The €1,000 prize combines nominations by emerging European critics and curators with an online audience vote.

Participants in the 2025 European Workshops for Film Criticism and New Curators, powered by The END – European Network for Film Discourse, each nominated one short film at festivals they attended. Eight selected titles were published online, accompanied by interviews and reviews, and made available for free streaming before the public vote. Read the interview with Maida Srabović HERE. Fačuk was nominated at FeKK – Ljubljana Short Film Festival and ultimately won the 2026 award.

Written, directed, and produced by Srabović, the film has screened at 40 festivals since its world premiere at Animafest Zagreb and its international premiere at the Annecy International Animation Festival. It also received the Best Debut Film Award at the Paris International Film Festival.

Inspired by naïve painter Mijo Kovačić, Fačuk was produced by TETRABOT under the artistic direction of Stipan Tadić, with co-producers URGH!, Octopics, and RTV Slovenija. Distribution is handled by Bonobostudio.