The International competition Jury will grant the following awards:

Golden Arena for the best film
Golden Arena for the best director
Golden Arena for the best leading actor/actress

Three special awards will be given for the best film in the International programme:

- Critic's Award

- Audience Award

- Young Cinephiles Award

A Special Lifetime Achievement Golden Arena can be granted by the decision of the Festival Council. The first recipient of this award was the famous British actor Christopher Lee in 2008.

The first international film programme in the Arena was presented already in 1953 at the initiative of Marijan Rotar. After that, foreign film revues have occasionally took place as part of the Festival.

In 2001, a competition programme presenting European film was launched.

From 2004, films from all over the world have been screened as part of an international competition programme.