Skopje, 28 July 2026 (MIA) – “Skateboarding is not for girls”, a film by director Dina Duma, is selected to compete in the narrative feature film programme of the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival, where it will also have its European premiere all the while vying for the prestigious “Heart of Sarajevo” award, the film’s team announced Tuesday.
At the same time, the film won the Cummings Award being the Spirit of Freedom Competition winner of the 43rd Jerusalem Film Festival.
“Partaking in Sarajevo has a special symbolics for the film. In 2022, ‘Skateboarding is not for girls’, while being in development, won the Film Centre Serbia CineLink Award and the Female Voices CineLink Award during the CineLink Industry Days at the festival. Four years later, the film returns to Sarajevo as a finished product being one of the nine films in the main feature film competition program,” said the press release.
This year’s Sarajevo Film Festival takes place from August 14 until August 21.
Also, in a statement, the Jerusalem Film Festival Jury, comprised of Isaac Zablocki, Roni Aboulafia, Nir Bergman, says “the film explores difficult subjects while making room for humor, compassion, and vitality. It avoids easy answers, choosing instead to observe its characters in all their complexity, vulnerability, and strength. Through an authentic and attentive gaze, the film creates a precise and deeply affecting cinematic experience that stays with the viewer long after the screening ends.”
“Skateboarding is not for girls” had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York where the director Dina Duma won the coveted Nora Ephron Award.
The film follows the story of Adela and Zara, two sisters who live in an environment in which economic uncertainty, family values and social rules are increasingly restricting their choices. Their closeness is put to the test when traditional expectations threaten to separate them. Through their personal story, the film opens the topics of girls growing up, freedom, solidarity and the right to own choices,” said the press release.
Dina Duma, Lidija Mojsovska and Teona Strugar Mitevska wrote the script. The film stars Efqar Abaz, Jefrina Jashari, Simonida Selimovic and Ganimet Abdullah.
“Skateboarding is not for girls” is co-produced by North Macedonia, Belgium, Slovenia and Croatia.