www.sff.ba
SUBOTA / SATURDAY 16. 08. 2025.
Otvoren 31. Sarajevo Film Festival / 31st Sarajevo Film Festival is Open
MASTERCLASSI
FOTO GALERIJA
SADRŽAJ
IN FOCUS, ELMA TATARAGIĆ A strong blend of established authors and the new generation
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COMPETITION DOCUMENTARY: TARIK HODŽIĆ Looking for Bosnian Identity
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TAKMIČARSKI DOKUMENTARNI: TARIK HODŽIĆ Potraga za bosanskim identitetom
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COMPETITION FEATUREs: SRĐAN VULETIĆ, OTTER Young Generations Are Much Better Than I Thought
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KINOSCOPE: MATHILDEHENROT I ALESSANDRO RAJA Umjetnost pred licem ekstremnog nasilja
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On today's schedule...
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MASTERCLASSES
NA programu danas...
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takmičarski igrani: SRĐAN VULETIĆ, VIDRA Mlade generacije su puno bolje nego što sam mislioi redatelj
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Gala Ceremony The 31st Sarajevo Film Festival opened with the world premiere of the film The Pavilion by Dino Mustafić
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FOTO GALLERY
CONTENT
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COMPETITION DOCUMENTARY: YELIZAVETA SMITH, ALINA GORLOVA & SIMON MOZGOVYI The First Part of the War Triptych
U FOKUSU, ELMA TATARAGIĆ Snažan spoj etabliranih autora i nove generacije
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Svečana ceremonija Svjetskom premijerom filma „Paviljon” Dine Mustafića otvoren 31. Sarajevo Film Festival
KINOSCOPE: MATHILDEHENROT I ALESSANDRO RAJA Art in the Face of Extreme Violence SUBOTA / SATURDAY 16. 08. 2025. Lorem / IPSUM SADR? AJ CONT ENT 4 SVE?ANA CEREMONIJA Jubilarni 30. Sarajevo Film Festival otvoren uz svjetsku premijeru filma "Nakon ljeta" Danisa Tanovi?a 6 GALA CEREMONY The jubilee 30th Sarajevo Film Festival opened with the world premiere of "My Late Summer " by Danis Tanovi? 8 NAGRADA Elia Suleiman primio Po?asno Srce Sarajeva 9 AWARD Elia Suleiman Receives the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo 1 0 FOTO GALLERY 1 0 FOTO GALERIJA 1 2 TAKMI?ARSKI PROGRAM: ELMA TATARAGI? Ovo turbulentno vrijeme reflektuje se i na kinematografiju u regiji 1 5 COMPETITION PROGRAMME: ELMA TATARAGI? Turbulent Times Inevitably Reflects in Our Cinema 1 8 TAKMI?ARSKI IGRANI: SONJA PROSENC Ko su ljudi koji odlu?e da ne stanu? 2 2 COMPETTION FEATURES: SONJA PROSENC Who are the people that choose not to stop? 2 5 TAKMI?ARSKI DOKUMENTARNI: ANNA RUBI Sve je manje mjesta za krhke 2 8 COMPETITION DOCUMENTARY: ANNA RUBI There is less and less space for the fragile 3 4 COMPETITION DOCUMENTARY: MAJA DOROTEJA PRELOG Hard decisions happen far away from the awards 3 1 TAKMI?ARSKI DOKUMENTARNI: MAJA DOROTEJA PRELOG Te?ke odluke de?avaju se daleko od nagrada 3 8 SUO?AVANJESA PRO?LO??U Otvaranje srca publike za lekcije koje se nikada ne mogu zaboraviti 4 2 DEALINGWITH THEPAST Keeping the hearts of audiences open to lessons learned and never to be unlearned 4 6 NA PROGRAMU DANAS... 4 6 ON TODAY'SSCHEDULE... 30. Sarajevo Film Festival otvoren uz svjetsku premijeru filma "Nakon ljeta" Danisa Tanovi?a ?Ova jubilarna godina obilje?ava tri decenije na?e posve?enosti prikazivanju najkvalitetnijih filmova vama na?oj publici, dok ujedno slu?imo kao klju?na platforma za razvoj regionalne kinematografije. Svijet oko nas na?alost nije bolji, nije onakav kakav smo zami?ljali da mo?e biti kada je Festival nastajao, me?utim na?e iskustvo u proteklih 30 godina pokazuje da refleksija na najte?a vremena kroz dijalog i umjetnost nije samo va?na, ve? i neophodna ako ?elimo da mir prevlada?, izjavio je Jovan Marjanovi?, direktor Sarajevo Film Festivala, dodav?i da je misija Festivala od samih po?etaka bila i ostala gledaju?i u pro?lost graditi mostove i stvarati bolju budu?nost. ?Za jubilarno izdanje Festivala uspostavili smo nove lokacije. Nadamo se da ?e one postati novi kulturni centar na?eg grada, a time i Bosne i Hercegovine. Sve ovo radimo s nadom da ?emo na tom mjestu ubrzo imati savremeni prostor posve?en kulturnim Slavljeni?ki30.SarajevoFilm Festivalotvorenje u Narodnompozori?tu Sarajevouz sve?anuceremonijunakonkojeje odr?anasvjetskapremijera novogfilmabh. rediteljaDanisaTanovi?a?Nakonljeta?. SVE? ANA CEREMONI J A doga?ajima, te da ?ete vi, na?a publika, imati priliku da u budu?nosti prisustvujete otvaranjima Festivala na takvom mjestu?, rekao je Marjanovi?. Prije projekcije, dodijeljeno je i prvo ovogodi?nje Po?asno Srce Sarajeva. Uru?eno je palestinskom reditelju Eliji Suleimanu u znak priznanja za njegov izuzetan doprinos filmskoj umjetnosti. Osim u Narodnom pozori?tu, publika je u komi?noj drami ?Nakon ljeta? u?ivala i diljem Sarajeva u Ljetnom kinu Coca-Cola, Ljetnom kinu Stari Grad, Ljetnom kinu Centar ?Safet Zajko?, Ljetnom kinu ?Centar? i u kinu Cineplexx. ?Sretan nam ro?endan! Svima nama. Jer zaista ako postoji ijedan festival na svijetu koji smatram svojim, onda je to ovaj. Nadam se da ?ete u?ivati u filmu, a ako buduete u?ivali onoliko koliko smo mi dok smo ga radili, u?ivat ?ete jako", izjavio je prije projekcije Danis Tanovi?, koji je Po?asno Srce Sarajeva dobio je 2014. kao znak priznanja za izuzetan doprinos filmskoj umjetnosti i za podr?ku Sarajevo Film Festivalu. Svjetskom premijerom filma ?Nakon ljeta?, u kojem glavne uloge imaju Anja Matkovi? i Uliks Fehmiu, ujedno je po?eo i program Sarajevo Film Festivala u Mostaru i Tuzli. Projekcije su odr?ane u BH Telecom Ljetnom kinu Mostar i u Bingo Ljetnom kinu Tuzla. ?Nakon ljeta? filmska je pri?a o mladoj ?eni koja dolazi na udaljeni otok kako bi rije?ila pitanje obiteljskog nasljedstva. U vrtlogu novonastalih emocija, kroz niz nepredvi?enih situacija, Maja ?e se kona?no suo?iti s pitanjima iz svoje pro?losti. Potraga za nasljedstvom postaje potraga za vlastitim identitetom, ali i oprostom. Danis Tanovi? vi?estruko je nagra?ivani reditelj, scenarist i producent. Njegov film ?Ni?ija zemlja? (2001.), za koji je napisao i scenarij, nagra?en je Oscarom® i Zlatnim globusom za najbolji film na stranom jeziku. Dvostruki je dobitnik Srebrnog medvjeda na filmskom festivalu u Berlinu za filmove ?Epizoda u ?ivotu bera?a ?eljeza? (2013.) i ?Smrt u Sarajevu?(2016.). ?ast da vodi sve?anost otvaranja 30. izdanja Sarajevo Film Festivala pripala je glumici Maji Izetbegovi?. Na 30. Sarajevo Film Festivalu, koji se odr?ava do 23. augusta, bit ?e prikazano 247 filmova i serija iz 70 zemalja u 20 festivalskih programa. U konkurenciji za nagrade Srce Sarajeva 53 su filma. The 30th Sarajevo Film Festival opened with the world premiere of "My Late Summer" by Danis Tanovi? " This jubilee year marks three decades of our dedication to showing the highest quality films to you, our audience, while at the same time we serve as a key platform for regional cinema development. Unfortunately, the world around us is not better, it is not the way we are imagined that it could be when the festival was created, however our experience over the past 30 years shows that reflection on the most difficult times through dialogue and art is not only important, but also necessary if we want peace to prevail?, said Jovan Marjanovi?, Director of the Sarajevo Film Festival, adding that the festival's mission from the very beginning was and remains looking to the past to build bridges and create a better future. ?This edition of the Festival brings numerous novelties.We have established new locations that will hopefully become new cultural ones the center of our city, and thus of Bosnia and Herzegovina. All this we are Thecelebratory30thSarajevoFilm Festivalwas openedat theSarajevoNational Theaterwith a solemnceremony,afterwhichtheworld premiereof the new film by theBosniandirectorDanisTanovi?"My LateSummer"was held. GALA CEREMONY working with the hope that we will soon have in that place contemporary space dedicated to cultural events, and you, our audience, will have the opportunity to in the future you attend the opening of the Festival in such a place", said Marjanovi?. The Honorary Heart of Sarajevo, at tonight's opening ceremony, was presented to Palestinian director Elija Suleiman in recognition of his outstanding contribution to film art. In addition to the National Theater, the audience enjoyed the comedy drama "My Late Summer" all over Sarajevo in the Open Air Cinema Coca-Cola, the Open Air Cinema Stari Grad, the Open Air Cinema Centar ?Safet Zajko?, the Open Air Cinema and the Cineplexx cinema. "Happy birthday to us! To all of us. Because really if there is one festival in the world that I consider my own, then it is this one. I hope you enjoy the film, and if you enjoy it as much as we did while making it, you will enjoy it very much" said Tanovi?. With the world premiere of the film "My Late Summer", in which Anja Matkovi? and Uliks Fehmiu play the main roles, the programme of the Sarajevo Film Festival in Mostar and Tuzla also began. Screenings were held in BH Telecom Open Air Cinema Mostar and Bingo Open Air Cinema Tuzla. "My Late Summer" is a movie story about a young woman who comes to a remote island to solve the issue of family inheritance. In a whirlwind of new emotions, through a series of unforeseen situations, Maja will finally face questions from her past. The search for inheritance becomes a search for one's own identity, but also for forgiveness. Danis Tanovi? is a multiple award-winning director, screenwriter and producer. His film "No Man's Land" (2001), for which he also wrote the screenplay, was awarded an Oscar® and a Golden Globe for the best film in a foreign language. He is a two-time winner of the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for the films "An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker" (2013) and "Death in Sarajevo" (2016). He received the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo in 2014 as a sign of recognition for his exceptional contribution to film art and for his support of the Sarajevo Film Festival. The honor of hosting the opening ceremony of the 30th edition of the Sarajevo Film Festival went to actress Maja Izetbegovi?. At the 30th Sarajevo Film Festival, which will be held until August 23, 247 films will be shown in 18 festival programmes. There are 54 films in competition for the Heart of Sarajevo awards. Foto galerija / Photo gallery Glazbenica Yasmine Hamdan, direktor Sarajevo Film Festivala Jovan Marjanovi?, reditelj Elia Suleiman i umjetnica ?ejla Kameri? / Musician Yasmine Hamdan, director of SFF Jovan Marjanovi?, director Elia Suleiman and visual artist ?ejla Kameri? Reditelj Danis Tanovi? sa suprugom Maelys de Rudder Tanovi? / Director Danis Tanovi?with wife Maelys de Rudder Tanovi? Mlade generacije su puno bolje nego ?to sam mislio Prije 22 godine debitirali ste kao reditelj s nagra?ivanim filmom ?Ljeto u zlatnoj dolini?o 16-godi?njem mladi?u koji vra?a dug svojeg preminulog oca. ?to vas je ponukalo da sada u filmu ?Vidra? u prvi plan stavite 16-godi?nju djevojku Hanu koja se mora nositi s gubitkom oca? Lik Hane je bio u centru scenarija Stefana Bo?kovi?a ve? u trenutku kad je do?ao do mene, i pomislio sam kako je pri?a o 16-godi?njoj djevojci koja se, u intenzivnom trenutku gubitka oca, sudara sa o?ekivanjima majke, ?ire porodice, simpatije i ostalih zapravo jako dobra osnova za artikulaciju jedne savremene, uzbudljive pri?e o tra?enja svog mjesta pod suncem, samopouzdanju i samoprihvatanju. Hana u istom danu prolazi kroz o?evu smrt i izdaju prijatelja. Kako ste pristupili balansiranju tih dviju tema? ?injenica da se na? glavni lik suo?ava ne sa Usvojemnovomfilmu?Vidra?,rediteljSr?anVuleti?kroz pri?u o 16-godi?njakinji?iji ?ivot potresudvijeveliketragedijepru?apogledna generacijuna kojoj ostajesvijet TAKMI ? ARSKI IGRANI SR? AN VULETI? VIDRA jednom, ve? sa dvije velike traume, zapravo je u startu korespondirala jako dobro sa svima koji su imali kontakt sa projektom, jer iako su obje traume vrlo intimne, jedna je vezana za porodicu a druga za emotivni ?ivot na?e Hane. Jedna se drama odvija unutar zidova Haninog stana, a druga van njega, ?to mi je dalo mogu?nost da maksimaliziram pritisak na na?u junakinju. Naprosto, ona kao da nigdje nema mogu?nost da uzme predah od tih trauma, ?to je uvijek dobro za film, da je glavni lik stalno aktivan, da ne mo?e pobje?i od svog problema ve? da gamora rje?avati. Kako ste odabrali Ma?u Dra?ler za glavnu ulogu? Prije svega, iskoristio bih priliku da ka?em da je Ma?a, njena uloga, vitalna za na? film, te da mi nismo ni slutili koliki potencijal le?i u njoj. Na?in na koji je Ma?a le?erno a disciplinovano radila, sjajno funkcionisala u timu sa Savinom, Pavlom i svim ostalim glumcima nam je omogu?io da ni jednog trenutka ne odstupimo od zacrtane vizije kako ovaj film treba da izgleda i ?ta treba da bude. Na samim audicijama, ona se ispo?etka nije nametala kao finalno rje?enje za ovu ulogu, ali kako je vrijeme odmicalo, kako se broj kandidata za glavnu ulogu su?avao ona je bivala sve bolja i bolja, ?to je bio jasan znak da dobro prima indikacije, da ima potreban fokus i da razumije lik Hane. Ono ?to je mene najvi?e privuklo ideji da ona treba biti glavna uloga je njena suptilnost, preciznost i ?injenica da brzo u?i stvari. Ovom moram dodati da smo Ma?u izabrali izme?u par stotina kandidatkinja, i da nijednog trenutka nismo pomislili da smo pogrije?ili. ?Vidru? ste snimili u Podgorici, ?to je prvi put da ste snimali u Crnoj Gori. Mo?ete li usporediti stanje u crnogorskoj i bosanskohercegova?koj kinematografiji? Mala korekcija, ?Vidra? nije samo snimana u Crnoj Gori, Vidra je crnogorski film sa bosanskohercegova?kim rediteljem. Rekao bih da je crnogorska kinematografija u ovom trenutku zdravija od bh. kinematografije, i kvalitativnu razliku ?ini funkcionalan dr?avni filmski centar koju Crna Gora ima a mi TAKMI ? ARSKI IGRANI - SR? AN VULETI ? - VIDRA nemamo. Filmski centar Crne Gore je dobro vo?en u zadnjih desetak godina, stvorili su svoj network sa sli?nim institucijama i festivalima, te kao rezultat toga imaju strategiju rada koja prati crnogorske projekte od rane faze do finalizacije. U tom kontekstu, i svoj anga?man na ?Vidri? kao reditelja stranca, do?ivljavam kao jednu vitalnost crnogorske kinematografije. Za razliku od toga, bh. kinematografija je u stanju prolongirane eutanazije u kojoj autori poku?avaju da rade filmove uprkos tome ?to, pazite sad, filmske fondacije ne funkcioniraju, uga?ena je platforma BH Telecoma Content Lab, nema zakona o kinematografiji i autori ne ostvaruju svoja autorska prava. Ipak ono ?to je najve?a frustracija su doma?i