Los Angeles, October 19, 2026 — Cinema Without Borders (CWB) is pleased to announce that beginning in 2027, its prestigious Bridging the Borders Award will also be presented at the Cinehill International Film Festival in Croatia, marking another important step in the award’s international expansion and its mission to recognize filmmakers whose work brings people of different nations, cultures, religions, and backgrounds closer together.
The addition of Cinehill to the growing family of international film festivals presenting the Bridging the Borders Award is particularly meaningful. Over more than a quarter-century, Cinehill has established itself as one of the most distinctive celebrations of independent and international cinema in Southeast Europe, earning recognition for its adventurous programming, welcoming atmosphere, and commitment to artistic freedom.
Founded in 1999 as the Motovun Film Festival, the event began in the medieval hilltop town of Motovun in Croatia’s Istrian region. Its first screening, Aki Kaurismäki’s Juha, took place on August 10, 1999. From those beginnings, the festival developed into an important gathering place for independent filmmakers, critics, artists, and cinema lovers from across Europe and beyond.
Unlike festivals dominated by red carpets, commercial promotion, and celebrity appearances, Motovun distinguished itself through its informal atmosphere and the unusually close relationship it encouraged between filmmakers and audiences. Directors and actors could be found talking with viewers in the town’s streets and cafés, while films from different countries introduced audiences to unfamiliar cultures and perspectives. Over the years, this distinctive spirit earned the festival comparisons to a cinematic Woodstock.
In 2023, after 25 years in Motovun, the festival began a new chapter under the Cinehill name, moving its activities to the mountainous Gorski Kotar region of Croatia. Surrounded by forests and lakes, Cinehill has retained the independent spirit of its predecessor while creating a memorable setting for international cinema. Its 2026 edition took place in Fužine, where more than 100 films were presented alongside filmmaker discussions, special programs, and outdoor screenings.
Cinehill has also earned a reputation for honoring important filmmakers and supporting challenging works of cinema. Its Maverick Award, established in 2008, recognizes directors whose originality, independence, and artistic achievements have expanded the possibilities of filmmaking. Past recipients include Ken Russell, Terry Jones, Ulrich Seidl, Terrence Davies, Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf, and Andrey Zvyagintsev. In 2026, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Edward Berger joined this distinguished group.
The festival also presents its main Cinehill Propeller Award, recognizes outstanding short films, and hosts the FIPRESCI Prize, awarded by an international jury of film critics. These distinctions reflect Cinehill’s longstanding commitment to cinema as an art form and its ability to discover and celebrate significant films and filmmakers.
For Cinema Without Borders, this partnership represents a natural meeting of two organizations that share a belief in the power of cinema to overcome geographical, political, cultural, and social divisions.
The Bridging the Borders Award was established by Cinema Without Borders to honor films that help audiences understand people whose lives, histories, and experiences may be different from their own. At a time when wars, political conflicts, discrimination, and prejudice continue to separate communities, the award recognizes filmmakers who encourage understanding, compassion, and respect across borders.
Over the years, the Bridging the Borders Award has been presented at international festivals in the United States, Europe, and Australia. Its history includes honoring films by some of the world’s most respected filmmakers, among them Andrzej Wajda, Ari Folman, Emanuele Crialese, and other directors whose work has received international recognition.
Among its notable recipients are Waltz with Bashir by Ari Folman, The Band’s Visit by Eran Kolirin, Terraferma by Emanuele Crialese, Wałęsa: Man of Hope by Andrzej Wajda, and Ave Maria by Basil Khalil. Several award-winning films have subsequently received Academy Award nominations or other major international distinctions.
The award’s expansion to Cinehill is especially significant because of the festival’s history of presenting films from countries and communities whose stories might otherwise struggle to reach international audiences. Its dedication to independent filmmaking, cultural exchange, and direct dialogue between filmmakers and viewers closely reflects the principles that inspired Cinema Without Borders to establish the Bridging the Borders Award.
With the addition of Cinehill in 2027, Cinema Without Borders will continue its efforts to strengthen relationships between international film festivals and to recognize filmmakers who use their art to challenge prejudice and encourage understanding.
The partnership also creates another opportunity for films selected at Cinehill to receive international attention through Cinema Without Borders and its network of filmmakers, critics, and cinema enthusiasts.
For Cinema Without Borders, the message behind the award remains as important today as when it was first introduced: Cinema has the extraordinary ability to bring us closer to people we may never meet, in places we may never visit, and to remind us of the human experiences we share.
Cinehill’s long history of independent thinking and its celebration of films without geographical boundaries make it a fitting new home for the Bridging the Borders Award.
Further information about the 2027 Cinehill edition and the presentation of the Bridging the Borders Award will be announced as festival preparations move forward.
