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Bosnia And Herzegovina Jasmila Žbanić is a Bosnian film director, screenwriter, and producer, recognized for her impactful storytelling and award-winning films that have garnered international acclaim and critical recognition.
Icarus Films acquired North American distribution rights to Jasmila Žbanić's documentary 'Blum: Masters of Their Own Destiny'.
The fiction-focused initiative, where Jasmila Žbanić was unveiled as a mentor for the 2nd Circle Fiction programme, is co-funded by Creative Europe – MEDIA.
Jasmila Žbanić runs her own production company, Deblokada, which is producing her upcoming projects, including collaborations with Razor Film and Poland.
Jasmila Žbanić was born on December 19, 1974, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, then part of Yugoslavia. She pursued her education at the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo, where she earned her degree. Early in her career, Žbanić gained diverse experiences working as a puppeteer with the Vermont-based Bread and Puppet Theater and as a clown in a Lee De Long workshop in the United States. In 1997, she co-founded the artists’ association “Deblokada” alongside her husband, Damir Ibrahimović. Through this association, Žbanić began to write, direct, and produce numerous documentaries, video artworks, and short films, establishing her presence in the film industry.
Her career progressed significantly with the release of her 2006 feature film, “Grbavica,” which explored post-war life in Bosnia. This film achieved notable success, winning the Golden Bear at the 56th Berlin International Film Festival, the Grand Jury Prize at the International Feature Competition Festival in 2006, and awards for Best European Film and Best European Actress in the same year. Following this, her 2010 film “Na putu” (On the Path), which examined the complexities of a young couple’s relationship in Sarajevo, was screened at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival. Žbanić has consistently focused on themes and characters that reflect the experiences of people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, utilizing film to address relevant social issues and portray multifaceted individuals.
Žbanić achieved further international recognition with her 2020 war drama film “Quo Vadis, Aida?”, which depicted the events surrounding the Srebrenica genocide. This film received the Audience Award at the 50th International Film Festival Rotterdam and the Best International Film Award at the 2021 Gothenburg Film Festival. It was also nominated for the Golden Lion at the 77th Venice International Film Festival. “Quo Vadis, Aida?” earned nominations for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film and two BAFTA Awards (Best Film Not in the English Language and Best Direction). In December 2021, the film won Best Film and Žbanić won Best Director at the 34th European Film Awards. Her recent directorial work includes an episode of the critically acclaimed TV series “The Last of Us” in 2023 and the upcoming documentary “Blum: Masters of Their Own Destiny” in 2024.
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