The Sarajevo Film Festival is not your average film festival. Founded during the Bosnian War in a city under siege, it has a unique history that continues to shape its identity today. Jovan Marjanović, a festival organizer, describes it as “something that is really in our DNA.” Despite the challenges it faced from its inception, the Sarajevo Film Festival has become a symbol of hope and resilience in a region still affected by nationalist politics.
Now in its 29th year, the Sarajevo Film Festival remains a cultural sanctuary in a region torn by conflict. Its international line-up includes acclaimed films like Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City,” Aki Kaurismaki’s “Fallen Leaves,” and Celine Song’s “Past Lives.” The opening night documentary, “Kiss the Future,” tells the story of the underground art and music movement that emerged during the siege of Sarajevo and how they convinced U2 to raise global awareness of the conflict by performing a post-war concert in the city in 1997.
One of the festival’s distinctive programs is “Dealing With the Past,” which showcases films and documentaries that confront painful histories. This year’s selection includes Jean-Gabriel Périot’s “Facing Darkness,” which features home videos and news footage shot during the siege of Sarajevo, as well as interviews with the people who filmed the material. The program aims to challenge narratives constructed around war and show the impact images have on our perception of reality. Other films in the program include “Delegation,” a drama about three Israeli friends visiting Holocaust sites in Poland, and “The Happiest Man in the World,” which explores the lasting trauma of the Bosnian War.
The Sarajevo Film Festival also focuses on building connections in Southeast European cinema. Only films and filmmakers from the region qualify for its competition program, making it a platform for regional directors to showcase their work. Elma Tataragić, head of the festival’s competition section, recalls the initial challenges they faced, with people thinking they were “crazy” for giving prime time slots to films from the region. However, the festival served as a much-needed support system for a new generation of filmmakers who were previously overlooked by larger international festivals. Now, with the global recognition of Romanian, Bulgarian, and Balkan filmmakers, Sarajevo continues to be the hub for Southeastern European cinema.
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The festival’s CineLink industry section further solidifies its position as a vital event for the region’s film industry. With various programs and market opportunities, it attracts industry professionals and helps foster collaborations and networking among Southeast European filmmakers and producers. According to Marjanović, Sarajevo received a record-breaking 1,200 submissions from the region this year, demonstrating its importance to the film community.
Despite the changes and progress over the years, the Sarajevo Film Festival remains a place of connection and familiarity. Tataragić notes that many festival attendees have been coming for over a decade, creating personal relationships and following the development of films and projects in the region. For now, Sarajevo remains the home for Southeast European cinema, but the future holds changes and challenges that may alter its position in the next 20 years.
Overall, the Sarajevo Film Festival stands as a testament to the power of art and culture in the face of adversity. Its history, resilience, and commitment to regional cinema make it a unique and important event in the international film festival landscape.
