Georgi M. Unkovski’s comedy-drama DJ Ahmet leads the nominations for the Adriatic Film Awards, scoring nominations in each of the seven film categories.
The debut feature was nominated for best film, actress for Dora Akan Zlatanova, actor and rising star for Arif Jakup, and director, screenplay and debut film for Unkovski.
Scroll down for the full list of nominees
It was closely followed by Vladimir Tagic’s Yugo Florida, which was nominated in best film, actress for Hana Selimovic, actor for Andrija Kuzmanovic, rising star for Jana Milosavljevic, and director and debut film for Tagic.
Hana Jusic’s God Will Not Help scored five nominations, as did Teona Strugar Mitevska’s Mother, and Stefan Djordevic’s Wind, Talk To Me.
The nominations were chosen by over 800 members of the Film and TV Academy of the Adriatic Region. The Academy was established last year for the inaugural edition of the awards, by members of the festival network in the region, including Sarajevo Film Festival, Auteur Film Festival Belgrade, and Zagreb Film Festival.
DJ Ahmet debuted at Sundance Film Festival in January 2025, winning the audience award and special jury award in the World Cinema Dramatic section. It went on to play Sydney and Sarajevo festivals among others. The film follows a 15-year-old boy from a remote Macedonian village who escapes into music amidst parental expectations, societal conservatism, and his forbidden love for a girl.
There are also three TV categories for best TV series, lead actress, and lead actor, with nominees including Serbian thriller series Black Sun. The ceremony will also include an outstanding box office achievement award for the first time. The awards will take place from October 23-25 in Porto Montenegro, Montenegro.
Igor Bezinovic’s Fiume o morte! led the winners at last year’s inaugural edition with three prizes including best film.
Adriatic Film Awards 2026 nominations
Film awards
Best film
DJ Ahmet (N Mac-Czech-Ser-Cro) dir. Georgi M. Unkovski
God Will Not Help (Cro-It-Rom-Gr-Fr-Slovenia) dir. Hana Jusic
Mother (Bel-N Mac-Den-Swe-Bos/Her) dir. Teona Strugar Mitevska
Wind, Talk To Me (Ser-Slovenia-Cro) dir. Stefan Djordevic
Yugo Florida (Ser-Bul-Cro-Mont) dir. Vladimir Tagic
Best lead actress
Jasna Diklic – The Pavilion
Manuela Martelli – God Will Not Help
Noomi Rapace – Mother
Hana Selimovic – Yugo Florida
Dora Akan Zlatanova – DJ Ahmet
Best lead actor
Stefan Djordevic – Wind, Talk To Me
Filip Djuric – How Come It’s All Green Out Here?
Arif Jakup – DJ Ahmet
Andrija Kuzmanovic – Yugo Florida
Nikola Ristanovski – Mother
Rising star
Marko Grabez – The Wedding
Arif Jakup – DJ Ahmet
Jana Milosavljevic – Yugo Florida
Lamija Salihovic – Komar, The Hollow
Ana Marija Veselcic – God Will Not Help
Best director
Stefan Djordevic – Wind, Talk To Me
Hana Jusic – God Will Not Help
Teona Strugar Mitevska – Mother
Vladimir Tagic – Yugo Florida
Georgi M. Unkovski – DJ Ahmet
Best screenplay
Stefan Djordevic – Wind, Talk To Me
Hana Jusic – God Will Not Help
Nikola Lezaic – How Come It’s All Green Out Here?
Goce Smilevski, Elma Tataragic, Teona Strugar Mitevska – Mother
Georgi M. Unkovski – DJ Ahmet
Best debut film
Fantasy, dir. Katarina Bogdanovic
Wind, Talk To Me, dir. Stefan Djordevic
Ida Who Sang So Badly Even The Dead Rose Up And Joined Her In Song, dir. Ester Ivakic
Yugo Florida, dir. Vladimir Tagic
DJ Ahmet, dir. Georgi M. Unkovski
TV series
Best TV series
Black Sun (Ser)
Komar (Bos/Her)
Shame (Cro)
The Monster Behind The Iron Curtain (Slovenia)
The Hollow (Bos/Her)
Best lead actress
Lejla Hakalovic, Komar
Jana Jakopovic, Shame
Nina Jankovic, Black Sun
Natasa Ninkovic, Black Sun
Snezana Vidovic, The Hollow
Best lead actor
Dragan Bjelogrlic, Black Sun
Boris Ler, The Hollow
Igor Skvarica, Komar
Borna Simunek, Shame
Feda Stukan, The Hollow
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