’s journey and should never be taken as a final verdict on one’s talent. He encouraged us to constantly observe people and life itself, because an actor’s craft is built on the ability to mirror humanity. One of his most memorable tips was that a good actor should always serve the story rather than his or her own ego — performance is not about being noticed, but about allowing the character and the narrative to breathe through you.

These workshops offered a complementary perspective: Bogdan’s insistence on authenticity and presence in the moment, paired with Mićanović’s wisdom on resilience, humility, and lifelong curiosity. Both actors reminded us that the craft of acting is not only about technique, but also about cultivating empathy, patience, and the courage to be exposed on stage or screen. Walking away from these sessions, I felt that their words provided not just practical advice, but also a profound reminder of the kind of dedication and humanity required to grow as an artist.

About Talents Sarajevo 2025 Program

Talents Sarajevo is a platform for emerging filmmakers from Southeast Europe and the Southern Caucasus to connect, learn, and grow within the film industry. The nineteenth edition, FILMING AS CARING, takes place from August 16 to 21, 2025, alongside the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival. This year’s program centeres on mental health in filmmaking, recognizing that industry changes—whether technological or structural—deeply affect professionals’ emotional well-being. By fostering dialogue among emerging and experienced filmmakers, Talents Sarajevo advocates for collective responsibility in creating a more supportive and sustainable work environment.