politi?ari koji apsolutno odbijaju ozbiljan dijalog sa strukom u cilju rje?avanja ovih problema. Film ste zapo?eli raditi jo? dok ste zavr?avali film ?Gym?. Koliko je izazovno bilo zavr?avati jedan, a ve? zapo?injati drugi projekt? Sa jedne strane je bilo izazovno, ali sa druge vrlo korisno obzirom da sam mogao u prakti?nom procesu istestirati rediteljska rje?enja koja pripadaju ?Gymu?, te razumjeti koja ?elim upotrijebiti u ?Vidri?. Sa druge strane, imam potrebu da evolviram u svom poslu te sam ?vrsto donio odluku da ?u potpuno razli?ito pristupiti tim filmovima, tako da se vratim na po?etak odgovora, ova situacija, koja je vrlo rijetka na na?im prostorima, je bila jako korisna u definisanju filmskog jezika kojim ?elim da obradim ?Vidru?. Kako je tekla suradnja sa scenaristom Stefanom Bo?kovi?em? Stefan i ja smo kliknuli od samog po?etka. Svi?ali su nam se isti filmovi, i nisu nam se svi?ali isti filmovi, ?to je bila dobra osnova za dalji rad. Ipak, kod Stefana bih izdvojio, pored toga ?to je sjajan pisac i scenarista, da ima rijetku osobinu za scenariste a to je da nije zaljubljen u svoje, ina?e jako dobre, dijaloge, ve? me je ?ak i tjerao da re?em neke stvari. To je pravo osvje?enje, obzirom da se scenaristi obi?no bore za svaki zarez, slovo a kamoli repliku. Film je ve? u fazi razvoja osvojila zna?ajna priznanja, uklju?uju?i nagradu za najbolji pitch na When East Meets West marketu u Trstu, Euroimages nagradu na Cinelink marketu na Sarajevo Film Festivalu, a bili ste i u selekciji L'Atelier Cinefondation 2021. godine. Koliko su ove nagrade pomogle pri realizaciji projekta? Sigurno je da su pomogle pri realizaciji projekta, ali jo? vi?e od toga, bile su nam pokazatelj da smo na pravom putu, u smislu da je na?a pri?a razumljiva, uzbudljiva i univerzalna. U tom smislu, mislim da je pomoglo i Ivanu ? urovi?u, producentu filma, u svim fazama produkcije ?Vidre?. Kakav vam je bio pristup pri radu s mladim glumcima? Kad sam shvatio da Ma?a, Savin, Lara i Mara nisu inertni kakvi su uglavnom djeca-glumci, te da mogu dati kreativni doprinos filmu, stvar mi je bila olak?ana i tretirao sam ih isto kao i profesionalne glumce koji su ?inili ostatak podjele. Naravno da su morali biti vo?eni, pogotovo u smislu tajminga i izbora radnji i reakcija ali je to bio ravnopravan partnerski odnos, a ne banalno postavljenje i vo?enje ne-glumaca u prostoru. Jeste li snimaju?i ovaj film saznali ne?to o mladim generacijama ?to vas je iznenadilo? Puno su bolji nego ?to sam mislio. Sta?u ovdje. Va? film tematizira vrlo ozbiljne teme s kojima se mlada protagonistica mora nositi. ?to biste voljeli da mla?a publika dobije od va?eg filma? Prije svega ohrabrenje. Ohrabrenje da ako imaju neki problem da ne bje?e od njega ve? da razumiju da imaju problem, jer je to prvi korak u rje?avanju istog. Dalje, da razumiju da su oni sami najodgovorniji za svoj ?ivot, te da im nitko drugi ne mo?e pomo?i koliko oni mogu sami sebi. TAKMI ? ARSKI IGRANI - SR? AN VULETI ? - VIDRA Young Generations Are Much Better Than I Thought Twenty-two years ago, you made your directorial debut with the award-winning film Summer in the Golden Valley, about a 16-year-old boy repaying his late father?s debt. What led you, in Otter, to bring to the forefront a 16-year-old girl, Hana, who must cope with the loss of her father? Hana?s character was already at the heart of Stefan Bo?kovi??s script when it came to me, and I thought that the story of a 16-year-old girl who, in the intense moment of losing her father, is confronted with the expectations of her mother, extended family, love interest, and others was in fact an excellent foundation for articulating a contemporary, compelling story about finding one?s place in the sun, building self-confidence, and embracing oneself. Hana experiences both her father?s death and a friend?s betrayal on the same day. How did you approach balancing these two themes? The fact that our main character faces not one, but two major traumas resonated strongly with everyone involved in the project from the very beginning. Although both are deeply personal, one is tied to family, while the other concerns Hana?s emotional life. One drama unfolds within the walls of her apartment, the other outside of it, which allowed me to maximize the pressure on our heroine. It?s as if she has nowhere to take a break from these In his new film Otter,directorSr?anVuleti?uses the storyof a 16-year-oldgirl shakenby twomajor traumasto offer a glimpseinto the generationthat will inherit theworld COMPETITIONFEATURE SR? AN VULETI? OTTER traumas - a situation that always works well for a film, keeping the protagonist constantly active and unable to escape the problem, forcing her to confront it head-on. How did you choose Ma?a Dra?ler for the lead role? First of all, I?d like to say that Ma?a and her performance are vital to our film, and we didn?t even realize the full extent of her potential at the start. The way Ma?a worked, both effortlessly and with discipline, and how well she functioned as part of the team with Savina, Pavle, and the other actors allowed us to never deviate from the clear vision we had for what this film should look like and be. At the auditions, she didn?t immediately stand out as the final choice for the role, but as time went on and the pool of candidates for the lead role narrowed, she kept getting better and better. This was a clear sign that she took direction well, had the necessary focus, and understood Hana?s character. What attracted me most to the idea that she should be the lead was her subtlety, precision, and quick grasp of things. I should also add that we chose Ma?a from among several hundred candidates, and at no point did we think we made amistake. Otter was shot in Podgorica, marking your first time filming in Montenegro. Can you compare the state of Montenegrin and Bosnian-Herzegovinian cinema? A small correction: Otter wasn?t just shot in Montenegro - it is a Montenegrin film directed by a Bosnian-Herzegovinian filmmaker. I would say that Montenegrin cinema is currently healthier than the BH film industry, and the qualitative difference comes down to a functional national film center, which Montenegro has, and we don?t. The Montenegrin Film Center has been well-managed for the past decade, building a network with similar institutions and festivals, and as a result, they have a working strategy that supports Montenegrin projects from early development through to completion. In this context, I also see my involvement in Vidra as a foreign director as part of the vitality of COMPETITIONFEATURE - SR? AN VULETI ? - OTTER Montenegrin cinema. By contrast, the BH film industry is in a state of prolonged euthanasia, where filmmakers try to make films despite the fact that, listen to this, film foundations do not function, the BH Telecom Content Lab platform has been shut down, there is no film law, and creators do not receive their authors? rights. Yet the biggest frustration is the local politicians who absolutely refuse serious dialogue with the film community aimed at solving these problems. You began working on this film while still finishing Gym. How challenging was it to complete one project while starting another? On one hand, it was challenging, but on the other, very beneficial, as I was able to practically test directorial choices from Gym and understand which ones I wanted to carry over into Otter. At the same time, I feel the need to evolve in my craft, and I made a firm decision to approach these two films completely differently. So, to circle back, this situation, which is quite rare in our region, was very useful in defining the cinematic language I wanted to use to tell Otter?s story. How did the collaboration with screenwriter Stefan Bo?kovi? unfold? Stefan and I clicked from the very beginning. We liked many of the same films, and interestingly, we also didn?t like many of the same films, which created a good foundation for our work together. Besides being an excellent writer and screenwriter, what I appreciate most about Stefan is a rare quality for screenwriters: he?s not attached to his, otherwise very strong, dialogues. In fact, he often pushed me to cut certain parts. That was a real breath of fresh air, considering that screenwriters usually fight for every comma, every letter, let alone a whole line. The film already received significant recognition during its development, including the Best Pitch award at the When East Meets West Market in Trieste, the Euroimages award at the Cinelink Market at the Sarajevo Film Festival, and you were also selected for L'Atelier Cinefondation in 2021. How much did these awards help in realizing the project? These awards definitely helped in bringing the project to life, but even more importantly, they confirmed that we were on the right path, that our story is understandable, exciting, and universal. In that sense, I believe they also greatly supported Ivan ? urovi?, the film?s producer, throughout all stages of Otter?s production. What was your approach to working with the young actors? Once I realized that Ma?a, Savina, Lara, and Mara were not the typical inert child actors but could actually contribute creatively to the film, the process became much easier. I treated them just like the professional actors in the rest of the cast. Of course, they needed guidance, especially regarding timing and choices of actions and reactions, but it was a relationship of equal partnership, not a simplistic directing of non-actors on set. Are you able to share something you learned about the younger generations while making this film that surprised you? They?re much better than I thought. That?s all I?ll say. Film deals with very serious themes that the young protagonist must face. What would you like the younger audience to take away from your film? First and foremost, encouragement. Encouragement to not run away from their problems, but to recognize and understand them - because that?s the first step toward solving them. Furthermore, to realize that they themselves are ultimately responsible for their own lives, and that no one else can help them as much as they can help themselves. COMPETITIONFEATURE - SR? AN VULETI ? - OTTER Potraga za bosanskim identitetom Glavnog junaka ovoga filma Seada Deli?a upoznali ste na Sarajevo film festivalu, a godine dru?enja dovele su do ideje o snimanju filma. Kada ste shvatili da ovakav film nije potreban samo Seadu i Tariku ve? i Bo?njanima, Bo?njacima, Bosancima? U kojem god od ovih izraza se pronalazili. Mislim da je ovaj film potreban svima nama u Bosni i Hercegovini a usudit ?u se re?i da je potreban i puno ?ire. Film mo?da ne?e dati odgovor na svako postavljeno pitanje ali se nadam da ?e na pravi na?in otvoriti dijaloge i zapo?eti neke teme koje su svima potrebne. Smatram da je ve?ina stanovnika Bosne i Hercegovine jedan narod i samo je potrebno da se ponovo prisjetimo toga. Moglo se o?ekivati da ste izvrsnim filmom ?Scream for me, Sarajevo? apsolutno zaslu?ili svaku vrstu potpore za svoj naredni projekat. Jesu li financijski razlozi bili presudni za vi?egodi?nje pora?anje ?Bosanskog viteza?, ili je razloga bilo vi?e? Ovo je prije svega bila jedna vrsta poluotvorenog procesa rada na filmu i taj pristup je znatno uticao da je od prvog kadra koji RediteljTarikHod?i?govorio filmu ?Bosanskivitez?,koji u po?etkudjelujekao kombinacijadokumentarnihsnimakalijepeBosne,ali postepenose pretvarau pravi istra?iva?kidokumentarac TAKMI ? ARSKI DOKUMENTARNI TARIK HOD? I? BOSANSKI VITEZ je snimljen 2019 godine do danas pro?lo ?est godina. Finansije su uvijek dio problema ali ne mogu re?i da su glavni razlog za?to film mo?da nije zavr?en ranije. U su?tini, ?to smo vi?e radili i planirali cilj se lagano pomjerao ispred nas i cijela pri?a je evoluirala tokom svih ovih godina. Samim tim i potrebni bud?et se pove?avao i bio je veliki izazov u doba pandemije, a kasnije i sa stalnom inflacijom uspjeti sve isfinansirati do kraja. Sre?om, producent Adnan je uz pomo? partnera filma i donatora, uspio zaokru?iti cijelu pri?u i film je uspje?no priveden kraju na na?in kako smo smatrali da to zaslu?uje. Va? je film zapravo drugi dokumentarni film o Seadu Deli?u. Jeste li gledali onaj prvi ?U potrazi za domom? koji je re?irao Hari ?e?i? i, ako jeste, kako vas se dojmio? Naravno da sam gledao i to jo? u nekim radnim verzijama koje mi je pokazivao Hari. Pri?ao mi je o Seadu i radu sa njim i u kona?nici uradio je jako dobar film. Sudbina je htjela da ba? te godine upoznam Seada tokom SFF-a i dogovorili smo dru?enje kada ponovo do?e u Bosnu. Nekoliko godina nakon toga snimili smo i prve eksperimentalne kadrove ?Bosanskog viteza?sa fokusom isklju?ivo na dio Seadove pri?e vezano za njegov odnos prema historiji, koji u filmu ?U potrazi za domom? nije obra?en. Koliko ste se, prije dru?enja sa Seadom, zanimali za povijest Bosne? Na neki na?in sam uvijek imao interesovanje za historiju, i to ne samo Bosne nego historiju op?enito. Generalno, sam u?ivao, i jo? uvijek u?ivam, u ?anru historijskog filma, bez obzira o kojoj epohi se radi. ?ini mi se da ne postoji serija ili film koji nisam pogledao a da se u njemu obra?uje neka historijska tema. Ali, upravo se mo?da tu nalazi i glavna strast u radu na ovom filmu, kada sam, u stvari shvatio kako je nevjerovatna historija ove zemlje... i kada sam po?eo prepoznavati elemente u na?oj historiji, a koji su podsje?ali na neke druge teme ili filmove... i kakve su sve nevjerovatne li?nosti i doga?aji oblikovali ovu zemlju. Po?ev?i od Batona Desidijatskog, preko Kralja Tvrtka, Huseina Kapetana Grada??evi?a, vojvode Vlatka Vukovi?a i jo? na desetine drugih. Posebno valja podcrtati i pohvaliti za film vrlo bitan doprinos izlaganja povjesni?ara, sociologa i pisaca razli?itog porijekla. Kako ste ih identificirali? Svaki filmski projekat ima ujedno i neki svoj proces ali i sudbinu. Nekada je sve unaprijed planirano, dogovarano ali se sve izjalovi... a nekada bez neke pretjerane najave dogodi se neki kontakt koji nas usmjeri prema odre?enom ?ovjeku i to onda bude pun pogodak. Tokom vremena nau?io sam slijediti intuiciju koja me vodi u odre?enom pravcu i nakon ve?ine na?ih snimanja znali smo re?i: ?Imali smo opet sre?e...? i zaista, ve?ina sagovornika sa kojima smo razgovarali (a njih je tridesetak) je doprinosila ?irini te ujedno i slojevitosti pri?e. Ali ovdje se ne smije zaboraviti da mi je u centru svega Sead i njegova personalna pri?a. Za potrebe filma proputovali ste razne zemlje ? ne samo SAD, gdje ste snimili Seada na poslu, nego i mnoge dr?ave koje su imale i imaju zajedni?ke povijesne trenutke sa Bosnom ? Hrvatsku, Tursku, Ma?arsku, Austriju, Sloveniju, Italiju... Tragaju?i za bosanskim identitetom otkrivali ste povijesne