Festival Director Jovan Marjanovic on Sarajevo’s Expanded Venues and Local Filmmakers
As the Sarajevo Film Festival celebrates its 30th edition, Bosnia & Herzegovina's premier cultural event is undergoing a significant transformation. This year, the festival is physically expanding, extending its reach beyond the historic Old Town and into the city's political, business, and retail heart, about a 20-minute walk from its traditional hub.
This expansion includes the introduction of a new industry venue at the Hotel Swissotel, replacing the longtime home at the Hotel Europe. Additionally, the festival will feature another open-air cinema, an increase in the number of screens at the Sarajevo Cineplexx to eight, and a new Festival Garden designed for socializing and events.
Festival Director Jovan Marjanovic, now in his third year leading the event, explains that this strategic move aligns with Sarajevo's broader strengths. "We hope to make this part of town, where political, business, and retail centers already exist, the new cultural heart of the city and the country," Marjanovic states. Despite the expansion, the festival will maintain its presence near the Old Town, with many guests staying in established hotels like the Hotel Europe and enjoying the popular open-air screenings on the city’s main street.
The expansion also reflects a commitment to environmental sustainability. Marjanovic has collaborated with local government to enhance the city's walkability, with official partnerships for bike and scooter rentals, and a shuttle service connecting the two main festival sites every 30 minutes throughout the day. "It's been a concerted effort over the past few years to grow both the city and the festival in a way that encourages smarter mobility solutions," Marjanovic notes.
Looking ahead, plans are in motion for a multi-functional hall on the Festival Garden site, intended for cinema, theater, concerts, and other events. This development underscores the festival's ongoing commitment to enriching Sarajevo's cultural infrastructure.
While the festival looks to the future, it also honors its traditions. Sarajevo Film Festival, which began in 1995 during the Bosnian War, has grown into a major cultural event in Southeastern Europe. Local filmmaker Danis Tanovic, a stalwart of the festival, returns this year to open the event for the fifth time with his latest feature, "My Late Summer." The comedy-drama, which explores family inheritance issues on a remote island, was shot in Croatia and will soon be released in local cinemas. "Selecting a Tanovic film is a nod to the local audience," says Marjanovic, who is also a producer on the film. "The city feels that he is their filmmaker who speaks to their feelings."
The festival also features five full-length world premieres in its Competition sections, including "Dad’s Lullaby," a documentary by Lesia Diak about a Ukrainian veteran’s struggle to reconnect with his family after returning from the frontline. The film won the Docu Talent Award at Sarajevo's CineLink industry platform in 2022. Marjanovic highlights the festival's ongoing support for Ukraine, noting, "The best thing we can do is to extend our normal activities to Ukrainian filmmakers, just as we do for those from other parts of Southeast Europe."
Migration, a complex issue across Europe, is another theme explored in this year's festival, with Vuk Rsumovic’s feature "Dwelling Among The Gods" premiering in the competition. Marjanovic emphasizes the role of cinema in deepening understanding beyond the immediate news cycle. "What cinema can offer is the ability to show us nuances and add to our understanding," he suggests.
This year's festival guests include celebrated figures such as Meg Ryan, Alexander Payne, John Turturro, and jury president Paul Schrader. Local talent will also be prominently featured, with Bosnian filmmaker Una Gunjak and Slovenian actor Sebastian Cavazza serving on Schrader's jury. "Sarajevo has always been a fantastic mix of up-and-coming and established talent," Marjanovic remarks. "It’s a place where people who don’t often mix can come together."
The Sarajevo Film Festival runs from August 16 to 23.