Lana Šarić is a Croatian-born film director, producer, and writer. She was born in Zagreb, Croatia in 1972. She attended the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb and received her diploma in 1997.
Early in her career, Šarić worked as an assistant director and production manager on several short films and documentaries. In 2001, she wrote and directed her first short film, “The Curse”, which won the Best Short Film award at the International Film Festival in Zagreb.
In 2004, she wrote and directed her first feature film, “The Line”, which won the Best New Director award at the Sarajevo International Film Festival. The film was also nominated for the Grand Prix at the Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival.
Šarić’s second feature film, “The Life of Luka”, was released in 2009. The film was a critical success and won many awards, including the Grand Prix at the East West Film Festival in Poland. Her third feature film, “The Red Horse”, was released in 2011 and won the Grand Prix at the Sarajevo International Film Festival.
In addition to her work as a filmmaker, Šarić is also an active member of the Croatian film industry. She is currently the Chairwoman of the Croatian Filmmakers Association and serves on the board of the Croatian Audiovisual Center. She also teaches film production at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb.
Šarić has achieved international recognition for her work. In 2011, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb and in 2012 she was awarded the European Film Academy Prize for Outstanding European Achievement in World Cinema.
Šarić continues to work as a director and producer. Her most recent production, “The Dream of a Butterfly”, premiered at the 2018 Sarajevo International Film Festival. With her unique vision and passion for filmmaking, Šarić has become one of the most acclaimed filmmakers in Croatia.
