30th Sarajevo Film Festival begins in Bosnian capital

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - The 30th Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF) began Friday in Bosnia and Herzegovina with the world premiere of "Late Summer" by Oscar-winning director Danis Tanovic, shot as a joint production of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Slovenia and Serbia.

The opening ceremony was held at the National Theater with major celebrities from the world of cinema taking to the red carpet parade.

The SFF will run until Aug. 23 and viewers worldwide can watch more than 250 films from all over the world.

The festival follows the city's alternative scene, which uses music and art to provoke change and attract world attention.

Fifty-seven films will compete for the "Heart of Sarajevo" award, and this year's honorary "Heart" will be awarded to Hollywood star and actress Meg Ryan, who will hold a masterclass for filmmakers and those interested during the SFF.

In addition to Ryan, SFF will host artists such as Cord Jefferson, Alexander Payne, Elia Suleiman and John Turturro.

Four films from Türkiye will compete in three categories at the festival. "Zemberek" directed by Recep Çavdar and "Absent" directed by Cem Demirer will compete in the short film category.

"Between Delicate and Violent" directed by Şirin Bahar Demirel will compete in the documentary film category and "We Should Talk About Dilan" directed by Umut Şilan Oğurlu will compete in the student film category for the "Heart of Sarajevo" award.

Various events related to cinema will also be held during the SFF where thousands of people from the region and the world are expected to contribute to the country's economy.

The festival will end with an award ceremony and event Aug. 23.

The festival began 30 years ago to erase the traces of the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and again make the city a center of culture and art.

The most special award of SFF, the "Heart of Sarajevo" Honorary Award have been presented in previous years to Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie Robert de Niro, Oliver Stone, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Tim Roth, Wim Wenders, Ruben Ostlund, Jesse Eisenberg and Mads Mikkelsen and Charlie Kaufman.
Past attendees included Brad Pitt, Daniel Craig, Orlando Bloom, John Malkovich and Gerard Depardieu.