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Bio

Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sabina Vajrača immigrated to the U.S. as a war refugee. She started her professional career in theatre, writing, directing, and producing plays at The Lincoln Center, SITI Company, and Shakespeare & Company.

Her first film, the critically-acclaimed feature documentary BACK TO BOSNIA, premiered at AFI Fest, and screened at 30+ festivals worldwide, winning Director’s Choice at Crossroads, and the highly competitive MSN/Visa Ideas Happen Award, before landing on multiple streaming platforms, including Amazon. It was a Variety Critic's Pick, and was featured in the BBC’s "Top 100 of the Greatest Films Directed by Women." 

Since then, she wrote, directed, and produced over a dozen short films; the music video for Nouvelle Vague’s BELA LUGOSI’S DEAD; commercials for ESPN and IFP Media Center; and wrote multiple award-winning short and feature screenplays.

 

She also co-directed the Warner Bros./USC feature period drama VOODOO MACBETH, whose numerous accolades include Best Director awards at Catalina and Charlotte Black Film Festivals; and wrote/directed the short drama VARIABLES, which won the Alfred P. Sloan Grant and DGA SFA Grand Prize, and was nominated for the Student Academy Award, HUMANITAS Prize, and Student BAFTA, among other honors.

 

Her latest short drama SEVAP/MITZVAH screened at 20+ festivals worldwide, including HollyShorts and the AmPav Showcase at Cannes. It won 10 awards, including the HUMANITAS Prize and the Claims Conference Grant, and was a 2024 Academy Awards contender. It is currently streaming on Short Frame

Outside of her projects, Sabina assisted writer/director Max Mayer on his Sundance-winning feature ADAM, starring Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne; worked alongside Gregory Crewdson on his photo opus CATHEDRAL OF THE PINES; and apprenticed James Whitmore Jr. on MADAM SECRETARY (CBS) and Sarah Boyd on 9-1-1 (FOX).

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Sabina is an Annenberg Scholar, a member of Film Fatales and BAFTA, and an alumna of Ryan Murphy's Half Directing MentorshipAlmanack Screenwriters, Hayama Residency, and Stowe Story Labs, where she won the Tangerine Ent. Fellowship. 

She received her M.F.A. in Film and TV Production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, and is repped by Vision Entertainment and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher

 

When not making movies, Sabina can be found practicing philosophy, playing dress-up, quoting Balašević, and dancing to the beats of The Hot Sardines, preferably in full 1920s gear, with a good single-malt in hand. 

AWARDS (selected)

HUMANITAS Prize Winner (2023)Sevap/Mitzvah

Hayama Residency (2023)

Claims Conference's Emerging Filmmaker Grant Winner (2021) ~ Sevap/Mitzvah

Lynn Shelton's "Of a Certain Age" Grant Finalist (2021) ~ For Buraz

FEST Pitching Forum Winner (2021) ~ For Buraz

Best Director, Catalina Film Festival (2021) ~ Voodoo Macbeth

Best Director, Charlotte Black FF (2021) ~ Voodoo Macbeth

Director's Choice Independent Spirit Award, Sedona FF (2021) ~ Voodoo Macbeth

BAFTA Student Awards Finalist (2020) ~ Variables

HBOAccess Directing Fellowship Semifinalist (2020) ~ top 25 out of 1,500

TIFF Filmmakers Lab Shortlist (2020) ~ For Buraz

HUMANITAS Prize Finalist (2020) ~ Variables

Script 2 Screens Grand Prize (2020) ~ Variables

Golden Apple for Best Short, BHFF (2020) ~ Variables

DGA Student Awards Grand Prize Winner (2019) ~ Variables

Student Academy Awards Semifinalist (2019)Variables

Ryan Murphy Half Directing Mentorship (2019)

Almanack Screenwriters Fellow (2019) ~ For Buraz

Stowe Story Lab / Tangerine Fellowship Winner (2019) ~ For Buraz

MOME Finance Lab (2018) ~ Lost Children

Annenberg Fellowship (2018/19)

AAUW Fellowship (2017/18)

Alfred P. Sloan Grant (2017) ~ Variables

Cagney & Lacey Fellowship (2016)

FEBA Road Map Award (2012)

Puffin Foundation Grant (2007)

Director's Choice Award, Crossroads Film Festival (2006) ~ Back to Bosnia

NYSCFA / IFP Marketing and Distribution Grant (2005) ~ Back to Bosnia

Jerome Foundation / SITI Company Associate Grant ~ Svila/Seta/Silk

MSN/Visa Ideas Happen Award (2003) ~ Back to Bosnia

© 2025 Sabina Vajrača

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