dokumente i druge artefakte ali i kosti dobrih Bo?njana u svakoj od tih zemalja. Seada je najvi?e impresioniralo groblje u Pe?uhu. A vas? Prije svega osnovna karakteristika rada na ovokvom projektu, uz sve izazove ili povremeno neke probleme je da smo istinski u?ivali. ?esto smo govorili da je ovo avantura koja se desi mo?da samo jednom u ?ivotu... svaka lokacija je imala neku svoju energiju ili davno zaboravljenu pri?u koja treba biti ispri?ana. Meni li?no najemotivnije je bilo kada smo snimali grob Kraljice Katarine ili mo?da kada smo obilazili Log pod Mangartom u Sloveniji. Marinela Doman?i? TAKMI ? ARSKI DOKUMENTARNI - TARIK HOD? I ? - BOSANSKI VITEZ Looking for Bosnian Identity You first met the film?s protagonist, Sead Deli?, at the Sarajevo Film Festival, and years of friendship eventually led to the idea of making this film. When did you realize that such a film was needed not only by Sead and Tarik, but also by Bosnians? whether you identify as Bo?njanin, Bo?njak, or Bosanac? I think that all of us in Bosnia and Herzegovina need such fim and I dare say that it is also needed much more widely. The film may not answer every question, but I hope it will open dialogues in the right way and start some topics that everyone needs. I believe that the majority of the inhabitants of Bosnia and Herzegovina are one nation and we just need to remember that again. We expected that, after your excellent documentary Scream for me, Sarajevo you absolutely deserved every kind of support for your next project. Were financial reasons crucial for the many years of production of Bosnian Knight, or were there more reasons? This was primarily a sort of semi-open process of working on the film, and this approach significantly influenced the fact that six years have passed since the first frame was shot in 2019. Finances are always part of the problem, but I can't say that they are the main reason why the film was not finished earlier. In essence, the more we worked and planned, the goal slowly moved ahead of us and the whole story evolved over all these years. As a result, the required budget increased and it was a big challenge during the pandemic, and later with DirectorTarikHod?i?talks about his film BosnianKnight,whichat first appearsto be a collectionof documentaryfootageshowcasingthe beautyof Bosnia,but graduallytransformsinto a trueinvestigativedocumentary COMPETITIONDOCUMENTARY TARIK HOD? I? BOSNIAN KNIGHT constant inflation, to finance everything to the end. Fortunately, producer Adnan, with the help of the film's partners and donors, managed to round off the whole story and the film was successfully brought to an end in the way we thought it deserved. Your film is actually the second documentary about Sead Deli?. Have you seen the first one, U potrazi za domom, directed by Hari ?e?i?, and if so, what was your impression of it? Of course I watched it in some of the working versions that Hari showed me. He told me about Sead and his work. He made a very good film. Fate brought us together. I met Sead that very year during the SFF and we agreed to hang out when he comes to Bosnia again. A few years after that, we filmed the first experimental shots of The Bosnian Knight, focusing exclusively on the part of Sead's story related to his relationship with history, which was not covered by the film U potrazi za domom (In Search of Home). How interested were you in the ancient history of Bosnia before you met Sead? In a way, I have always had an interest in history, not only Bosnian but history in general. In general, I enjoyed, and still enjoy, the genre of historical films, regardless of the era. It seems to me that there is no series or film that I have not watched that deals with some historical theme. But perhaps that is where the main passion in working on this film lies, when I actually realized how incredible the history of this country is... and when I began to recognize elements in our history that reminded me of some other themes or films... and what incredible personalities and events have shaped this country. Starting with Baton Desidijatski, through Kralj Tvrtko, Husein Kapetan Grada??evi?, duke Vlatko Vukovi? and dozens of others. The very important contribution that various historians, sociologists and writers of different origins gave to your film should be highlighted and praised. How did you identify them? Every film project has its own process and destiny. Sometimes everything is planned in advance, agreed upon, but everything backfires... and sometimes, without any excessive announcement, a contact happens that directs us to a certain person, and then it is a complete hit. Over the time, I learned to follow my intuition, which leads me in a certain direction. After most of our filming we used to say: "We were lucky again..." and indeed, most of the interlocutors we talked to (and there are about thirty of them) contributed to the breadth and at the same time to the layering of the story. But we must not forget that Sead and his personal story are at the center of everything. For the purposes of the film, you traveled to various countries - not only the USA, where you filmed Sead at work, but also many countries that had and have shared historical moments with Bosnia - Croatia, Turkey, Hungary, Austria, Slovenia, Italy... Searching for Bosnian identity, you discovered historical documents and other artifacts, but also the bones of good Bosniaks in each of those countries. Sead was most impressed by the cemetery in Pecs.What was the most impressive for you? First of all, the main characteristic of working on a project like this, despite all the challenges or, occasionally, some problems, is that we really enjoyed it.We have often said that this is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure... each location had its own energy or a long-forgotten story that needed to be told. Personally, the most emotional thing for me was when we filmed the grave of Queen Katarina or maybe when we toured Log pod Mangart in Slovenia. Marinela Doman?i? COMPETITIONDOCUMENTARY- SONJ A PROSENC - FAMI LY THERAPY Prvi dio ratnog triptiha Poku?avaju?i objasniti ?ta rat ?ini ?ovjeku kombinirate dva drevna jezika, latinski i gr?ki, u naslovu va?eg filma. Drevni jezici zato ?to je rat drevno zlo, rije?i ?ije vam se zna?enje u?inilo najprikladnijim, ili ne?to tre?e? Simon: Na? zajedni?ki dokumentarni film ima za cilj duboko istra?iti prirodu rata i poku?ati shvatiti kako ljudsko bi?e prolazi kroz to iskustvo. Naravno, rat je stra?an doga?aj; usred smo rata i to nije bio na? izbor. Ali mo?emo odabrati ?ta ?emo u?initi sa svojim ?ivotima i kako ostati ljudi u tim okolnostima. Radi se vi?e o poduzimanju akcije nego o gubitku ne?ega. Kada smo snimali i montirali, shvatili smo koliko je bitno uspostaviti nova zna?enja u ovom svijetu potpunog haosa i uni?tenja u kojem svakodnevno ?ivimo. Zna?enja koja mogu predstavljati osnovu koja nam poma?e da shvatimo, do?ivimo i razumijemo prirodu rata. U filmu radimo s nekim vrlo simboli?nim elementima, poku?avaju?i prona?i vezu izme?u slika koje smo snimili i ne?ega ?to smo znali iz gr?ke i latinske mitologije ili na?ih ukrajinskih folklornih pri?a, ne?ega ?to ujedinjuje sada?njost i pro?lost ljudske povijesti. Tako do?ivljavamo ovaj neologizam. Odlu?ili ste se na potpuno promatra?ki film, bez ikakvog redateljskog uplitanja i naracije. Je li to od po?etka bila ideja ili se ovaj pristup za vrijeme snimanja pokazao najpodesnijim? Alina: Treba napomenuti da od samog po?etka snimanja ovog filma, to?nije od jutra 24. 2. 2022., kada je zapo?ela potpuna invazija, nismo znali da snimamo film. Radije smo ga smatrali dokumentacijom ratnih zlo?ina. Tek nekoliko sedmica nakon po?etka rata definirali smo svoj zadatak kao zajedni?ki film. Na? pristup RuskainvazijanaUkrajinuujednoje ozna?ilapo?etakovogafilma,koji ima trojeredatelja,a ?iji neobi?annaslovje kombinacijalatinskog,gdje?milt?zna?i vojnik,i gr?koga,gdje?antropos?zna?i ?ovjek? u slobodnomprijevodu,to je ono ?to ljudi postajukadasu u stanjurata. TAKMI ? ARSKI DOKUMENTARNI YELIZAVETA SMITH, ALINA GORLOVA & SIMON MOZGOVYI MILITANTROPOS snimanju temeljio se na tradiciji dokumentiranja stvarnosti, koju smo koristili u svojim prethodnim filmovima. Bilo nam je va?no po?tovati ono ?to se doga?a u kadru. Vjerujemo da stvarnost govori sama za sebe vi?e od bilo kojeg komentara autora. Iznimno je te?ko graditi film u stilu promatranja, ali to je jedina mogu?a metoda kada govorimo o zajedni?kom filmu. Bilo nam je va?no sa?uvati integritet djela, stil koji razvijamo u na?em kreativnom kolektivu godinama. Stoga je ovaj film ujedno i izraz odre?enog dijela generacije ukrajinskih filma?a koji se bave temom rusko-ukrajinskog rata od 2014. godine. Tri ste autora, tri osobe, tri iskustva. Povezuju vas rodna zemlja i filmska umjetnost, ali sigurno i mnogo vi?e od toga. Koliko ste si me?usobno bili podr?ka, pomo?, prijatelji, suradnici, obitelj? Simon: Niko od nas ne bi sam snimio ovakav film. Prolazak kroz ovo zajedno s prijateljima, s ljudima koji misle isto kao i vi, daje vam rame za podr?ku kada ste se gotovo slomili. Tijekom tri godine rada na filmu razvili smo zajedni?ko razumijevanje kakav bi trebao biti ritam filma. U osnovi imamo sli?an pogled na monta?u i film op?enito, na to kako bi se trebao raditi, tako da se dobro razumijemo bez rije?i. Film poput ?Militantroposa?nije o karijernom postignu?u. To je na? odgovor na ono ?to nam se doga?a, o tome kako se odnosimo prema svojoj zemlji, prema svojim obiteljima, prema svojim korijenima. Povezani smo s mjestom gdje smo odrasli. U ovakvim okolnostima ne razmi?ljamo o zakonima industrije. Poku?avamo posti?i kreativnost dokumentarnog filma, striktno je se dr?ati, gledati dublje. Ne radi se o registriranju, o produkciji snimki za puko svjedo?enje, ve? o stvaranju ne?eg ve?eg. Dio ste kolektivne traume o kojoj ste snimili film i na svojoj ste ko?i osjetili kako rat prisiljava na adaptiranje, na mobiliziranje svih unutarnjih snaga. Koliko ste bili svjesni promjena kroz koje ste osobno pro?li i koliko vam je ovaj film pomogao u tome? Alina: Bilo je to zaista te?ko iskustvo koje nas je definitivno sve promijenilo. Ali ja ga osobno ne odbacujem, ja ga prihva?am u svoj njegovoj slo?enosti. Nikada ne bih promijenila sje?anja na to kako su ljudi ostali na po?etku invazije, kako su se pridru?ili vojsci, kako se nisu bojali. Uz sve tragedije, dobivate potpuno druga?iju percepciju ?ivota, mislim da mi je sada, kada ?ivot percipiram potpunije, svaki lijepi trenutak postao puno bogatiji.Osje?am to sna?nije nasuprot svim u?asima koje smo vidjeli. Ovaj film nam je pomogao da u filmu manifestiramo te trenutke ?ivota, kada na rubu svog iskustva vidite ljepotu u jednostavnim stvarima, kada dvije djevoj?ice jedu jagode na travnjaku ili dvoje ljudi u ti?ini gledaju zalazak sunca. To je ono ?to je ?ivot, i uspjeli smo se zaustaviti u tim trenucima i pokazati svu njihovu ljepotu u njihovoj jednostavnosti.Govorili ste o kolektivnoj traumi, a ja vjerujem da je kolektivnost na?a snaga, ?ak i kada govorimo o traumi. Va?no je zajedno do?ivjeti te emocije, va?no je vidjeti i osjetiti ljude oko sebe, posebno kada se bavite umjetno??u. Na kraju filma je navedeno da se radi o dijelu dokumentarnog triptiha koji se zove ?Dani koje bih voljela zaboraviti?. Mo?ete li nam re?i ?ta karakterizira ostala dva dijela? Jelizaveta: Triptih ?Dani koje bih voljela zaboraviti?na? je zajedni?ki poku?aj da shvatimo prirodu rata. Prvi film, ?Militantropos?, istra?uje pojedinca u ratu, od po?etnih reakcija do transformacije dru?tva kao organizma. Drugi film, na kojem trenutno radimo pod radnim naslovom ?Palingenesium?, istra?uje promjenjivu percepciju smrti. Ljudi se susre?u sa smr?u i tra?e na?ine da je razumiju kroz rituale, dok istovremeno tra?e pravdu. Tre?i film istra?it ?e kako rat utje?e na prostor i kako mijenja percepciju vremena. U njemu ?emo iza?i izvan granica Ukrajine i raditi s formom. Marinela Doman?i? TAKMI ? ARSKI DOKUMENTARNI - YELIZAVETA SMITH, ALINA GORLOVA & SIMON MOZGOVYI - MI LITANTROPOS The First Part of theWar Triptych Trying to explain what war does to man, you combine two ancient languages, Latin and Greek, in the title of your film. Ancient languages because war is an ancient evil, words whose meaning seemed most appropriate to you, or something else? Simon: Our collective documentary film aims to go deep into the nature of war and try to understand how the human being is going through this experience. Of course, war is a horrible event; we are in the middle of the war, and it was not our choice. But we can choose what we do with our lives and how to stay human under these circumstances. It is more TheRussianinvasionof Ukrainealsomarkedthe beginningof this film,which is directedby threefilmmakersand bears an unusual title? acombinationof Latin,wheremiltmeans?soldier,?andGreek,whereanthroposmeans?man.? Looselytranslated,it refers to what peoplebecomewhentheyare in a stateof war. COMPETITIONDOCUMENTARY YELIZAVETA SMITH, ALINA GORLOVA & SIMON MOZGOVYI MILITANTROPOS about taking action than about losing something.When we were filming and editing, we realized how essential it is to establish new meanings in this world of complete chaos and destruction we live in every day. Meanings that can represent our base that help us to realize, experience, and understand the nature of war. We?re working with some highly symbolic elements in the film, trying to find a connection between the images we captured and something we knew from Greek and Latin mythology or our Ukrainian folklore stories, something that unites the present and the past of human history. That?s how we perceive this neologism. You decided to make a completely observational film, without any directorial intervention or narration. Was that the idea from the beginning or did this approach prove to be the most suitable during filming? Alina: It should be noted that from the very beginning of shooting this film, namely on the morning of 24 February 2022, when the full-scale invasion began,we did not know that we were making a film. We rather considered it to be a documentation of war crimes. It was only a couple of weeks after the war started that we defined our task as a collective film. Our approach to filming was based on our tradition of documenting reality, which we used in our previous films. It was important for us to respect what was happening in the shot. Moreover, we believe that reality speaks for itself more than any commentary by the author. It is extremely difficult to build a film in an observational style, but it is the only possible method when we are talking about a collective film. It was important for us to preserve the integrity