The expert jury of the Second International Festival of Theatre for Children and Youth The Smile of Nis, held in Nis from 19 to 24 October 2026, consisting of Veselin Bojdev, theatre and film director (Bulgaria); Indira Kucuk-Sorguc, writer, director and Artistic Director of the Festival of Children’s Arts in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina); and Ljubica Suturovic, associate of the International Puppet Theatre Festival (PIF) in Zagreb and theatre puppet designer (Croatia) has hereby reached the following
DECISION
The Smile of Nis Special Award for ensemble puppetry is presented to:
THE ENSEMBLE OF THE VANILLA FAIRY, NIKOLAY BINEV YOUTH THEATRE, SOFIA, BULGARIA
RATIONALE: The puppet design and overall puppet animation form the visual heart of this production, while the interactive acting is dynamic, playful, cohesive and highly energetic.
The Smile of Nis special award for an authentic presentation of traditional puppet theatre is presented to:
AYHAN HULAGU FOR THE PRODUCTION THE FOREST OF THE WITCH, PERFORMED BY THE US KARAGOZ THEATRE COMPANY, UNITED STATES
RATIONALE: Ayhan Hulagu has skilfully brought together the tradition of Karagoz shadow theatre and the contemporary world, bringing numerous characters from the storytelling tradition to life on stage and animating them through a modern theatrical approach.
Three equal The Smile of Nis Awards for Acting are presented to:
- BRANKICA SEBASTIJANOVIC FOR HER ROLE AS ANNE FRANK IN THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, PUPPET THEATRE PINOCCHIO, BELGRADE, SERBIA
RATIONALE: Brankica Sebastijanovic has portrayed Anne Frank with conviction and great sensitivity, conveying subtle emotional nuances. Through precise acting technique, she has successfully recreated the differences in the girl’s character as she moves between imagination and reality.
- PATRICIA GAVRIL FOR HER ROLE AS THE LITTLE MERMAID IN THE LITTLE MERMAID, MERLIN THEATRE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE, TIMISOARA, ROMANIA
RATIONALE: Through a range of expressive means, including dance, non-verbal communication, puppet manipulation and singing, Patricia Gavril has convincingly portrayed the Little Mermaid, demonstrating particular sensitivity in shaping her character’s identity.
- BOJAN ZIROVIC AND PETAR LAZAREVIC FOR THEIR ROLES AS TESLA IN TESLA, LITTLE THEATRE DUSKO RADOVIC, BELGRADE, SERBIA
RATIONALE: Bojan Zirovic, in the role of Tesla as narrator, and Petar Lazarevic, in the role of the young Tesla, have created a unique and inseparable portrayal of Nikola Tesla, the great scientist renowned throughout the world. They have brilliantly complemented the older Tesla’s wisdom and quick wit with the younger Tesla’s purity, naivety and playfulness.
The Smile of Nis Award for Best Scenography or Overall Stage Design of the Performance is presented to:
SANDRO NIKAC FOR THE MOONLIGHT FOX, PUPPET THEATRE NIS, SERBIA
RATIONALE: The overall visual impression of the production is shaped by functional lighting design and a skilful combination of scenic elements, creating a sensitive and imaginative stage picture.
The Smile of Nis Award for Best Original Music is presented to:
SRDJAN MARKOVIC FOR TESLA, LITTLE THEATRE DUSKO RADOVIC, BELGRADE, SERBIA
RATIONALE: Through his original music, striking live vocal and instrumental performance, and acting contribution to the production, Srdjan Markovic guides and emphasises the flow of the narrative, creating a distinctive musical pattern that heightens the production’s dramatic impact.
The Smile of Nis Award for Best Costume is presented to:
STEFAN SAVKOVIC FOR THE NAMELESS PRINCESS AND THE SCARECROW, KRALJEVO THEATRE, KRALJEVO, SERBIA
RATIONALE: Following the playwright’s central concept of a play within a play, Stefan Savkovic imaginatively, originally and effectively creates authentic period costumes rooted in the inherited fairy-tale tradition. By incorporating decorative elements and using recycled materials, he creates costumes that contribute to the production’s distinctive visual identity.
The Smile of Nis Award for Best Text is presented to:
MINA MILOSEVIC FOR TESLA, LITTLE THEATRE DUSKO RADOVIC, BELGRADE, SERBIA
RATIONALE: Mina Milosevic’s dramatic text brings the character and work of Nikola Tesla, the great scientist renowned throughout the world, fully within the reach of younger generations. It achieves this by incorporating elements of illustration, animation, caricature and children’s literature, while linking them to historical facts.
The Smile of Nis Award for Best Direction is presented to:
BACO TINDE – MERLIN THEATRE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE, TIMISOARA, ROMANIA
RATIONALE: In a thoroughly inventive manner, Baco Tinde develops an original directorial aesthetic, creating a modern, exciting, extraordinary and progressive world of The Little Mermaid through imaginative and conceptually innovative stage solutions.
The Smile of Nis Grand Prix for Best Performance is awarded to:
TESLA, LITTLE THEATRE DUSKO RADOVIC, SERBIA
RATIONALE: The performance Tesla is a complete artistic achievement across all theatrical elements, offering an engaging, mature, highly stylised and entertaining yet educational experience for children and young people. Combining several theatrical genres, the production demonstrates the artistic merits of every component, from the text, direction and music to stage movement, acting and the overall visual interpretation of its central theme. The strength of works of this kind lies in their timeless messages, which remain particularly relevant today and address universal human values and the future of humanity.
All decisions were reached unanimously.
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