Branka Bešević Gajić is an award-winning film and television director, screenwriter, creative producer, Doctor of Arts, and university professor. Born in the Banat region, in the city of Pančevo, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, she graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. Her thesis film House of Angels, for which she wrote the screenplay and directed, is recognized as the first forensic thriller in the region and was awarded the Dr. Dejan Kosanović Prize for Best Graduate/Master’s Thesis. The film was selected for official screenings at international film festivals and received exceptionally positive reviews from critics.
She made her debut with the docudrama Lauš, an intimate and powerful portrait of actor Žarko Laušević, and achieved particular acclaim with her feature film The Decision, a socio-psychological drama addressing intimate partner violence and manipulation tactics.
She continued her professional development through postgraduate studies, earning a doctorate in film directing with a focus on interactive fiction. Her body of work includes narrative, documentary, and interactive films, theater productions, and television projects, with a thematic emphasis on socially engaged topics—particularly identity, justice, and human rights.
She is the founder of the Croatian Film Festival in Belgrade, where she serves as artistic director. A member of the European Film Academy, the Association of Film Artists of Serbia, the Association of Dramatic Artists of Serbia, and the Directors’ Association of Serbia, her films have been screened and awarded at festivals worldwide.
Recognized as a pioneer in interactive filmmaking and digital technologies in contemporary cinema, Bešević Gajić courageously explores societal layers and modern challenges through innovative, emotionally resonant storytelling.