of the work, and moreover, we have been developing this style in our creative collective for years. Therefore, this film is also an expression of a certain part of the generation of Ukrainian filmmakers who have been working with the topic of the Russian-Ukrainian war since 2014. You are three authors, three people, three experiences. You are connected by your native country and film art, but certainly much more than that. How much support, help, friends, colleagues, family were you to each other? Simon: We wouldn?t make such a film alone. None of us. Going through this together with your friends, with people who think the same as you, gives you a shoulder when you almost broke. Over the three years of working on the film, we have developed a common understanding of what the rhythm of the film should be. We basically have a similar view of editing and of cinema in general, of how it should be done, so we understand each other well without words. A film like Militantropos is not about career achievement. It?s our response to what is happening to us, about how we relate to our country, to our families, to our roots. We are connected to the place where we were raised. Under these kinds of circumstances, we are not thinking about the industry laws. We are trying to achieve the creativity of documentary filmmaking, to keep it strict, to look deeper. It?s not about making a chronicle, about producing footage just to testify, but it?s about making something bigger. You are part of the collective trauma about which you made a film, and you felt on your own skin how war forces you to adapt, to mobilize all your inner forces. How aware were you of the changes you personally went through and how much did this film help you with that? Alina: It was a really difficult experience that definitely changed all of us. But I personally do not reject it, I accept it in all its complexity. I would never exchange the memories of how people stayed at the beginning of the invasion, how they joined the COMPETITIONDOCUMENTARY- YELIZAVETA SMITH, ALINA GORLOVA & SIMON MOZGOVYI - MI LITANTROPOS army, how they were not scared. Along with all the tragedies, you get a completely different perception of life, I think now that I perceive life more fully, every beautiful moment has become much enriched for me. I feel it more strongly against the background of all the horror we have seen. This film helped us to manifest these moments of life in the film, when, on the edge of your experience, you see beauty in simple things, when two little girls eat strawberries on a grassland or two people watch the sun go down in silence. This is what life is all about, and we were able to stop in these moments and show all their beauty in their simplicity. You spoke about collective trauma, and I believe that collectivity is our strength, even when we talk about trauma. It's important to experience these emotions together, it's important to see and feel people around you, especially when you're doing art. At the end of the film, it is stated that it is part of a documentary triptych called ?The Days I Would Like to Forget.?Can you tell us what characterizes the other two parts? Yelizaveta: The triptych The Days I Would Like to Forget is our collective attempt to comprehend the nature of war. The first film, Militantropos, explores the individual in war, from initial reactions to the transformation of society as an organism. The second film, which we are currently working on under the working title Palingenesium, explores the changing perception of death. People encounter death and seek ways to understand it through rituals, while at the same time seeking justice. The third film will explore how war affects space and how it changes the perception of time. In it, we will go beyond the borders of Ukraine and also work with form. Marinela Doman?i? COMPETITIONDOCUMENTARY- YELIZAVETA SMITH, ALINA GORLOVA & SIMON MOZGOVYI - MI LITANTROPOS Umjetnost pred licem ekstremnog nasilja ?ta karakteri?e ovogodi?nji izbor programa Kinoscope? Ovogodi?nji izbor obilje?en je trenutnim stanjem u kojem se nalazi na? svijet. Svijet razdiran ratovima i razaranjem, svijet u kojem autokratske sile prkose demokratijama i pravdi, svijet u kojem se umjetnici ?esto osje?aju nemo?no. Filmski stvaraoci promi?ljaju o ovom svijetu i postavljaju sebi pitanje: ?to umjetnost mo?e u?initi pred licem ekstremnog nasilja? Suo?eni s bezobzirnim uni?tavanjem zemlje Palestine, masakrom njenog stanovni?tva i kulture iz dana u dan, na u?asan i sistemati?an na?in, hitnost filma ?Stavi svoju du?u na dlan i hodaj?, u re?iji Sepideh Farsi, izdvaja sudbinu jedne prelijepe ?ene. Fatma: njeni snovi, njen smijeh, njeno lice, njene nade. Film ?Da?, je muzi?ka satira/ tragedija Nadava Lapida koja prikazuje zemlju pro?diranu ?e?om za osvetom i otkriva slabosti umjetnika spremnih da se prodaju za mo? i novac. To je svijet uronjen u strah i potpuni haos. Iznad sada?njeg trenutka, filmski autori razmi?ljaju o vremenu. Koje teme su dominirale filmovima odabranim za 31. Sarajevo Film Festival? Vrijeme je klju?na ideja koja pro?ima SelektoriprogramaKinoscope,MathildeHenrot i AlessandroRaja, predstavljajuizbor za 31.SarajevoFilm Festivalkoji reflektiraprolazak vremena,globalnenemirei evolucijufilmskogjezikakroz generacije. KINOSCOPE MATHILDEHENROT I ALESSANDRORAJ A SELEKTORI PROGRAMA ovogodi?nji izbor. Na?e ograni?eno vrijeme kao ljudi koji nadilaze kroz pri?e. Smje?ten u marokanskoj pustinji, zapanjuju?i ?Sirât? Olivera Laxea (Cannes ? Nagrada ?irija) pretvara rejvere u o?ajne pre?ivjele. To je film prepun senzornog iskustva. Sirât je tanka ?uprija izme?u pakla i raja, koja odjekuje gr?kom mitolo?kom rijekom Stiks, koja razdvaja mrtve od ?ivih. Na nepoznatom mjestu i u nepoznato vrijeme, ??etva? Athine Rachel Tsangari (takmi?arski program Venecije) duboko istra?uje malu zajednicu koja iz raja pada u pakao. ?Zvuk pada?Masche Schilinski (Cannes ? Nagrada ?irija) tako?e nadilazi pojam vremena u svom izvanrednom filmu, uvode?i te?nje i patnje razli?itih generacija ?ena. Radnja je smje?tena u Njema?koj, ali predstavlja pri?u o represivnim strukturama evropskih dru?tava prema ?enama. U suptilnom filmu ?Romeria?, Carla Simón zaklju?uje svoju trilogiju istra?uju?i porodi?nu pro?lost. U poetskom ?Julski fantomi? u re?iji Juliana Radlmaiera, pro?lost se ulijeva u snove sada?njih stanovnika. Potraga za vlastitim identitetom, raseljenost i pripadnost. U ?Imago?, Déni Oumar Pitsaev promi?lja o emocionalnoj i geografskoj udaljenosti dok se iz egzila vra?a na Kavkaz da ponovo uspostavi vezu sa svojim ?e?enskim korijenima. Pedro Pinhov ?Odmaram se samo u oluji? prati mladog Portugalca u Gvineji-Bisau, koji balansira izme?u ?elje i sumnje, na politi?ki i senzualno nabijenom putovanju. Emocionalne veze su u sredi?tu ?Happyend? Nea Sore, koji hvata intenzitet tinejd?erskih prijateljstava kao oblik otpora i povezanosti. U filmu ?Ljubav koja ostaje?, Hlynur Pálmason razmi?lja o blijedenju ljubavi obojenom osje?ajem magije, dok u filmu ?Kika? Alexe Poukine ?ena prolazi kroz dubok gubitak, pronalaze?i neo?ekivane na?ine da razumije, kontroli?e i na neki na?in prihvati svoju bol. Granica izme?u dobra i zla vrlo je tanka u debitantskom ?Zemlja trske? Svena Bressera, meditativnom trileru koji crpi jezivu poeziju iz holandskih mo?vara, kao i u filmu ?Kolovo?a? KINOSCOPE- MATHI LDEHENROT I ALESSANDRORAJ A - SELEKTORI PROGRAMA Kelly Reichardt, sna?noj psiholo?koj drami koja istra?uje razo?aranje i potvr?uje njenu poziciju kao vrhunske i beskompromisne autorice. Mo?ete li nam re?i ne?to vi?e o programu Kinoscope Surreal? Kona?no, jo? jedna zanimljiva perspektiva koja se pojavila tek nakon ?to smo zavr?ili selekciju jeste tema geometrijskih oblika koja se provla?i kroz izbor programa Kinoscope Surreal. ?Odraz u mrtvom dijamantu? Hélène Cattet i Brune Forzani odaje po?ast Jamesu Bondu i italijanskom giallu kroz oblik dijamanta. ?Izlaz 8? Genkija Kawamure, inspirisan video igrom, fokusira se na petlju smje?tenu u podzemne tunele. ?Kula od leda? Lucile Had?ihalilovi? koristi cilindar kako bi do?arala snovitu, klaustrofobi?nu atmosferu. U filmu ?SOS - Poziv u pomo?? Pedra Martín-Calera, krug simbolizira ponavljaju?i generacijski teror. Kroz trokutastu strukturu filma ?Kraj? Parka Sye-younga istra?uje distopijske teme, u?vr??uju?i njegovu reputaciju kao smjelog novog glasa korejske kinematografije. Koji je najve?i izazov pri odabiru filmova za program Kinoscope? Kreativne vizije nas inspiri?u jer nas uvijek iznova uspijevaju iznenaditi, uprkos tome ?to svake godine pogledamo na stotine filmova! Najve?i izazov u kreiranju selekcije jeste odr?ati ravnote?u programa. Selekcija programa ne zna?i samo odabrati najbolje filmove sa festivalskog kruga, ve? konstruirati dosljednu i izuzetnu cjelinu, ?to ponekad podrazumijeva i uvr?tavanje disruptivnih glasova. Program se osmi?ljava za taj trenutak; ljeto 2025, na tom mjestu, Sarajevo, i za njegovu publiku. Postoji li neka karakteristika publike Sarajevo Film Festivala koju imate na umu kada birate filmove za program Kinoscope? Znamo da je sarajevska publika jedna od najboljih na svijetu. Ona je otvorena za nove talente, mnogi unaprijed ?itaju filmske kritike prije projekcija i iskreno i velikodu?no komuniciraju s autorima. Upravo zato ?elimo da joj odamo po?ast pa?ljivo grade?i program Kinoscope. Art in the Face of Extreme Violence What characterizes this year's Kinoscope Programme selection? This year's selection is marked by the current state of our world. A world torn by wars and destruction, a world in which autocratic powers defy democracies and justice, in a world in which artists often feel powerless. Filmmakers reflect on this world and question themselves: what can art do when faced with extreme violence? Confronted with the reckless destruction of the country of Palestine, the massacre of its population and its culture day after day in an atrocious systematic manner, the urgency of Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk directed by Sepideh Farsi, singles out one beautiful woman?s fate. Fatma: her dreams, her laughs, her face, her hopes. Yes, Nadav Lapid?s musical satire / tragedy, portrays a country consumed by a thirst for vengeance and reveals the weakness of artists ready to compromise for power and money. It?s a world plunged into dread and utter chaos. Beyond the present, filmmakers reflect on time. What themes dominated the films selected for the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival? Time is a crucial notion throughout our selection this year. Our limited time as humans that we transcend through stories. Set in the desert of Morocco, the mind blowing Sirât by Oliver Laxe (Cannes FF Competition ? Jury Prize) transforms ravers into desperate survivors. It?s a film exploding with sensory experiences. Sirât is the thin bridge between Hell and Heaven, and it echoes the Greek mythological river Styx, separating the dead from the living. In an KinoscopeprogrammeselectorsMathildeHenrot and AlessandroRaja present a selectionfor the 31st SarajevoFilm Festival that reflectson the passageof time,globalunrest,and the evolvinglanguageof cinemaacross generations. MATHILDEHENROT & ALESSANDRORAJ A PROGRAMME SELECTORS KINOSCOPE KINOSCOPE- MATHI LDEHENROT& ALESSANDRORAJ A - PROGRAMME SELECTORS unknown place and at an unknown time, Harvest by Athina Rachel Tsangari (Venice FF Competition), profoundly explores a small community going from paradise to hell. Sound Of Falling by Mascha Schilinski (Cannes FF Competition ? Jury Prize) also transcends time in her absolutely brilliant film, introducing the aspirations and sufferings of different generations of women. It is set in Germany but stands for the story of the oppressive structure of European societies to women. In the subtle Romeria, Carla Simón concludes her trilogy exploring her family?s past. In the poetic Phantoms Of July directed by Julian Radlmaier, the past infuses the present inhabitants?dreams. The search of one?s own identity, displacement, and belonging. In Imago, Déni Oumar Pitsaev reflects on emotional and geographical distance as he returns from exile to the Caucasus to reconnect with his Chechen roots. Pedro Pinho?s I Only Rest in the Storm follows a young Portuguese man in Guinea-Bissau, navigating between desire and doubt, in a politically and sensually charged journey. Emotional ties are central in Neo Sora?s Happyend, capturing the intensity of teenage friendships as a form of resistance and connection. In The Love That Remains, Hlynur Pálmason reflects on fading affection touched by a sense of magic, and in Alexe Poukine?s Kika, a woman navigates profound loss, finding unexpected paths to understand, control and somehow welcome her pain. The line between good and evil is very thin in Sven Bresser?s debut Reedland, a meditative thriller that draws eerie poetry from the Dutch marshes and in Kelly Reichardt?s The Mastermind, a powerful psychological drama that delves into disillusionment, affirming her place as a masterful and uncompromising filmmaker. Can you tell us more about the programme of Kinoscope Surreal? Finally, another interesting perspective that came to light only after we wrapped up the selection, is the geometrical shapes theme throughout the Kinoscope surreal selection. Reflection Of a Dead Diamond by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani pays homage to James Bond and Italian giallo through the diamond shape. The Exit 8 by Genki Kawamura, inspired by a video game, centers on a loop set in the underground tunnels. Lucile Had?ihalilovi??s The Ice Tower uses the cylinder to evoke a dreamlike, claustrophobic atmosphere. In Pedro Martín-Calero?s The Wailing, the circle symbolizes recurring generational terror. Park Sye-young?s triangular The Fin explores dystopian themes, solidifying his reputation as a bold new voice in Korean cinema. What is the biggest challenge in selecting films for the Kinoscope Programme? Creative visions inspire us as they constantly manage to surprise us, despite watching some hundreds of films every year! The biggest challenge in composing the selection is the balance of the program. Programming isn?t picking the best films from the festival circuit, it?s more constructing a consistent remarkable ensemble, and that implies sometimes also with disruptive voices. It is meant to be assembled at that moment; summer 2025, in that place, Sarajevo and for its audience. Is there a characteristic of the Sarajevo Film Festival audience that you keep in mind when making a selection for the Kinoscope Programme? We know the Sarajevo audience is one of the best in the world. They are welcoming new talent, many are reading film reviews ahead