Adrian Văncică wins Best Actor at Sarajevo Film Festival for role in Florin Șerban drama

Best Actor award in Sarajevo

Romanian actor Adrian Văncică won the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Actor on 21 August 2026 at the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival. The jury awarded the 2,500 euro prize to Văncică for his leading role in "Nu e locul tău aici" (You Don't Belong Here), directed by Florin Șerban. The awards ceremony took place at the National Theatre in Sarajevo on the final night of the festival, which ran from 14 to 21 August. In its official motivation, the festival jury commended his restrained acting within the formal aesthetic of the film.

For an interpretation marked by tenacity and discreet rigor, in which the actor is constantly at the service of a story directed through long and wide shots, the Heart of Sarajevo award for best actor goes to Adrian Văncică for the film You Don't Belong Here.

Plot and production background

The drama centers on Marius, a respected surgeon and single father who discovers that the police suspect his teenage son of killing an elderly Roma man. Marius subsequently uncovers his son's double life, which involves cycling through the city at night and vandalizing vehicles alongside a masked vigilante group. Florin Șerban directed the production, marking his return to feature filmmaking after an eight-year hiatus. The ensemble cast features Teodor Butănescu, Alex Conovaru, Cristina Richter, Janir Izdrăilă, and Cosmin Dominte. The theatrical release of the production in cinemas is scheduled for autumn 2026.

Competition winners and festival closing

The 32nd edition of the festival concluded with a screening of the restored version of Danis Tanović's Academy Award-winning film "No Man's Land". The Heart of Sarajevo for Best Feature Film went to "Everytime", directed by Sandra Woller as a joint Austrian and German production, carrying a 16,000 euro prize. Ana Urushadze won Best Director and a 10,000 euro award, sponsored by the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and UNESCO, for the co-production "Rol secundar". Eva Kostić received the Best Actress award and 2,500 euros for her performance in "17", while Bosnian actor Emir Hadžihafizbegović received an Honorary Heart of Sarajevo for his lifetime contribution to regional cinema.

Locarno festival success and actor background

Prior to Sarajevo, "Nu e locul tău aici" had its international premiere in the official competition of the 2026 Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. The film won the Golden Leopard grand prize at Locarno, where the jury praised the script, directorial vision, and cinematic language, making it the first Romanian production to win the award. It also earned the Europa Cinemas Label prize at the Swiss event. The 49-year-old Văncică, who studied under Mircea Albulescu at the National University of Theatre and Film I.L. Caragiale in Bucharest, was absent from the Sarajevo ceremony due to filming commitments.

How lovely it is to be woken up by the cat around one in the morning, look at the phone, and see dozens of missed calls and messages.

Văncică is widely recognized across Romania for playing Celentano in the television series "Las Fierbinți" on Pro TV, alongside his stage work at Teatrul Nottara. His filmography includes appearances in "Hârtia va fi albastră", "Boogie", "Amintiri din Epoca de Aur", "Bacalaureat", "Cadoul de Crăciun", and "Anul Nou care n-a fost".