For the first time in history, a film from Kosovo is officially competing at one of the Cannes Film Festival’s most prestigious sections.

“Dua” directed by Sundance-winning filmmaker Blerta Basholli, premiered this week at Cannes Critics’ Week 2026, marking a historic moment for Kosovo cinema.

The film follows 13-year-old Dua growing up in Prishtina during the Serbian occupation of Kosovo in the late 1990s. As tensions rise around her, Dua navigates adolescence, fear, friendship, and survival in a deeply emotional coming-of-age story.

Critics’ Week — known in French as La Semaine de la Critique — is one of Cannes’ most respected competitive sections, dedicated to discovering important new voices in world cinema. Only seven feature films were selected in competition this year, with “Dua” becoming the first-ever Kosovan film to make the lineup.

The movie stars newcomer Pinea Matoshi alongside well-known Kosovan actors including Yllka Gashi and Kushtrim Hoxha.

The awards have not been announced yet, as the competition runs throughout the Cannes Film Festival until May 21. The jury will decide the winners in the coming days, with “Dua” competing for major prizes including the Critics’ Week Grand Prize.

Early reactions from international critics have already been highly positive, with several outlets praising the film’s emotional storytelling and performances.