of the screenings and engaging with the filmmakers in a genuine and generous way. That?s the reason why we want to honour it by carefully building the Kinoscope programme. Sna?an spoj etabliranih autora i nove generacije ?to je bilo klju?no za selekciju filmova programa U fokusu? Ovogodi?nji program U fokusu donosi sna?an spoj etabliranih autora i nove generacije regionalnih filmskih stvaralaca, ujedinjenih zajedni?kom ambicijom: ispri?ati hitne i va?ne pri?e u sve nestabilnijem i uzdrmanijem svijetu. Selektovano je sedam igranih i, izuzetno, jedan kratki film - svi s me?unarodnim festivalskim uspjesima i priznanjima kritike. Koja je glavna karakteristika ovogodi?njeg programa? U fokusu pru?a va?an uvid u ono ?to se istaklo protekle godine u regionalnoj kinematografiji. Ove godine predstavljamo jednu dobru mje?avinu debitantskih naslova, drugih filmova, ali i filmova velikih majstora filma poput Segeja Loznice, ?elimira ?ilnika i Radu Judea. S obzirom da ovaj program nije natjecateljski, mo?ete li izdvojiti neki naslov kojem se posebno radujete da ?e ga imati priliku vidjeti publika u Sarajevu? Jedan od velikana evropske kinematografije, ?elimir ?ilnik, donosi svoj najnoviji film ?Restitucija, ili sjaj i bijeda stare garde?, prikazan u Forum sekciji Berlinalea.Ovaj hibrid dokudrame prati Stevana, ostarjelog d?ez pijanistu, koji se nakon ?est decenija ?ivota u Njema?koj vra?a u Vojvodinu, nakon ?to je restitucijom dobio nazad porodi?no imanje. Kroz neprofesionalne glumce, improvizaciju i dokumentarni pristup, ?ilnik prikazuje bogat portret ?etiri generacije oblikovane politi?kim i dru?tvenim promjenama? od Austro-Ugarske, preko socijalizma, do savremenog kapitalizma. Veliki reditelj Sergei Loznitsa ?e premijerno prikazati svoj kratki film ?Lekcija iz paleontologije?, uz njegov nagra?ivani igrani film ?Dva tu?itelja?. Film je zasnovan na noveli pre?ivjelog Gulaga Georgija Demidova i prati mladog bolj?evi?kog tu?ioca Aleksandra Korneva, koji prima molbu ispisanu krvlju od zatvorenika i poku?ava se suprotstaviti korupciji NKVD-a. Loznitsa povla?i jasne ElmaTataragi?,selektoricaprograma UFokusu,predstavljaizbor filmova koji sna?noartikuli?usavremene dilemekroz istan?aneautorske pristupei hrabretematskeizbore U FOKUSU ELMA TATARAGI? SELEKTORICA PROGRAMA U FOKUSU paralele izme?u staljinisti?kog terora i savremenog autoritarizma - uklju?uju?i dana?nju Rusiju - upu?uju?i hitno upozorenje kako isto?nim, tako i zapadnim demokratijama. Poznati rumunski reditelj Radu Jude donosi film ?Kontinental ?25?, dobitnika Srebrnog medvjeda za najbolji scenarij. Film kombinuje crni humor, egzistencijalna pitanja i o?tru dru?tvenu kritiku. U proteklim mjesecima bili ste na brojnim festivalima i programima za filmske profesionalce. Koji su trenutno klju?ni filmski trendovi, a vidjet ?emo ih i u Sarajevu? Ono ?to ?emo sigurno vidjeti u ovom programu jesu jaki autorski glasovi poput rediteljice Ur?ke ? uki? sa debitantskim dugometra?nim filmom ?Dobre djevojke?. Kroz teme adolescentne ?elje, krivnje i pobune unutar religijskih okvira, film predstavlja senzualan, introspektivan i izrazito originalan prikaz tinejd?erske ?enstvenosti - rijetke teme u isto?noevropskoj kinematografiji. Sa suptilno??u i lirizmom, ? uki? isporu?uje sna?nu umjetni?ku izjavu o vjeri, ?enstvenosti i samospoznaji. Tako?er, dobar primjer ne?ega novog je drugi igrani film Ivana Salati?a, ?Otapanje vladara?, smje?ten u Crnu Goru 19. stolje?a. Film prati Morlaka, pjesnika-episkopa vi?enog kao plemenskog vo?u i intelektualca, koji odlazi u ju?nu Italiju tra?e?i lijek za tuberkulozu. Morlakovo putovanje postaje studija o raseljenosti i unutra?njem konfliktu u nekonvencionalnom biografskom filmu koji razgra?uje nacionalne mitove i propituje pitanja patrijarhata, identiteta i egzila. Nakon hvaljenog debija ?Tilva Ro?? iz 2010., dobitnika Srca Sarajeva, Nikola Le?ai? se vra?a s dugo o?ekivanim drugim filmom ?Kako je ovdje tako zeleno??, koji je autobiografski film samoga autora. Ono ?to po?inje kao obi?an porodi?ni zadatak prerasta u emotivnu meditaciju o sje?anju, generacijskim raskolima i emocionalnom naslije?u. Dane Komljen, poznato ime Sarajevo Film Festivala, predstavlja svoj drugi igrani film ?Linije ?elje? nakon premijere u takmi?arskom programu u Locarnu. Ovaj filmski putopis i psiholo?ka studija likova donosi poetsku i emocionalno nabijenu refleksiju o identitetu i pripadanju. Sa ovim filmom, Komljen ponovo potvr?uje status jednog od najautenti?nijih glasova savremenog art-house filma. A strong blend of established authors and the new generation What was key for the selection of films for the In Focus programme? This year's In Focus programme brings a strong blend of established authors and a new generation of regional filmmakers, united by a common ambition: to tell urgent and important stories in an increasingly unstable and shaky world. Seven feature and, as an exception, one short film were selected - all with international festival successes and critical accolades. What is the main characteristic of this year's programme? In Focus provides an important insight into what has stood out over the past year in ElmaTataragi?,programmerfor theIn Focusprogramme,presentsa selection of films that stronglyarticulatecontemporarydilemmasthroughsophisticated authorapproachesand bold thematicchoices. IN FOCUS ELMA TATARAGI? PROGRAMMER regional cinema. This year, we present a good mix of debut titles, other films, but also films by great filmmakers such as Segej Loznica, ?elimir ?ilnik and Radu Jude. Since this programme is not part of competition programmes, can you single out a title that you are particularly looking forward to the opportunity for the audience in Sarajevo to see? One of the greats of European cinema, ?elimir ?ilnik, brings his latest film Eighty Plus, shown in the Forum section of the Berlinale. This docudrama hybrid follows Stevan, an aging jazz pianist, who returns to Vojvodina after six decades of living in Germany, after receiving his family estate back through restitution. Through non-professional actors, improvisation and a documentary approach, ?ilnik portrays a rich portrait of four generations shaped by political and social changes from Austria-Hungary, through socialism, to contemporary capitalism. The great director Sergei Loznitsa will premiere his short film Paleontology Lesson, alongside his award-winning feature film Two Prosecutors. The film is based on the novel by the Gulag survivor Georgi Demidov and follows the young Bolshevik prosecutor Alexander Kornev, who receives a plea written in blood from a prisoner and tries to oppose the corruption of the NKVD. Loznitsa draws clear parallels between Stalinist terror and contemporary authoritarianism - including today's Russia - by issuing an urgent warning to both Eastern and Western democracies. The famous Romanian director Radu Jude brings the film Continental ?25, winner of the Silver Bear for best screenplay. The film combines dark humour, existential issues and harsh social criticism. In the past months, you have been to numerous festivals and programmes for film professionals. What are the key film trends at the moment , that we will also see in Sarajevo? What we will certainly see in this programme are strong author voices such as director Ur?ka ? uki? with her debut feature film Little Trouble Girls. Through the themes of adolescent desire, guilt and rebellion within religious frameworks, the film presents a sensual, introspective and distinctly original portrayal of teenage femininity - a rare theme in Eastern European cinema. With subtlety and lyricism, ? uki? delivers a strong artistic statement of faith, femininity and self-knowledge. Also, a good example of something new is Ivan Salati?'s second feature film, Wondrous Is the Silence of My Master, set in 19th-century Montenegro. The film follows Morlak, a poet-bishop seen as a tribal leader and intellectual, who goes to southern Italy in search of a cure for tuberculosis. Morlak's journey becomes a study of displacement and internal conflict in an unconventional biographical film that debunks national myths and questions patriarchy, identity, and exile. After the acclaimed debut of Tilva Rosh from 2010, the winner of the Heart of Sarajevo, Nikola Le?ai? returns with the long-awaited second film How Come It's All Green Out Here?, which is an autobiographical film by the author himself. What begins as an ordinary family task turns into an emotional meditation on memory, generational schisms, and emotional heritage. Dane Komljen, a well-known name of the Sarajevo Film Festival, presents his second feature film Desire Lines after its premiere in the competition programme in Locarno. This film travelogue and psychological study of characters brings a poetic and emotionally charged reflection on identity and belonging. With this film, Komljen reaffirms his status as one of the most authentic voices of contemporary art-house film. Na programu danas... / On today's schedule... AMERI?KA FIKCIJA / AMERICAN FICTION UnitedStates, 2023, 117min.Re?ija/Director: CordJefferson Cast: JeffreyWright, TraceeEllisRoss, JohnOrtiz, Erika Alexander, LeslieUggams, AdamBrody, KeithDavid, IssaRae, SterlingK. Brown OPEN AIR Zasnovan na romanu "Brisanje'' Percivala Evertta, film AMERI?KA FIKCIJA duhovit je rediteljski prvenac Corda Jeffersona koji se konfrontira s opsesivnim impulsom na?e kulture da ljude svodimo na nagla?ene stereotipe. Zvijezda filma je Jeffrey Wright u ulozi Monka, frustriranog knji?evnika koji je umoran od toga ?to sistem profitira od "crna?ke" zabave zasnovane na starim i uvrjedljivim kli?ejima. Kako bi dokazao svoju tvrdnju, Monk pod pseudonimom pi?e vlastitu "crna?ku" knjigu koja ga smje?ta u sredi?te hipokrizije i ludila koje tvrdi da prezire. Based on "Erasure," the novel by Percival Everett, AMERICAN FICTION is Cord Jefferson's hilarious directorial debut, which confronts the contemporary obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk, a frustrated novelist who's fed up with the establishment making profits from Black entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, Monk uses a pen name to write an outlandish Black book of his own? a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain. BUY TICKET OBITELJSKA TERAPIJA / FAMILYTHERAPY TAKMICARSKI IGRANI / COMPETITION FEATURES PRESRETNUTI / INTERCEPTED Canada, France,Ukraine, 2024, 95min. Director:OksanaKarpovych KINOSCOPE Ukrajinska obavje?tajna slu?ba presrela je hiljade telefonskih poziva ruskih vojnika s ukrajinske linije fronta upu?enih njihovim porodicama i prijateljima u Rusiji. Sadr?aj tih poziva, na vrtoglavo napet i emotivan na?in, oslikava svu okrutnost rata. Upareni sa prizorima razaranja usljed invazije i svakodnevnog ?ivota Ukrajinaca koji obnavljaju poru?eno i suprotstavljaju se okupaciji, glasovi ruskih vojnika ? od onih ispunjenih iluzijama o herojstvu do onih potpuno razo?aranih i neracionalnih, kao i onih koji govore o plja?ci i ?injenju sve u?asnijih ratnih zlo?ina ili ?ire propagandu, izra?avaju sumnju i razo?arenje ? otkrivaju ?itav spektar dehumaniziraju?e mo?i rata i imperijalisti?ku prirodu ruske agresije. Ukrainian intelligence services have intercepted thousands of phone calls Russian soldiers made from the battlefield in Ukraine to their families and friends in Russia ? calls that paint a stark picture of the cruelty of war with dizzying emotional tension. Juxtaposed with images of the destruction caused by the invasion and the day-to-day life of the Ukrainian people who resist and rebuild, these voices of Russian soldiers ? ranging from being filled with heroic illusions to complete disappointment and loss of reason, from looting to committing more horrible war crimes, from propaganda to doubt and disillusionment ? expose the full scope of the dehumanising power of war and the imperialist nature of the Russian aggression in Ukraine. BUY TICKET TRIBUTETO
TAKMIČARSKI DOKUMENTARNII: Yelizaveta Smith, Alina Gorlova & Simon Mozgovyi Prvi dio ratnog triptiha
Svjetskom premijerom filma „Paviljon” Dine Mustafića otvoren 31. Sarajevo Film Festival
Svečanom ceremonijom u Narodnom pozorištu Sarajevo i svjetskom premijerom bh. filma „Paviljon” Dine Mustafića koji je prikazan na osam lokacija u Sarajevu, kao i u Tuzli, otvoren je 31. Sarajevo Film Festival
Svečana ceremonija
„Živimo u svijetu u kojem su konflikti, najgori zločini, fragmentacija i političke krize postali svakodnevnica. U takvim trenucima film mora biti snažan. Ne može i neće šutjeti. Njegova snaga je u otvaranju prostora za dijalog, za empatiju, za ono što spaja. Festival je tu da nosi taj glas i svojim programom nosi tu odgovornost”, rekao je Jovan Marjanović, direktor Sarajevo Film Festivala, dodavši da treba govoriti o našoj, bosanskohercegovačkoj kinematografiji, koja je poznata i priznata širom svijeta, ali je u isto vrijeme i najranjivija, jer preživljava zahvaljujući talentu i upornosti autora koji, uprkos svemu, prkose. „Otvaramo Festival domaćim filmom, ‘Paviljon’ Dine Mustafića. No, činjenica da večeras imamo bosanskohercegovački film na platnu ne znači da ćemo to moći i naredne godine. Ako želimo da naša kinematografija opstane, mora postojati strateška, suverena podrška, stabilna izdvajanja, zakon koji se poštuje, jasan odgovor političke i poslovne zajednice”, rekao je Marjanović. „Velika je čast otvoriti Sarajevo Film Festival. Večeras sa publikom, čak 6.000 ljudi, otvaramo vrata ‘Paviljona’. Vidjet ćete, to je film koji ne vidi nikakvu utjehu, nego postavlja vrlo važna i prava pitanja. Naša je želja da poslije projekcije ponesete dio osjećanja koja smo mi imali tokom snimanja filma”, rekao je reditelj Dino Mustafić. Selektorica Elma Tataragić predstavila je program 31. Sarajevo Film Festivala. „Na Festivalu će biti prikazano čak 120 regionalnih naslova, a upravo to Sarajevo Film Festival čini najvećom platformom za promociju regionalne kinematografije i najvažnijim testom za sve koji se u regiji profesionalno bave ovim vizuelnim stvaralaštvom”, rekla je Tataragić. Uz Narodno pozorište, „Paviljon“ je gledala i publika u punim kinima: u Ljetnom kinu Coca-Cola, UNIQA Ljetnom kinu Stari Grad, Ljetnom kinu Centar “Safet Zajko”, BH Telecom Ljetnom kinu Centar, kinu Grbavica i Ljetnom piknik kinu Ilidža. Svjetskom premijerom filma “Paviljon” počeo je i program Sarajevo Film Festivala u Tuzli, u Bingo Ljetnom kinu Tuzla. „Paviljon“ je crna komedija o grupi stanara staračkog doma „Paviljon“, koji se nakon godina zlostavljanja i poniženja odlučuju na oružanu pobunu. Naoružani ilegalnim sredstvima zauzimaju dom, uzimaju osoblje za taoce i ulaze u sukob s vlastima… Ceremoniju otvaranja 31. Sarajevo Film Festivala vodila je glumica Lidija Kordić.
