While we are waiting for the beginning of the Sarajevo Photography Festival, which will take place in the period from the 13th to15th of May 2022, among the applications from 30 countries, a jury composed of eminent photographers: Edvin Kalić, Damir Šagolj, Paul Lowe, Duško Miljanić, Jelena Janković, Bojan Hadžihalilović, Andrija Ilić and Arnej Misirlić; had a difficult tash of choosing the finalists.

An exhibition of finalists and award-winning photographs will be held on Saturday, May 14 at 19:00 in the City Hall, where you will have the opportunity to see the photographic works of the following finalists:

Zhanna Stankovych, Oskar Alvarado, Armin Durgut, Marko Risović, Mario Ilić, Benny van der Plank, Mitar Simkić, Armin Graca, Matković & Vild, Hamza Kulenović, Katarina Marković, Nemanja Šipka, Nika Ilić, Zlata Hodžić, Jelena Cvetković, Srđan Dunđerović, Katie McCraw, Fatima Sayhi, Ahmet Sel, Ana Mitrović, Vladimir Živojinović, Aida Đapo, Tomislav Marcijuš, Ernad Lokvančić, Sara Filipa, Dario Šišul,   Jaka Ivančić, Amar Ćamo, Andreja Ravnak, Aleš Bravničar, Aydin Taševac, Robert Ivezić, Boško Hrgić, Mirza Hasanefendić, Ines Lucić, Hana Kazić, Alen Jehja, Miroslav Mišić, Mitar Mitrović, Sead Šašivarević, Amina Hodžić, Biljana Radojčić, Tea Jagodić and Branimir Džaja.

The exhibition will show the works of all finalists, and the best three works in each category will be announced at the ceremony, as well as the main prize of the Grand Prix.

The winner of the Grand Prix prize wins a cash prize in the amount of 5,000 KM, and the other first prize winners will win prizes worth 1,000 KM. The total prize fund of the festival is 14,000 KM.

The sponsors of the awards are the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina, ASA Bank, Canon BiH / Avtera BiH, BH Telecom and BURCH University.

In addition to the competition, a rich program of the Sarajevo Photography Festival is planned.

On the first day of the Festival (Friday, May 13), a professor from Burch University, prof. Emir Klepo, and Julijan Komšić from the specialized photography studio Blackbox will hold their lecture. The day will end with a gathering of photographers at the Mash Club starting at 8 p.m.

The second day of the Festival (Saturday, May 14) begins with the panel “Technique and Poetics of Photos”, which will be led by Jelena Janković and Mario Periša.

Canon’s presentation of the R series follows, after which the Sarajevo Photography Festival has the honour of hosting dr. Paul Lowe, one of the leaders in the field of documentary photography.

On the third day of the Festival (Sunday, May 15), Franjo Matković and Senja Vild, an interesting fashion photography duo from Croatia, will hold a lecture on “Four Eyes and Fashion”.

They will be followed by a lecture by Pulitzer Prize winner Damir Šagolj, who will talk about documentary photography.

The festival closes with a lecture by NYU professor Dr Lauren Walsh who will speak on the topic of photojournalism in times of crisis. She will also present his new book “Through the Lens: The Pandemic and Black Lives Matter”.

All lectures will be held in the premises of Networks at Skenderpašina 1 in Sarajevo, and admission to all events during the festival is free and open to all.