Launched in 1973, the Metod Badjura Award for lifetime achievement is bestowed annually on a selected Slovene film maker at the Festival of Slovene Film, during the first week of domestic film screenings in Celje. Named after the Slovene film director and cinematographer who began producing professional documentaries during the 1930s, the Metod Badjura Award was the first Slovene film award to be established by the Association of Slovene Filmmakers.

Up to 2006 the Badjura Award was awarded to Ivan Marinšek and Dušan Povh, Berta Meglič, Jože Babič, Rudi Omota, Jože Gale, Matjaž Klopčič, Jane Kavčič, Boštjan Hladnik, Rudi Vaupotič, Jože Pogačnik and Peter Zobec.