The 31st Sarajevo Film Festival was opened at the Sarajevo National Theater with a solemn ceremony and the world premiere of the Bosnian film Pavilion by Dino Mustafić, which was screened at eight locations in Sarajevo, as well as in Tuzla
Gala Ceremony
The 31st Sarajevo Film Festival opened with the world premiere of the film The Pavilion by Dino Mustafić
“We live in a world where conflicts, the worst crimes, fragmentation, and political crises have become part of everyday life. In such moments, film must be powerful. It cannot and will not remain silent. Its strength lies in creating space for dialogue, for empathy, for what unites us. The Festival is here to carry that voice and, through its programme, to shoulder that responsibility,” said Jovan Marjanović, director of the Sarajevo Film Festival, adding that we must speak about our own, Bosnian-Herzegovinian cinema — which is known and recognized around the world, yet at the same time is the most vulnerable, surviving thanks to the talent and perseverance of authors who, despite everything, continue to defy the odds. “We are opening the Festival with a Bosnian-Herzegovinian film The Pavilion by Dino Mustafić. The fact that tonight we have a Bosnian-Herzegovinian film on the big screen does not mean we will be able to say the same next year. If we want our cinema to survive, there must be strategic, sovereign support, stable funding, a law that is respected, and a clear response from the political and business community”, Marjanović said. “It is a great honor to open the Sarajevo Film Festival. Tonight, together with the audience — as many as 6,000 people — we are opening the doors of The Pavilion. You will see, it is a film that offers no comfort, but instead raises very important and real questions. Our wish is that after the screening you take with you some of the emotions we felt during the making of the film,” said director Dino Mustafić. Programmer Elma Tataragić introduced the programme of the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival. “The Festival will present as many as 120 regional titles, and this is precisely what makes the Sarajevo Film Festival the largest platform for the promotion of regional cinema and the most important test for all those in the region who are professionally engaged in this form of visual creativity,” said Tataragić. In addition to the National Theater, "Pavilion" was also watched by the audience in full cinemas: in the Coca-Cola Open Air Cinema, the UNIQA Open Air Cinema Stari Grad, the Open Air Cinema Centar „Safet Zajko“, the BH Telecom Open Air Cinema Centar, the Grbavica Cinema and the Ilidža Picnic Cinema. With the world premiere of the film "Pavilion" the programme of the Sarajevo Film Festival in Tuzla also began, at the Bingo Open Air Cinema Tuzla. “The Pavilion” is a dark comedy about a group of residents in a retirement home who, after years of abuse and humiliation, decide to stage an armed revolt. Armed with illegal weapons, they take over the home, hold the staff hostage, and clash with the authorities… The host of the opening ceremony of the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival was actress Lidija Kordić.
Foto galerija / Photo gallery
Rediteljica Jasmila Žabnić i producent Damir Ibrahimović s kćeri Zoe / Director Jasmila Žbanić and producer Damir Ibrahimović with daughter Zoe
Jovan Marjanović, direktor Sarajevo Film Festivala / Jovan Marjanović, director of Sarajevo Film Festival
Umjetnica Šejla Kamerić, kreativna direktorica Sarajevo Film Festivala Izeta Građević i selektorica Elma Tataragić / Artist Šejla Kamerić, creative director of Sarajevo Film Festival Izeta Građević and programmer Elma Tataragić
Dino Mustafić, reditelj filma „Paviljon“ / Dino Mustafić, director of the filmPavillion
Glumci Stellan Skarsgård i Simon McBurney na crvenom tepihu / Actors Stellan Skarsgård and Simon McBurney on red carpet
Više fotografija možete pronaći OVDJE. More festival photos you can find HERE.
Glumac Rade Šerbedžija / Actor Rade Šerbedžija
Žiri Takmičarskog programa – dokumentarni filmCíntia Gil, Venton Nurkollari i Blake Levin sa selektoricom Radom Šešić / Jury of Competition Programme – Documentary Film Cíntia Gil, Venton Nurkollari and Blake Levin with programmer Rada Šešić
1.Glumac Ermin Bravo / Actor Ermin Bravo
U svojem novom filmu „Vidra“, reditelj Srđan Vuletić kroz priču o 16-godišnjakinji čiji život potresu dvije velike tragedije pruža pogled na generaciju na kojoj ostaje svijet
Srđan Vuletić VIDRA
Prije 22 godine debitirali ste kao reditelj s nagrađivanim filmom „Ljeto u zlatnoj dolini“ o 16-godišnjem mladiću koji vraća dug svojeg preminulog oca. Što vas je ponukalo da sada u filmu „Vidra“ u prvi plan stavite 16-godišnju djevojku Hanu koja se mora nositi s gubitkom oca? Lik Hane je bio u centru scenarija Stefana Boškovića već u trenutku kad je došao do mene, i pomislio sam kako je priča o 16-godišnjoj djevojci koja se, u intenzivnom trenutku gubitka oca, sudara sa očekivanjima majke, šire porodice, simpatije i ostalih zapravo jako dobra osnova za artikulaciju jedne savremene, uzbudljive priče o traženja svog mjesta pod suncem, samopouzdanju i samoprihvatanju. Hana u istom danu prolazi kroz očevu smrt i izdaju prijatelja. Kako ste pristupili balansiranju tih dviju tema? Činjenica da se naš glavni lik suočava ne sa jednom, već sa dvije velike traume, zapravo je u startu korespondirala jako dobro sa svima koji su imali kontakt sa projektom, jer iako su obje traume vrlo intimne, jedna je vezana za porodicu a druga za emotivni život naše Hane. Jedna se drama odvija unutar zidova Haninog stana, a druga van njega, što mi je dalo mogućnost da maksimaliziram pritisak na našu junakinju. Naprosto, ona kao da nigdje nema mogućnost da uzme predah od tih trauma, što je uvijek dobro za film, da je glavni lik stalno aktivan, da ne može pobjeći od svog problema već da ga mora rješavati. Kako ste odabrali Mašu Drašler za glavnu ulogu? Prije svega, iskoristio bih priliku da kažem da je Maša, njena uloga, vitalna za naš film, te da mi nismo ni slutili koliki potencijal leži u njoj. Način na koji je Maša ležerno a disciplinovano radila, sjajno funkcionisala u timu sa Savinom, Pavlom i svim ostalim glumcima nam je omogućio da ni jednog trenutka ne odstupimo od zacrtane vizije kako ovaj film treba da izgleda i šta treba da bude. Na samim audicijama, ona se ispočetka nije nametala kao finalno rješenje za ovu ulogu, ali kako je vrijeme odmicalo, kako se broj kandidata za glavnu ulogu sužavao ona je bivala sve bolja i bolja, što je bio jasan znak da dobro prima indikacije, da ima potreban fokus i da razumije lik Hane. Ono što je mene najviše privuklo ideji da ona treba biti glavna uloga je njena suptilnost, preciznost i činjenica da brzo ući stvari. Ovom moram dodati da smo Mašu izabrali između par stotina kandidatkinja, i da nijednog trenutka nismo pomislili da smo pogriješili. „Vidru“ ste snimili u Podgorici, što je prvi put da ste snimali u Crnoj Gori. Možete li usporediti stanje u crnogorskoj i bosanskohercegovačkoj kinematografiji? Mala korekcija, „Vidra“ nije samo snimana u Crnoj Gori, Vidra je crnogorski film sa bosanskohercegovačkim rediteljem. Rekao bih da je crnogorska kinematografija u ovom trenutku zdravija od bh. kinematografije, i kvalitativnu razliku čini funkcionalan državni filmski centar koju Crna Gora ima a mi nemamo. Filmski centar Crne Gore je dobro vođen u zadnjih desetak godina, stvorili su svoj network sa sličnim institucijama i festivalima, te kao rezultat toga imaju strategiju rada koja prati crnogorske projekte od rane faze do finalizacije. U tom kontekstu, i svoj angažman na „Vidri“ kao reditelja stranca, doživljavam kao jednu vitalnost crnogorske kinematografije. Za razliku od toga, bh. kinematografija je u stanju prolongirane eutanazije u kojoj autori pokušavaju da rade filmove uprkos tome što, pazite sad, filmske fondacije ne funkcioniraju, ugašena je platforma BH Telecoma Content Lab, nema zakona o kinematografiji i autori ne ostvaruju svoja autorska prava. Ipak ono što je najveća frustracija su domaći političari koji apsolutno odbijaju ozbiljan dijalog sa strukom u cilju rješavanja ovih problema. Film ste započeli raditi još dok ste završavali film „Gym“. Koliko je izazovno bilo završavati jedan, a već započinjati drugi projekt? Sa jedne strane je bilo izazovno, ali sa druge vrlo korisno obzirom da sam mogao u praktičnom procesu istestirati rediteljska rješenja koja pripadaju „Gymu“, te razumjeti koja želim upotrijebiti u „Vidri“. Sa druge strane, imam potrebu da evolviram u svom poslu te sam čvrsto donio odluku da ću potpuno različito pristupiti tim filmovima, tako da se vratim na početak odgovora, ova situacija, koja je vrlo rijetka na našim prostorima, je bila jako korisna u definisanju filmskog jezika kojim želim da obradim „Vidru“. Kako je tekla suradnja sa scenaristom Stefanom Boškovićem? Stefan i ja smo kliknuli od samog početka. Sviđali su nam se isti filmovi, i nisu nam se sviđali isti filmovi, što je bila dobra osnova za dalji rad. Ipak, kod Stefana bih izdvojio, pored toga što je sjajan pisac i scenarista, da ima rijetku osobinu za scenariste a to je da nije zaljubljen u svoje, inače jako dobre, dijaloge, već me je čak i tjerao da režem neke stvari. To je pravo osvježenje, obzirom da se scenaristi obično bore za svaki zarez, slovo a kamoli repliku. Film je već u fazi razvoja osvojila značajna priznanja, uključujući nagradu za najbolji pitch na When East Meets West marketu u Trstu, Eurimages nagradu na Cinelink marketu na Sarajevo Film Festivalu, a bili ste i u selekciji L'Atelier Cinefondation 2021. godine. Koliko su ove nagrade pomogle pri realizaciji projekta? Sigurno je da su pomogle pri realizaciji projekta, ali još više od toga, bile su nam pokazatelj da smo na pravom putu, u smislu da je naša priča razumljiva, uzbudljiva i univerzalna. U tom smislu, mislim da je pomoglo i Ivanu Đuroviću, producentu filma, u svim fazama produkcije „Vidre“. Kakav vam je bio pristup pri radu s mladim glumcima? Kad sam shvatio da Maša, Savin, Lara i Mara nisu inertni kakvi su uglavnom djeca-glumci, te da mogu dati kreativni doprinos filmu, stvar mi je bila olakšana i tretirao sam ih isto kao i profesionalne glumce koji su činili ostatak podjele. Naravno da su morali biti vođeni, pogotovo u smislu tajminga i izbora radnji i reakcija ali je to bio ravnopravan partnerski odnos, a ne banalno postavljenje i vođenje ne-glumaca u prostoru. Jeste li snimajući ovaj film saznali nešto o mladim generacijama što vas je iznenadilo? Puno su bolji nego što sam mislio. Staću ovdje. Vaš film tematizira vrlo ozbiljne teme s kojima se mlada protagonistica mora nositi. Što biste voljeli da mlađa publika dobije od vašeg filma? Prije svega ohrabrenje. Ohrabrenje da ako imaju neki problem da ne bježe od njega već da razumiju da imaju problem, jer je to prvi korak u rješavanju istog. Dalje, da razumiju da su oni sami najodgovorniji za svoj život, te da im nitko drugi ne može pomoći koliko oni mogu sami sebi. Josip Jurčić
Takmičarski PROGRAM -igrani film
Mlade generacije su puno bolje nego što sam mislio
Takmičarski PROGRAM -igrani film • Srđan Vuletić • VIDRA
Twenty-two years ago, you made your directorial debut with the award-winning film Summer in the Golden Valley, about a 16-year-old boy repaying his late father’s debt. What led you, in Otter, to bring to the forefront a 16-year-old girl, Hana, who must cope with the loss of her father? Hana’s character was already at the heart of Stefan Bošković’s script when it came to me, and I thought that the story of a 16-year-old girl who, in the intense moment of losing her father, is confronted with the expectations of her mother, extended family, love interest, and others was in fact an excellent foundation for articulating a contemporary, compelling story about finding one’s place in the sun, building self-confidence, and embracing oneself. Hana experiences both her father’s death and a friend’s betrayal on the same day. How did you approach balancing these two themes? The fact that our main character faces not one, but two major traumas resonated strongly with everyone involved in the project from the very beginning. Although both are deeply personal, one is tied to family, while the other concerns Hana’s emotional life. One drama unfolds within the walls of her apartment, the other outside of it, which allowed me to maximize the pressure on our heroine. It’s as if she has nowhere to take a break from these traumas - a situation that always works well for a film, keeping the protagonist constantly active and unable to escape the problem, forcing her to confront it head-on. How did you choose Maša Drašler for the lead role? First of all, I’d like to say that Maša and her performance are vital to our film, and we didn’t even realize the full extent of her potential at the start. The way Maša worked, both effortlessly and with discipline, and how well she functioned as part of the team with Savina, Pavle, and the other actors allowed us to never deviate from the clear vision we had for what this film should look like and be. At the auditions, she didn’t immediately stand out as the final choice for the role, but as time went on and the pool of candidates for the lead role narrowed, she kept getting better and better. This was a clear sign that she took direction well, had the necessary focus, and understood Hana’s character. What attracted me most to the idea that she should be the lead was her subtlety, precision, and quick grasp of things. I should also add that we chose Maša from among several hundred candidates, and at no point did we think we made a mistake. Otter was shot in Podgorica, marking your first time filming in Montenegro. Can you compare the state of Montenegrin and Bosnian-Herzegovinian cinema? A small correction: "Otter" wasn’t just shot in Montenegro - it is a Montenegrin film directed by a Bosnian-Herzegovinian filmmaker. I would say that Montenegrin cinema is currently healthier than the BH film industry, and the qualitative difference comes down to a functional national film center, which Montenegro has, and we don’t. The Montenegrin Film Center has been well-managed for the past decade, building a network with similar institutions and festivals, and as a result, they have a working strategy that supports Montenegrin projects from early development through to completion. In this context, I also see my involvement in Vidra as a foreign director as part of the vitality of Montenegrin cinema. By contrast, the BH film industry is in a state of prolonged euthanasia, where filmmakers try to make films despite the fact that, listen to this, film foundations do not function, the BH Telecom Content Lab platform has been shut down, there is no film law, and creators do not receive their authors’ rights. Yet the biggest frustration is the local politicians who absolutely refuse serious dialogue with the film community aimed at solving these problems. You began working on this film while still finishing Gym. How challenging was it to complete one project while starting another? On one hand, it was challenging, but on the other, very beneficial, as I was able to practically test directorial choices from "Gym" and understand which ones I wanted to carry over into Otter. At the same time, I feel the need to evolve in my craft, and I made a firm decision to approach these two films completely differently. So, to circle back, this situation, which is quite rare in our region, was very useful in defining the cinematic language I wanted to use to tell Otter’s story. How did the collaboration with screenwriter Stefan Bošković unfold? Stefan and I clicked from the very beginning. We liked many of the same films, and interestingly, we also didn’t like many of the same films, which created a good foundation for our work together. Besides being an excellent writer and screenwriter, what I appreciate most about Stefan is a rare quality for screenwriters: he’s not attached to his, otherwise very strong, dialogues. In fact, he often pushed me to cut certain parts. That was a real breath of fresh air, considering that screenwriters usually fight for every comma, every letter, let alone a whole line. The film already received significant recognition during its development, including the Best Pitch award at the When East Meets West Market in Trieste, the Eurimages award at the CineLink Market at the Sarajevo Film Festival, and you were also selected for L'Atelier Cinefondation in 2021. How much did these awards help in realizing the project? These awards definitely helped in bringing the project to life, but even more importantly, they confirmed that we were on the right path, that our story is understandable, exciting, and universal. In that sense, I believe they also greatly supported Ivan Đurović, the film’s producer, throughout all stages of Otter’s production. What was your approach to working with the young actors? Once I realized that Maša, Savina, Lara, and Mara were not the typical inert child actors but could actually contribute creatively to the film, the process became much easier. I treated them just like the professional actors in the rest of the cast. Of course, they needed guidance, especially regarding timing and choices of actions and reactions, but it was a relationship of equal partnership, not a simplistic directing of non-actors on set. Are you able to share something you learned about the younger generations while making this film that surprised you? They’re much better than I thought. That’s all I’ll say. Film deals with very serious themes that the young protagonist must face. What would you like the younger audience to take away from your film? First and foremost, encouragement. Encouragement to not run away from their problems, but to recognize and understand them - because that’s the first step toward solving them. Furthermore, to realize that they themselves are ultimately responsible for their own lives, and that no one else can help them as much as they can help themselves. Josip Jurčić
