Sandra Wollner's Surreal Journey: A Conversation About Everytime

Sandra Wollner is having a pretty thrilling — if not a little exhausting — 2026.

Her third feature film, Everytime, premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes in May — her first project to hit the Croisette, which she talked about in depth at the time. Three months after the event, an Austrian filmmaker recounted their experience with a mix of amusement, saying it had left them feeling utterly overwhelmed. “To get this platform and such a big audience — overwhelming in a good way.”

Now, Everytime, screening in competition at the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival, is venturing into a world beyond Cannes. Led Wollner seamlessly blends elements of surrealist art as the work distorts traditional notions of time, merging past and present. THR critic Jordan Mintzer said the filmmaker is talented at “injecting genuine unease into ordinary events, whether it’s an eerie stroll through the streets of Berlin [or] a text message sent to a deceased person.”

In Sarajevo, Wollner’s partner and one-year-old daughter in tow, she has been paying close attention to the reaction of the locals. “The festival being founded during the siege in 1995, I think that’s very powerful,” she continues to THR. You can still sense the weight of that history lingering in the air. I sensed something unusual during my radio interview yesterday. From listening to some of the responses, it's clear that many people are exploring alternative ways to think about trauma and loss through their discussions of the film.”

From the Bosnian capital’s National Theatre, Wollner discusses taking Everytime on the festival circuit. She talks about the doors that these festival slots can open for a filmmaker of her calibre, spotlighting grief, blame and memory in her filmography, and why she is staying realistic about the future of European cinema: “What I hope we protect in Europe is the possibility of making films that don’t have to prove their commercial value before they exist.”

How big was it for you to be in Cannes with only your third feature film?

That was, of course, big. If you're a practical person, the event is essentially the largest festival. At least people say so. It was exhilarating to launch this new platform and gain access to such a massive following. We'd been thrilled to receive our invitation, but once it arrived, expectations weren't exactly sky-high. I was pleasantly surprised

Wherever you are, it’s still kind of miraculous when you see your film through other people, when you see it with an audience. The crowd seemed genuinely grateful. The crowded screening in Cannes was an overwhelmingly emotional experience. For the first time in my experience, I've encountered many concepts that are fundamental to a career in tech. The music's melody remains familiar, but its emotional impact has worn off over repeated viewings. But then suddenly you have people behind you gasping or being in shock or just being very silent.

So it’s safe to say you were pleased

(Laughs.) I was very pleased with the reaction.

Read More: Mohit Suri Takes Delivery of Luxe Mercedes-Benz EQS Electric Sedan

You’re on the festival circuit with Everytime now. We’re in Sarajevo. Is it just as meaningful to be asked to be here?

To be here and then also get invited into the competition, I honestly felt very appreciated. I felt a deep sense of gratitude after watching the premiere, thanks in part to comments from head programmer Elma Tataragić on how her film relates to my past projects. I very much value that.

But being here with nine other films — honestly, I have not seen anything! Being back at work and being here with a kid, it’s a bit tricky to see anything right now.

She’s one, so the last year was quite intense with finishing the film. My partner and I are joined The team's efforts enabled us to bring our cast on board. Birgit Minichmayr is currently unavailable due to her ongoing film production. Everyone was super excited. Lotte Shirin Keiling may be accompanied Everyone was like, “Oh my god!”

Yeah, and I’ve never been here. I have some friends who come here regularly and who really love it, and I can totally see why.

I mean, the festival being founded during the siege in 1995, I think that’s very powerful, and you can still feel something of that history here. I sensed something unusual during my radio interview yesterday. From listening to some of the responses, it's clear that many people are exploring alternative ways to think about trauma and loss through their discussions of the film. There seemed to be a discrepancy in how things were perceived, as I gathered from the translator's interpretation during the conversation. People asked, “Is Everytime a memorial for those we lost?”. Growing up in Germany and Austria, I've noticed that family dramas like this one aren't typically scrutinized.

What can mid-tier festivals like Sarajevo, Karlovy Vary, Locarno, San Sebastian do for films like yours?

I haven’t been to too many festivals. My second movie took off, but then the pandemic hit. My feature film premiered at Hof, a respected German festival that's maintained its reputation over the years. For me it opened some doors, particularly with programmers and film critics who saw it there.

At nearly every festival, there is always the feeling that it opens something up — just the fact that other people see your film, some of them really take it in and spread the word about it. And all of these festivals can do that for your film, in ways that might turn out to be very meaningful even many years down the road.

Did you get to talk with people at the premiere here in Sarajevo about how the film resonated?