Štiglic is among the most prominent names in Slovenian coming-of-age film, the head of the jury, Miha Knific, said.
Born in 1946, Štiglic has filmmaking in his blood, as his father France Štiglic directed Slovenian film classic Dolina Miru (Valley of Peace).
In the 1956 film, Tugo was cast as Marko, one of the two orphans on a quest for a valley of peace after losing their parents in a WWII air raid.
Following his debut as an actor, Tugo Štiglic worked as assistant director for a number of Slovenian coming-of-age classics in the 1970s and 1980s, including Sreča na Vrvici (Hang on, Doggy!) and Ko Zorijo Jagode (When Strawberries Ripen).
In 1986, Štiglic debuted as a director in his own right with Poletje v Školjki, a landmark in Slovenian youth production. Poletje v Školjki introduced for the first time popular music and dancing to Slovenian coming-of-age films.
The sequel, Poletje v Školjki 2, may be considered the first dance feature in Slovenia, Knific added.
Other youth titles by Štiglic include TV film Dvojne počitnice (Double Holiday) and WWII-themed Črni Bratje (Black Brothers).
While focusing on youth films, Štiglic also made several other films, including one of the few action flicks in Slovenia, Patriot (1998).
The Badjura Award, named after director Metod Badjura (1896-1971), has been conferred by the Slovenian Film Artists Association (DSFU) since 1995 for lifetime achievements in film art.