Competition PROGRAMME - Feature FILM
Young Generations Are Much Better Than I Thought
In his new film Otter, director Srđan Vuletić uses the story of a 16-year-old girl shaken by two major traumas to offer a glimpse into the generation that will inherit the world
Srđan Vuletić OTTER
Competition PROGRAMME - Feature FILM Srđan Vuletić OTTER
Takmičarski PROGRAM -dokumentarni FILM
Reditelj Tarik Hodžić govori o filmu „Bosanski vitez“, koji u početku djeluje kao kombinacija dokumentarnih snimaka lijepe Bosne, ali postepeno se pretvara u pravi istraživački dokumentarac
Glavnog junaka ovoga filma Seada Delića upoznali ste na Sarajevo Film Festivalu, a godine druženja dovele su do ideje o snimanju filma. Kada ste shvatili da ovakav film nije potreban samo Seadu i Tariku već i Bošnjanima, Bošnjacima, Bosancima… U kojem god od ovih izraza se pronalazili. Mislim da je ovaj film potreban svima nama u Bosni i Hercegovini a usudit ću se reći da je potreban i puno šire. Film možda neće dati odgovor na svako postavljeno pitanje ali se nadam da će na pravi način otvoriti dijaloge i započeti neke teme koje su svima potrebne. Smatram da je većina stanovnika Bosne i Hercegovine jedan narod i samo je potrebno da se ponovo prisjetimo toga. Moglo se očekivati da ste izvrsnim filmom „Scream for me, Sarajevo“ apsolutno zaslužili svaku vrstu potpore za svoj naredni projekat. Jesu li financijski razlozi bili presudni za višegodišnje porađanje „Bosanskog viteza“, ili je razloga bilo više? Ovo je prije svega bila jedna vrsta poluotvorenog procesa rada na filmu i taj pristup je znatno uticao da je od prvog kadra koji je snimljen 2019. godine do danas prošlo šest godina. Finansije su uvijek dio problema ali ne mogu reći da su glavni razlog zašto film možda nije završen ranije. U suštini, što smo više radili i planirali cilj se lagano pomjerao ispred nas i cijela priča je evoluirala tokom svih ovih godina. Samim tim i potrebni budžet se povećavao i bio je veliki izazov u doba pandemije, a kasnije i sa stalnom inflacijom uspjeti sve isfinansirati do kraja. Srećom, producent Adnan je uz pomoć partnera filma i donatora, uspio zaokružiti cijelu priču i film je uspješno priveden kraju na način kako smo smatrali da to zaslužuje. Vaš je film zapravo drugi dokumentarni film o Seadu Deliću. Jeste li gledali onaj prvi „U potrazi za domom“ koji je režirao Hari Šečić i, ako jeste, kako vas se dojmio? Naravno da sam gledao i to još u nekim radnim verzijama koje mi je pokazivao Hari. Pričao mi je o Seadu i radu sa njim i u konačnici uradio je jako dobar film. Sudbina je htjela da baš te godine upoznam Seada tokom Sarajevo Film Festivala i dogovorili smo druženje kada ponovo dođe u Bosnu. Nekoliko godina nakon toga snimili smo i prve eksperimentalne kadrove „Bosanskog viteza“ sa fokusom isključivo na dio Seadove priče vezano za njegov odnos prema historiji, koji u filmu „U potrazi za domom“ nije obrađen. Koliko ste se, prije druženja sa Seadom, zanimali za povijest Bosne? Na neki način sam uvijek imao interesovanje za historiju, i to ne samo Bosne nego historiju općenito. Generalno sam uživao, i još uvijek uživam, u žanru historijskog filma, bez obzira o kojoj epohi se radi. Čini mi se da ne postoji serija ili film koji nisam pogledao a da se u njemu obrađuje neka historijska tema. Ali, upravo se možda tu nalazi i glavna strast u radu na ovom filmu, kada sam, ustvari shvatio kako je nevjerovatna historija ove zemlje... i kada sam počeo prepoznavati elemente u našoj historiji, a koji su podsjećali na neke druge teme ili filmove... i kakve su sve nevjerovatne ličnosti i događaji oblikovali ovu zemlju. Počevši od Batona Desidijatskog, preko Kralja Tvrtka, Huseina Kapetana Gradaščevića, vojvode Vlatka Vukovića i još na desetine drugih. Posebno valja podcrtati i pohvaliti za film vrlo bitan doprinos izlaganja povjesničara, sociologa i pisaca različitog porijekla. Kako ste ih identificirali? Svaki filmski projekat ima ujedno i neki svoj proces ali i sudbinu. Nekada je sve unaprijed planirano, dogovarano ali se sve izjalovi... a nekada bez neke pretjerane najave dogodi se neki kontakt koji nas usmjeri prema određenom čovjeku i to onda bude pun pogodak. Tokom vremena naučio sam slijediti intuiciju koja me vodi u određenom pravcu i nakon većine naših snimanja znali smo reći: “Imali smo opet sreće...“ i zaista, većina sagovornika sa kojima smo razgovarali (a njih je tridesetak) je doprinosila širini te ujedno i slojevitosti priče. Ali ovdje se ne smije zaboraviti da mi je u centru svega Sead i njegova personalna priča. Za potrebe filma proputovali ste razne zemlje – ne samo SAD, gdje ste snimili Seada na poslu, nego i mnoge države koje su imale i imaju zajedničke povijesne trenutke sa Bosnom – Hrvatsku, Tursku, Mađarsku, Austriju, Sloveniju, Italiju... Tragajući za bosanskim identitetom otkrivali ste povijesne dokumente i druge artefakte ali i kosti dobrih Bošnjana u svakoj od tih zemalja. Seada je najviše impresioniralo groblje u Pečuhu. A vas? Prije svega osnovna karakteristika rada na ovokvom projektu, uz sve izazove ili povremeno neke probleme je da smo istinski uživali. Često smo govorili da je ovo avantura koja se desi možda samo jednom u životu... svaka lokacija je imala neku svoju energiju ili davno zaboravljenu priču koja treba biti ispričana. Meni lično najemotivnije je bilo kada smo snimali grob Kraljice Katarine ili možda kada smo obilazili Log pod Mangartom u Sloveniji. Marinela Domančić
Tarik Hodžić BOSANSKI VITEZ
Potraga za bosanskim identitetom
Takmičarski PROGRAM -dokumentarni FILM • Tarik Hodžić • BOSANSKI VITEZ
Looking for Bosnian Identity
Director Tarik Hodžić talks about his film Bosnian Knight, which at first appears to be a collection of documentary footage showcasing the beauty of Bosnia, but gradually transforms into a true investigative documentary
Competition PROGRAMME - Documentary FILM
Tarik Hodžić BOSNIAN KNIGHT
You first met the film’s protagonist, Sead Delić, at the Sarajevo Film Festival, and years of friendship eventually led to the idea of making this film. When did you realize that such a film was needed not only by Sead and Tarik, but also by Bosnians—whether you identify as Bošnjanin, Bošnjak, or Bosanac? I think that all of us in Bosnia and Herzegovina need such fim and I dare say that it is also needed much more widely. The film may not answer every question, but I hope it will open dialogues in the right way and start some topics that everyone needs. I believe that the majority of the inhabitants of Bosnia and Herzegovina are one nation and we just need to remember that again. We expected that, after your excellent documentary "Scream for me, Sarajevo" you absolutely deserved every kind of support for your next project. Were financial reasons crucial for the many years of production of Bosnian Knight, or were there more reasons? This was primarily a sort of semi-open process of working on the film, and this approach significantly influenced the fact that six years have passed since the first frame was shot in 2019. Finances are always part of the problem, but I can't say that they are the main reason why the film was not finished earlier. In essence, the more we worked and planned, the goal slowly moved ahead of us and the whole story evolved over all these years. As a result, the required budget increased and it was a big challenge during the pandemic, and later with constant inflation, to finance everything to the end. Fortunately, producer Adnan, with the help of the film's partners and donors, managed to round off the whole story and the film was successfully brought to an end in the way we thought it deserved. Your film is actually the second documentary about Sead Delić. Have you seen the first one, "U potrazi za domom", directed by Hari Šečić, and if so, what was your impression of it? Of course I watched it in some of the working versions that Hari showed me. He told me about Sead and his work. He made a very good film. Fate brought us together. I met Sead that very year during the Sarajevo Film Festival and we agreed to hang out when he comes to Bosnia again. A few years after that, we filmed the first experimental shots of The Bosnian Knight, focusing exclusively on the part of Sead's story related to his relationship with history, which was not covered by the film U potrazi za domom (In Search of Home). How interested were you in the ancient history of Bosnia before you met Sead? In a way, I have always had an interest in history, not only Bosnian but history in general. In general, I enjoyed, and still enjoy, the genre of historical films, regardless of the era. It seems to me that there is no series or film that I have not watched that deals with some historical theme. But perhaps that is where the main passion in working on this film lies, when I actually realized how incredible the history of this country is... and when I began to recognize elements in our history that reminded me of some other themes or films... and what incredible personalities and events have shaped this country. Starting with Baton Desidijatski, through Kralj Tvrtko, Husein Kapetan Gradaščević, duke Vlatko Vuković and dozens of others. The very important contribution that various historians, sociologists and writers of different origins gave to your film should be highlighted and praised. How did you identify them? Every film project has its own process and destiny. Sometimes everything is planned in advance, agreed upon, but everything backfires... and sometimes, without any excessive announcement, a contact happens that directs us to a certain person, and then it is a complete hit. Over the time, I learned to follow my intuition, which leads me in a certain direction. After most of our filming we used to say: "We were lucky again..." and indeed, most of the interlocutors we talked to (and there are about thirty of them) contributed to the breadth and at the same time to the layering of the story. But we must not forget that Sead and his personal story are at the center of everything. For the purposes of the film, you traveled to various countries - not only the USA, where you filmed Sead at work, but also many countries that had and have shared historical moments with Bosnia - Croatia, Turkey, Hungary, Austria, Slovenia, Italy... Searching for Bosnian identity, you discovered historical documents and other artifacts, but also the bones of good Bosniaks in each of those countries. Sead was most impressed by the cemetery in Pecs. What was the most impressive for you? First of all, the main characteristic of working on a project like this, despite all the challenges or, occasionally, some problems, is that we really enjoyed it. We have often said that this is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure... each location had its own energy or a long-forgotten story that needed to be told. Personally, the most emotional thing for me was when we filmed the grave of Queen Katarina or maybe when we toured Log pod Mangart in Slovenia. Marinela Domančić
COMPETITION PROGRAMME - DOCUMENTARY FILM • Tarik Hodžić • BOSNIAN KNIGHT
Ruska invazija na Ukrajinu ujedno je označila početak ovoga filma, koji ima troje redatelja, a čiji neobičan naslov je kombinacija latinskog, gdje „milt“ znači vojnik, i grčkoga, gdje „antropos“ znači čovjek – u slobodnom prijevodu, to je ono što ljudi postaju kada su u stanju rata.
Yelizaveta Smith, Alina Gorlova & Simon Mozgovyi MILITANTROPOS
Prvi dio ratnog triptiha
Pokušavajući objasniti šta rat čini čovjeku kombinirate dva drevna jezika, latinski i grčki, u naslovu vašeg filma. Drevni jezici zato što je rat drevno zlo, riječi čije vam se značenje učinilo najprikladnijim, ili nešto treće? Simon: Naš zajednički dokumentarni film ima za cilj duboko istražiti prirodu rata i pokušati shvatiti kako ljudsko biće prolazi kroz to iskustvo. Naravno, rat je strašan događaj; usred smo rata i to nije bio naš izbor. Ali možemo odabrati šta ćemo učiniti sa svojim životima i kako ostati ljudi u tim okolnostima. Radi se više o poduzimanju akcije nego o gubitku nečega. Kada smo snimali i montirali, shvatili smo koliko je bitno uspostaviti nova značenja u ovom svijetu potpunog haosa i uništenja u kojem svakodnevno živimo. Značenja koja mogu predstavljati osnovu koja nam pomaže da shvatimo, doživimo i razumijemo prirodu rata. U filmu radimo s nekim vrlo simboličnim elementima, pokušavajući pronaći vezu između slika koje smo snimili i nečega što smo znali iz grčke i latinske mitologije ili naših ukrajinskih folklornih priča, nečega što ujedinjuje sadašnjost i prošlost ljudske povijesti. Tako doživljavamo ovaj neologizam. Odlučili ste se na potpuno promatrački film, bez ikakvog redateljskog uplitanja i naracije. Je li to od početka bila ideja ili se ovaj pristup za vrijeme snimanja pokazao najpodesnijim? Alina: Treba napomenuti da od samog početka snimanja ovog filma, točnije od jutra 24. 2.2022., kada je započela potpuna invazija, nismo znali da snimamo film. Radije smo ga smatrali dokumentacijom ratnih zločina. Tek nekoliko sedmica nakon početka rata definirali smo svoj zadatak kao zajednički film. Naš pristup snimanju temeljio se na tradiciji dokumentiranja stvarnosti, koju smo koristili u svojim prethodnim filmovima. Bilo nam je važno poštovati ono što se događa u kadru. Vjerujemo da stvarnost govori sama za sebe više od bilo kojeg komentara autora. Iznimno je teško graditi film u stilu promatranja, ali to je jedina moguća metoda kada govorimo o zajedničkom filmu. Bilo nam je važno sačuvati integritet djela, stil koji razvijamo u našem kreativnom kolektivu godinama. Stoga je ovaj film ujedno i izraz određenog dijela generacije ukrajinskih filmaša koji se bave temom rusko-ukrajinskog rata od 2014. godine. Tri ste autora, tri osobe, tri iskustva. Povezuju vas rodna zemlja i filmska umjetnost, ali sigurno i mnogo više od toga. Koliko ste si međusobno bili podrška, pomoć, prijatelji, suradnici, obitelj? Simon: Niko od nas ne bi sam snimio ovakav film. Prolazak kroz ovo zajedno s prijateljima, s ljudima koji misle isto kao i vi, daje vam rame za podršku kada ste se gotovo slomili. Tijekom tri godine rada na filmu razvili smo zajedničko razumijevanje kakav bi trebao biti ritam filma. U osnovi imamo sličan pogled na montažu i film općenito, na to kako bi se trebao raditi, tako da se dobro razumijemo bez riječi. Film poput „Militantroposa“ nije o karijernom postignuću. To je naš odgovor na ono što nam se događa, o tome kako se odnosimo prema svojoj zemlji, prema svojim obiteljima, prema svojim korijenima. Povezani smo s mjestom gdje smo odrasli. U ovakvim okolnostima ne razmišljamo o zakonima industrije. Pokušavamo postići kreativnost dokumentarnog filma, striktno je se držati, gledati dublje. Ne radi se o registriranju, o produkciji snimki za puko svjedočenje, već o stvaranju nečeg većeg. Dio ste kolektivne traume o kojoj ste snimili film i na svojoj ste koži osjetili kako rat prisiljava na adaptiranje, na mobiliziranje svih unutarnjih snaga. Koliko ste bili svjesni promjena kroz koje ste osobno prošli i koliko vam je ovaj film pomogao u tome? Alina: Bilo je to zaista teško iskustvo koje nas je definitivno sve promijenilo. Ali ja ga osobno ne odbacujem, ja ga prihvaćam u svoj njegovoj složenosti. Nikada ne bih promijenila sjećanja na to kako su ljudi ostali na početku invazije, kako su se pridružili vojsci, kako se nisu bojali. Uz sve tragedije, dobivate potpuno drugačiju percepciju života, mislim da mi je sada, kada život percipiram potpunije, svaki lijepi trenutak postao puno bogatiji. Osjećam to snažnije nasuprot svim užasima koje smo vidjeli. Ovaj film nam je pomogao da u filmu manifestiramo te trenutke života, kada na rubu svog iskustva vidite ljepotu u jednostavnim stvarima, kada dvije djevojčice jedu jagode na travnjaku ili dvoje ljudi u tišini gledaju zalazak sunca. To je ono što je život, i uspjeli smo se zaustaviti u tim trenucima i pokazati svu njihovu ljepotu u njihovoj jednostavnosti. Govorili ste o kolektivnoj traumi, a ja vjerujem da je kolektivnost naša snaga, čak i kada govorimo o traumi. Važno je zajedno doživjeti te emocije, važno je vidjeti i osjetiti ljude oko sebe, posebno kada se bavite umjetnošću. Na kraju filma je navedeno da se radi o dijelu dokumentarnog triptiha koji se zove „Dani koje bih voljela zaboraviti“. Možete li nam reći šta karakterizira ostala dva dijela? Jelizaveta: Triptih „Dani koje bih voljela zaboraviti“ naš je zajednički pokušaj da shvatimo prirodu rata. Prvi film, „Militantropos“, istražuje pojedinca u ratu, od početnih reakcija do transformacije društva kao organizma. Drugi film, na kojem trenutno radimo pod radnim naslovom „Palingenesium“, istražuje promjenjivu percepciju smrti. Ljudi se susreću sa smrću i traže načine da je razumiju kroz rituale, dok istovremeno traže pravdu. Treći film istražit će kako rat utječe na prostor i kako mijenja percepciju vremena. U njemu ćemo izaći izvan granica Ukrajine i raditi s formom. Marinela Domančić
TAKMIČARSKI program - DOKUMENTARNI film
TAKMIČARSKI program - DOKUMENTARNI film • Yelizaveta Smith, Alina Gorlova & Simon Mozgovyi • MILITANTROPOS
The Russian invasion of Ukraine also marked the beginning of this film, which is directed by three filmmakers and bears an unusual title—a combination of Latin, where milt means “soldier,” and Greek, where anthropos means “man.” Loosely translated, it refers to what people become when they are in a state of war.
