Nicola Sorcinelli Triumphs in Venice: His Feature Debut "Balcanica" Wins Two Awards

Nicola Sorcinelli’s feature-film debut at the Venice International Film Festival is one to remember. His first film, Balcanica—the only Italian title in competition at Giornate degli Autori—has won over both audiences and critics, receiving two prestigious awards.

This important double recognition celebrates the courage and maturity of a powerful debut, featuring an outstanding cast that includes, among others, Matilda De Angelis and Babak Karimi.

Matilda De Angelis in Balcanica

A Debut That Leaves Its Mark

Presented in the parallel Giornate degli Autori section, Balcanica received the GdA Audience Award and the Carlo Lizzani International Award, presented by ANAC.

The film stands out for the strength of its storytelling and its ability to portray a dramatic and universal journey along the Balkan route. Rather than focusing solely on current events or geopolitics, it places the physicality, bodies, silences and dignity of its protagonists at the centre—particularly an orchestra conductor and his son fleeing Afghanistan—and their crucial encounter with a doctor played by Matilda De Angelis.

The Director’s Satisfaction

For Nicola Sorcinelli, already acclaimed for his short films, this first step into feature filmmaking has become a personal and collective triumph, shared with an international production team. The film is a co-production between Italy, Serbia and Croatia.

“This recognition belongs to a difficult and beautiful journey, and to an extraordinary team that believed in the power of this story,” the director said shortly after the awards were announced.

Nicola Sorcinelli at Lido in Venezia

Following the success and attention it received on the Lido, Balcanica is now preparing to reach Italian cinemas, immediately establishing itself as one of the most significant feature debuts in recent Italian cinema.