Audience award
22.07.2026.
The 33rd European Film Festival Palić concluded on Wednesday, July 22, at the Summer Stage in Palić with an awards ceremony honoring the best European films of the festival, the presentation of the Aleksandar Lifka Award to director, screenwriter, and actor Radoš Bajić, and the screening of "Echoes of Saint George" by Jelena Bajić Jočić.
The International Jury of the Parallels and Encounters programme awarded a Special Mention to “Milk Teeth” by Mihai Mincan, while the Best Film Award in the same competition went to “Tell Me What You Feel” by Łukasz Ronduda.
Mihai Mincan addressed the audience via video message: "From the very beginning, my film was conceived as an intimate story – about confusion and about facing traumatic times in solitude. It is a story about being denied a voice with which to speak out against the crimes we witness around us. Unfortunately, I believe we can all see that we are living through such times once again. We are living in an era that we thought had long since passed and remained buried in the past. That is why I hope we can stand together, remain strong, and speak with one voice against the cynicism and complete disregard for the value of human life that we are witnessing today."
Łukasz Ronduda also addressed the audience via video message: "I am currently working at the Museum of Contemporary Art, which appears in the film itself. I am preparing an exhibition by Patryk Różycki, who was the inspiration for the film’s protagonist. Thank you very much for this award. It is truly wonderful, and I am deeply grateful."
The FIPRESCI Award for Best Film in the Official Selection was presented to “Feels Like Home” by Gábor Holtai.
The award was accepted by actors Áron Molnár and Rozi Lovas on behalf of the film.
"Making this film was our act of resistance — not through slogans, but through storytelling, through the belief that free cinema and free thought are always worth defending. We do not know whether films can change history, but they can help keep the idea of freedom alive. Perhaps, in our own small way, we contributed to that," said Rozi Lovas.
The International Jury of the Official Selection programme awarded Special Mention for Originality to the German film “The Miserable Mother” by Susanne Heinrich.
The award was accepted on behalf of the film crew by lead actor Theo Colarusso, who thanked the festival for its hospitality during his stay in Palić.
The jury also awarded a Special Mention to “Elena’s Shift” by Stefanos Tsivopoulos.
Accepting the award, actress Penelope Tsilika said:
"Thank you for this wonderful experience. This festival is truly special. I am very grateful and happy to have spent these days here, and I hope to return."
The Palić Tower for Best Director was awarded to Simon Verhoeven for “Oh, This Unspeakable Void.”
Simon Verhoeven addressed the audience via video message:
"It is a great honor for me to receive the award for Best Director at your festival. I know some of the previous recipients of this award, and I know the kind of films you champion. I deeply appreciate your commitment to European cinema. My film is very personal. It is about losing people close to you, about losing dreams, about losing moments in life that never return. It is ultimately a story about the cycle of life, about how painful it can often be, and how we must learn to accept it with courage, humour, and love. I have the feeling that you embraced my film with that same love."
The Golden Tower for Best Film of the Official Selection programme went to “Nino in Paradise” by Laurent Micheli.
Director Laurent Micheli and actor Oscar Louis Högström addressed the audience via video message.
“This is the first award the film has received, so it is a deeply moving moment for me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. This means a great deal to me because perhaps the greatest fear of every director is that what they are trying to say and share with the audience will not be understood. That is why the feeling that someone truly understood you is something extraordinary. Thank you for that," said Micheli.
The Gorki List Audience Award of the 33rd European Film Festival Palić was presented to “Oh, This Unspeakable Void,” which was screened in the Official Selection programme.
Katarina Krstajić, PR Manager of Gorki List, said on this occasion:
"We are proud that Gorki List has been a partner of the European Film Festival Palić for more than twenty years. Alongside a long-standing collaboration, we are united by our commitment to authentic stories and enduring values. We believe in the power of art to inspire and leave a lasting mark, which is why supporting filmmakers is, for Gorki List, an investment in the future of culture. This year, for the tenth time, we are presenting the Gorki List the Audience Award – a recognition that carries special significance because it comes directly from the audience, for whom films ultimately exists. It confirms that this film made a strong impression and that audiences found a part of themselves within it. May this award encourage the entire team to continue creating authentic stories that resonate around the world."
The Aleksandar Lifka Award in the category of domestic filmmakers was presented to director, actor, and screenwriter Radoš Bajić by Festival Director Radoslav Zelenović.
"Radoš Bajić belongs to the circle of authors who have left a distinctive mark on Serbian cinema for more than five decades. He began his acting career working with directors of diverse artistic sensibilities, from Živojin Pavlović in “On the Road to Katanga” to Hajrudin Krvavac, Veljko Bulajić, Živko Nikolić, and other prominent filmmakers. As an actor, he has performed in more than one hundred roles, and later, as a screenwriter, director, and producer, he built a highly recognizable body of work. His films and television series testify to a lifelong commitment to Serbian cinema and to nurturing a distinctive national film culture," said Radoslav Zelenović.
Radoš Bajić thanked the Council of the European Film Festival Palić for the recognition:
" Looking at the names of those who have received this award before me, I can only hope that I am worthy of it. Among all the professional satisfactions that fifty years of work in film have brought me, this award will hold a special place."
Radoš Bajić emphasized that audiences are the most important part of any film festival and praised the European Film Festival Palić for preserving its autonomy and distinct identity, as well as its dedication to filmmakers and the art of cinema. Before the screening of "Echoes of Saint George," the film crew, led by director Jelena Bajić Jočić, greeted the audience on stage.
The 33rd European Film Festival Palić took place from July 18 to 22 in Palić and Subotica, organized by the Open University of Subotica. Screenings were held at several venues, including the unique Summer Stage in Palić, as well as the Eurocinema, Abazija Cinema, and Lifka Art Cinema. This year’s edition presented more than 130 films across the pre-festival and festival programmes.
The European Film Festival Palić is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the Provincial Secretariat for Culture, Public Information and Relations with Religious Communities, the City of Subotica, the European Union through the Creative Europe MEDIA program, as well as numerous partners and media sponsors.
For more than two decades, Gorki List has been a valued partner of the European Film Festival Palić, serving both as an integral part of its visual identity and as the sponsor of the Gorki List Audience Award, which encourages audiences to engage more deeply with the films presented at the festival.
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