Džada Film Fest
A free week of debut films screened on Podgorica's streets and squares.
This event has ended
It returns every year — dates for the next edition haven't been announced yet.
The setting does much of the work. Podgorica, Montenegro's capital on the plain where its rivers meet, lives outdoors at the end of summer: the worst of the heat has passed, cafe terraces stay full late into the night, and the streets already feel like shared living space. Džada simply makes that official, turning ordinary corners of the city into auditoriums after dark.
The anniversary programme screened 34 films, including 22 shorts, from 18 countries — all first works by emerging filmmakers. Around the screenings the festival built a full week of city life: a children's programme, two concerts and a special exhibition marking ten years of the festival.
Watching a debut film on a warm September night, seated in the middle of a street that normally carries traffic, is a distinctly Podgorica experience — informal, communal and free. The festival has become a launching pad for new voices in regional cinema and a fixture of the capital's early autumn. Because everything happens in the open and costs nothing, the audiences are wonderfully mixed: passers-by stop and stay, families come for the daytime children's screenings, and film lovers settle in for the whole week.
Backed by the EU Delegation to Montenegro and the French Institute, all screenings and events are free of charge. The festival is annual and takes place on the streets and squares of Podgorica, with the 2026 edition running from 31 August to 6 September.
What to expect
Cinema on the street
"Džada" means street — screenings happen open-air on Podgorica's streets, free for everyone.
First films only
A festival dedicated to debut works: 34 films from 18 countries in the 2025 edition.
Ten years of new voices
The 2025 edition marked the festival's 10th anniversary with a special exhibition.
European backing
Supported by the EU Delegation to Montenegro and the French Institute.
Concerts and kids' screenings
The festival week adds a daytime children's programme and two concerts around the evening films.
Late-summer street nights
Screenings run open-air from late August into early September, when Podgorica's evenings are warm and the streets are full.
What happens when
August 31 – September 6, 2026
- Mon31AugMonday, August 31Festival openingThe 11th Džada Film Fest opens on the streets of Podgorica.
- Sun6SepSunday, September 6Closing dayThe final day of the 2026 edition.
Photos
Where it takes place
Where to Eat in Podgorica
Walter Podgorica — BIG FashionPartnerGrill
Walter Podgorica — Cetinjski putPartnerGrill
Walter Podgorica — StadionPartnerGrillNaša pričaPartnerMediterranean“Partner” marks a paid placement. We verify the details with the venue’s official source.
Plan your stay
Podgorica — where to stay and how to get around
Live offers from local hosts on our booking platform. Nothing is charged online — you pay the host on site.
- 1Places to stayApartments, rooms and hotels from local hostsSee all — Podgorica
- 9Rent-a-carCars from local rental agenciesSee all — Podgorica
- 3TransfersPrivate transfers with a fixed price per vehicleSee all — Podgorica
A few offers
Booking requests are confirmed by the host; payment on site. Offers come from the Travel to Montenegro booking platform.
More events
What else is on in Montenegro around the same time.
MOD Fest
Two free days of films and panels on minority and identity themes in Podgorica.
Mojkovac Film Autumn
An October week of regional features, documentaries and exhibitions at Mojkovac's Culture Center.
Podgorica Honey Fair (Sajam pčelarstva)
Three days of regional honey, mead and free tastings on Independence Square.
