On Thursday, June 12th, the grand awards ceremony of the Sarajevo Photography Festival 2025 took place in the National Theatre in Sarajevo, celebrating the winners of this year’s competitive program.
The festival’s Grand Prix was awarded to Robin Tutenges from France.
In addition to the Grand Prix, Robin also secured first place in the Documentary Photography category, along with a cash prize of €2,000. The second prize in this category went to Dutch photographer Marijn Fidder, and third place to Carola Cappellari from Italy. A special mention was awarded to Matteo Trevisan, also from Italy.
This prestigious event gathered leading artists, curators, and photography enthusiasts from around the world and was filled with emotion and a shared celebration of outstanding photographic achievements.
In the Landscape Photography category, the winner was Bosnian photographer Armin Durgut. Second place went to AndreJa Ravnak from Slovenia, and third to Eddy Verloes from Belgium.
The Fashion Photography category was led by Armin Graca of Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by Eleonora Lele Bonizzi from Italy and Petra Berčan from Slovenia. A special mention was awarded to Hasan Merdić from BiH.
In the Life category, the winner was Mauro Scarfone from Italy. Second place went to Nik Erik Neubauer from Slovenia, and third again to Dutch photographer Marijn Fidder.
The Conceptual Photography category was won by Belarusian artist Katerina Kouzmitcheva, with second and third places awarded to Milica Mrvić from Serbia and Domagoj Burilović from Croatia, respectively.
The best Event Photography award went to Metin Aktaş from Turkey. Second place was awarded to the Austrian duo Ira & John, and third to Egyptian photographer Yasser Alaa Mobarak. A special mention went to Dileep SS from the United Arab Emirates.
In the Portrait category, first place was awarded to Debmalya Ray Choudhuri from the United States, second to Maria Di Stefano from Italy, and third to fellow Italian photographer Sara Nicomedi.
The Mobile Photography category was won by Enamul Kabir from Bangladesh, with second and third places going to Gurudas Bate from India and Anton Azev from Montenegro. A special mention was given to Belmin Islam from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Upon receiving the Grand Prix, Robin Tutenges remarked: “Thank you to the jury and the entire festival team for this beautiful event. I began this project in 2021, following the military coup in Myanmar. It documents the armed resistance of young members of the Chin people against the military junta. I’m honored to present this work at the Sarajevo Photography Festival, and I will continue developing this project.”
The evening’s atmosphere was further elevated by a powerful and emotional performance by regional rising music star Iva Zhiva, whose presence lit up the stage and added an unforgettable note to the celebration of art.
“This year’s festival clearly shows that Sarajevo Photography Festival is becoming a globally relevant event — we received submissions from 66 countries. It’s an incredible opportunity for photographers from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region to connect with professionals from across Europe and beyond. We are deeply grateful to our partners and sponsors who make it possible for this platform to grow and evolve,” said Aida Redžepagić, Festival Director and Founder, during the awards ceremony.
Adebajo Babajide, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to BiH, stated: “The European Union is proud to have supported the Sarajevo Photography Festival since its inception. It’s inspiring to watch this event grow each year. The theme of this edition, Weltschmerz, captures the idea that our world is in pain — whether on a personal or collective level. The festival has the potential to become a major and recognized cultural event, not just in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but across the region and beyond. We are proud to be part of its journey.”
Following the award ceremony, the exhibition of this year’s finalists and winners was officially opened at the National Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The exhibition features some of the most compelling works that explore the festival’s theme, Weltschmerz, inviting audiences to reflect on the complex social and environmental challenges of our time — through an artistic lens that also seeks hope and beauty in the world’s imperfections.
Earlier in the festival, audiences had the chance to experience “Solar Portraits” by acclaimed Spanish photographer Rubén Salgado Escudero, “Leaving and Waving” by renowned American photographer Deanna Dikeman, and “Bamburci” by Sarajevo’s own photographic star Dženat Dreković.
Sarajevo Photography Festival 2025 continues until June 15th, with a rich program of exhibitions, workshops, and talks that promote photography as a powerful medium for understanding the world.From its beginnings as a local initiative, the festival has grown into a Europe-relevant event, collaborating with major cultural institutions including the National Gallery of BiH, the History Museum of BiH, Goethe-Institut, Europe House, the European Union in BiH, Canon and Avtera, Embassy of Spain in BiH, Municipality Novo Sarajevo, Ministry of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton, Manifesto Gallery, and the Kultura na ulice platform.
For more information, check out our program here: https://sarajevophotofest.com/program-2025/