The festival started on 2 October and wrapped with the award ceremony in the Sava Centre in the evening of 11 October 2026. More than 100 films were screened in the various segments of the festival.

This year’s FEST was supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia and the City of Belgrade, wheras the festival was organised by CEBEF.

The previous edition of FEST was held in 2024.

FESTIVAL WINNERS:

European Competition Programme:

Best Film:

The Quiet Beekeper / Biodlaren (Sweden)
Directed by Marcus Carlsson

Best Director:
Ilker Çatak for Yellow Letters /  Gelbe Briefe (Germany, France, Turkey)

Best Scriptwriter:
Andrius Blazevicius for How to Get a Divorce During the Wartime / Skyrybos karo metu (Lithuania, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Ireland)
Directed by Andrius Blazevicius 

World Competition Programme:

Best Film:
Red Hangar / Hangar Rojo (Chile, Argentina, Italy)
Directed by Juan Pablo Sallato

Best Director:
Rafael Manuel for Filipiñana (Philippines, Singapore, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France)

Best Scriptwriter:
Sabbir Hossain Shovon, Rezwan Shahriar Sumit for Master /মাস্টার (Bangladesh)
Directed by Rezwan Shahriar Sumit

Special Mention:
Narciso (Paraguay, Germany, Uruguay, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, France)
Directed by Marcelo Martinessi

Regional Competition Programme:

Best Film:
Hold Onto Me / Κράτα Με (Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, in joint participation with the United States)
Directed by Myrsini Aristidou
Produced by Filmblades, One Six One Films  
Coproduced by Fredo Pictures, Graal S.A 
Supported by the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Culture, ERT (Greek TV Channel), the Danish Film Institute, the Greek Film Center, the Black Family Grant of NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Pleasant Bay Pictures, the Sam Spiegel International Film Lab - Emerging Filmmaker Award, Mango Productions

Best Director:
Sherif Francis for Last Call / Τελευταία κλήση (Greece)

Best Scriptwriter:
Ali Vatansever for Life Like / Bir Arada Yalniz (Turkey, Greece, Romania)
Directed by Ali Vatansever
Produced by Terminal Film
Coproduced by Aktan Gorsel Senatlar, Foss Productions, Da Clique SRL, Chainsaw Europe

The „Nebojša Đukelić“ Award for the Best Regional Film:
Women, Loonies And a Few Good Gays  / Žene, luđaci i malo dobrih pedera (Croatia)
Directed by Ivan Salaj
Produced by Plavi mjesec
Supported by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre

The „Milutin Čolić“ Award for the Best Serbian Film:
Zlatni rez '42 / Djeca Kozare (Serbia)
Directed by Lordan Zafranović
Produced by Minacord Produkcija, Telekom Srbija, RTS – Radio Television of Serbia
Supported by Film Center Serbia

The „Slobodan Novaković“ Award for the Best Debut Feature (ex-aequo):

Red Hangar / Hangar Rojo (Chile, Argentina, Italy)
Directed by Juan Pablo Sallato

Erratics (Chile, Argentina, France)
Directed by Thomas Woodroffe