Trying to explain what war does to man, you combine two ancient languages, Latin and Greek, in the title of your film. Ancient languages because war is an ancient evil, words whose meaning seemed most appropriate to you, or something else? Simon: Our collective documentary film aims to go deep into the nature of war and try to understand how the human being is going through this experience. Of course, war is a horrible event; we are in the middle of the war, and it was not our choice. But we can choose what we do with our lives and how to stay human under these circumstances. It is more about taking action than about losing something. When we were filming and editing, we realized how essential it is to establish new meanings in this world of complete chaos and destruction we live in every day. Meanings that can represent our base that help us to realize, experience, and understand the nature of war. We’re working with some highly symbolic elements in the film, trying to find a connection between the images we captured and something we knew from Greek and Latin mythology or our Ukrainian folklore stories, something that unites the present and the past of human history. That’s how we perceive this neologism. You decided to make a completely observational film, without any directorial intervention or narration. Was that the idea from the beginning or did this approach prove to be the most suitable during filming? Alina: It should be noted that from the very beginning of shooting this film, namely on the morning of 24 February 2022, when the full-scale invasion began, we did not know that we were making a film. We rather considered it to be a documentation of war crimes. It was only a couple of weeks after the war started that we defined our task as a collective film. Our approach to filming was based on our tradition of documenting reality, which we used in our previous films. It was important for us to respect what was happening in the shot. Moreover, we believe that reality speaks for itself more than any commentary by the author. It is extremely difficult to build a film in an observational style, but it is the only possible method when we are talking about a collective film. It was important for us to preserve the integrity of the work, and moreover, we have been developing this style in our creative collective for years. Therefore, this film is also an expression of a certain part of the generation of Ukrainian filmmakers who have been working with the topic of the Russian-Ukrainian war since 2014. You are three authors, three people, three experiences. You are connected by your native country and film art, but certainly much more than that. How much support, help, friends, colleagues, family were you to each other? Simon: We wouldn’t make such a film alone. None of us. Going through this together with your friends, with people who think the same as you, gives you a shoulder when you almost broke. Over the three years of working on the film, we have developed a common understanding of what the rhythm of the film should be. We basically have a similar view of editing and of cinema in general, of how it should be done, so we understand each other well without words. A film like Militantropos is not about career achievement. It’s our response to what is happening to us, about how we relate to our country, to our families, to our roots. We are connected to the place where we were raised. Under these kinds of circumstances, we are not thinking about the industry laws. We are trying to achieve the creativity of documentary filmmaking, to keep it strict, to look deeper. It’s not about making a chronicle, about producing footage just to testify, but it’s about making something bigger. You are part of the collective trauma about which you made a film, and you felt on your own skin how war forces you to adapt, to mobilize all your inner forces. How aware were you of the changes you personally went through and how much did this film help you with that? Alina: It was a really difficult experience that definitely changed all of us. But I personally do not reject it, I accept it in all its complexity. I would never exchange the memories of how people stayed at the beginning of the invasion, how they joined the army, how they were not scared. Along with all the tragedies, you get a completely different perception of life, I think now that I perceive life more fully, every beautiful moment has become much enriched for me. I feel it more strongly against the background of all the horror we have seen. This film helped us to manifest these moments of life in the film, when, on the edge of your experience, you see beauty in simple things, when two little girls eat strawberries on a grassland or two people watch the sun go down in silence. This is what life is all about, and we were able to stop in these moments and show all their beauty in their simplicity. You spoke about collective trauma, and I believe that collectivity is our strength, even when we talk about trauma. It's important to experience these emotions together, it's important to see and feel people around you, especially when you're doing art. At the end of the film, it is stated that it is part of a documentary triptych called “The Days I Would Like to Forget.” Can you tell us what characterizes the other two parts? Yelizaveta: The triptych The Days I Would Like to Forget is our collective attempt to comprehend the nature of war. The first film, Militantropos, explores the individual in war, from initial reactions to the transformation of society as an organism. The second film, which we are currently working on under the working title Palingenesium, explores the changing perception of death. People encounter death and seek ways to understand it through rituals, while at the same time seeking justice. The third film will explore how war affects space and how it changes the perception of time. In it, we will go beyond the borders of Ukraine and also work with form. Marinela Domančić
The First Part of the War Triptych
Competition PROGRAMME Documentary FILM • Yelizaveta Smith, Alina Gorlova & Simon Mozgovyi • MILITANTROPOS
Competition Programme - Documentary film • Yelizaveta Smith, Alina Gorlova & Simon Mozgovyi • MILITANTROPOS
BH Telecom je vodeći digitalni integrator bh. društva i prepoznatljiv lider u pružanju savremenih telekomunikacionih usluga. Kroz digitalnu transformaciju, ulaganja i širenje portfolija, aktivno doprinosimo razvoju društva. Ponosni smo što smo dugogodišnji glavni sponzor Sarajevo Film Festivala, najznačajnijeg filmskog događaja u regiji. U posljednje dvije godine uložili smo 30 miliona KM u domaću filmsku produkciju, učestvujući u projektima poput filmova „Paviljon“, „Testament“, „Bosanski vitez“, „Trenutak“ i „Selma“, te serija „Kotlina S2“ i „Komar“. Film „Paviljon“, koji koproducira BH Telecom, otvara ovogodišnji Sarajevo Film Festival. Moje Sarajevo. Moja priča. BH Telecom
BH Telecom – a key partner of the film industry in BiH
BH Telecom is the leading digital integrator of bh. society and a recognized leader in providing modern telecommunications services. Through digital transformation, investments, and portfolio expansion, we actively contribute to the development of our community. We are proud to have been the main sponsor of the Sarajevo Film Festival, the most significant film event in the region, for many years. In the past two years, we have invested 30 million BAM in domestic film production, participating in projects such as the films “The Pavilion”, “The Testament”, “Bosnian Knight”, “Moment”, and “Selma”, as well as the series “The Hollow S2” and “Komar”. The film “The Pavilion”, co-produced by BH Telecom, will open this year’s Sarajevo Film Festival. My Sarajevo. My story. BH Telecom
In your own film with Coca-Cola!
Sarajevo Film Festival i ove godine donosi Masterclass program, koji će u okviru 31. izdanja Festivala ugostiti neke od najznačajnijih imena savremenog filma. Program će biti održan od 17. do 21. augusta u Festivalskom centru Sarajevo Film Festivala (Bosanski kulturni centar, Branilaca Sarajeva 24), a učesnicima nudi jedinstvenu priliku za direktnu razmjenu znanja i iskustava s priznatim filmskim autorima. Ovogodišnji Masterclass program obuhvaća raznolike teme iz oblasti režije, scenarija, produkcije i glume, te pruža uvid u kreativne i profesionalne izazove filmskog stvaralaštva. Razgovori su namijenjeni filmskim profesionalcima, studentima, kao i široj javnosti zainteresiranoj za umjetnost filma. Raspored Masterclass razgovora: • 17. august, od 10.00 do 11.30 sati – Paolo Sorrentino • 18. august, od 10.00 do 11.30 sati – Michel Franco • 19. august, od 10.00 do 11.30 sati – Ray Winstone • 20. august, od 10.00 do 11.30 sati – Ilya Khrzhanovskiy • 21. august, od 10.00 do 11.30 sati – Willem Dafoe Ulaz na Masterclass razgovore je besplatan: ulaznice je potrebno preuzeti putem online platforme tickets.sff.ba ili u Glavnom Box Officeu Sarajevo Film Festivala (Bosanski kulturni centar). Broj mjesta je ograničen. Ulaznice je potrebno preuzeti najkasnije 30 minuta prije početka svakog Masterclassa. MASTERCLASS PAOLO SORRENTINO / nedjelja / 17. august / 10.00 – 11.30 Italijanski reditelj i scenarista Paolo Sorrentino jedan je od najistaknutijih autora svjetske kinematografije. Dobitnik je Oscara®, Zlatnog globusa i BAFTA nagrade za film „Velika ljepota“ te višestruki učesnik takmičarskih programa Cannesa i Venecije. Njegov opus uključuje filmove „Mladost“, „Božija ruka“, „Ovo mora biti pravo mjesto“ i najnovije ostvarenje „Partenopa“, prikazano u Cannesu 2024. godine. Režirao je i kultne TV serije „Mladi papa“ i „Novi papa“ s Judom Lawom. Njegov rad karakteriše snažan vizualni stil, duhovitost i refleksija o savremenom društvu. Masterclass moderira Ognjen Glavonić. MASTERCLASS MICHEL FRANCO / ponedjeljak / 18. august / 10.00 – 11.30 Michel Franco je vodeći glas savremenog meksičkog filma, poznat po autorskom pristupu i društveno angažovanim temama. Njegovi filmovi, kao što su „Novi poredak“, „Hronični“, „Zalazak sunca“ i „Nakon Lucije“, višestruko su nagrađivani na festivalima u Cannesu i Veneciji. Njegovo najnovije ostvarenje „Snovi“ sa Jessicom Chastain, prikazano je na Berlinalu 2025. godine. Osim kao reditelj, Franco djeluje i kao producent, kroz svoju kuću Teorema, gdje podržava mlade autore latinoameričke kinematografije. Masterclass moderira Ennis Ćehić. MASTERCLASS RAY WINSTONE / utorak / 19. august / 10.00 - 11.30 Veteran britanskog filma i televizije, Ray Winstone je prepoznatljivo lice svjetske kinematografije. Njegova karijera traje više od četiri decenije, od njegovog debija u drami „Ološ“ Alana Clarkea iz 1979. godine, do uloga u filmovima kao što su „Pokojni“ Martina Scorsesea, „Beowulf“, „Black Widow“, „Kralj lopova“, „Uvjeti predaje“ i mnogi drugi. Dobitnik je brojnih priznanja, uključujući British Independent Film Award i International Emmy za najboljeg glumca. Prepoznatljiv po snažnim, često grubim, ali emotivno kompleksnim likovima, Winstone je simbol britanske glumačke autentičnosti. Masterclass moderira Alissa Simon. MASTERCLASS ILYA KHRZHANOVSKIY / srijeda / 20. august / 10.00 - 11.30 Reditelj, producent i umjetnički istraživač Ilya Khrzhanovskiy poznat je po hrabrim i inovativnim filmskim projektima. Nakon međunarodno priznatog debija „4“, posvetio se višegodišnjem projektu „DAU“ – jedinstvenom spoju filma, antropologije i performansa, koji je uključivao preko 700 sati snimljenog materijala i rekonstrukciju stvarnog “instituta” u Parizu. Filmovi „DAU. Natasha“ i „DAU. Degeneration“ prikazani su na Berlinalu 2020. godine, gdje je „DAU. Natasha“ nagrađena Srebrnim medvjedom. Khrzhanovskiy je trenutno umjetnički direktor Memorijalnog centra Babi Yar u Ukrajini te aktivan na polju savremene umjetnosti i produkcije. Masterclass moderira Stefan Ivančić. MASTERCLASS WILLEM DAFOE / četvrtak / 21. august / 10.00 – 11.30 Willem Dafoe jedan je od najcjenjenijih glumaca današnjice, s karijerom koja obuhvaća više od 100 filmova i saradnju s vodećim rediteljima svijeta. Četiri puta je bio nominiran za nagradu Oscar®, a zapažene uloge ostvario je u filmovima „Na vratima vječnosti“, „Vod smrti“, „Projekt Florida“, „Svjetionik“, „Spider-Man“, „John Wick“, „Pasolini“ i mnogim drugima. Dafoe je dobitnik Volpi Cupa u Veneciji, Počasnog Zlatnog medvjeda na Berlinaleu, te brojnih drugih priznanja. Aktivno je prisutan i u teatru – bio je osnivač The Wooster Groupa, a nedavno je imenovan umjetničkim direktorom teatarskog odjela Venecijanskog bijenala (2025. – 2026.). Masterclass moderira Neil Young. .
Masterclass program Sarajevo Film Festivala nastavlja njegovati dijalog između publike i vodećih autora savremenog filma, te afirmisati Sarajevo kao regionalni centar filmske edukacije i razmjene znanja
Susreti s vrhunskim filmskim umjetnicima
Encounters with World-Class Filmmakers
The Sarajevo Film Festival’s Masterclass programme continues to foster dialogue between audiences and leading contemporary filmmakers, while affirming Sarajevo as a regional hub for film education and knowledge exchange
Sarajevo Film Festival once again presents its exclusive Masterclass programme, which, as part of the Festival’s 31st edition, will host some of the most prominent names in contemporary cinema. The program will run from August 17 to 21 at the Sarajevo Film Festival’s Festival Center (Bosnian Cultural Center, Branilaca Sarajeva 24), offering participants a unique opportunity for direct exchange of knowledge and experiences with acclaimed filmmakers. The 2025 Masterclass programme covers a wide range of topics in directing, screenwriting, production, and acting, providing insight into the creative and professional challenges of filmmaking. The conversations are open to film professionals, students, and the broader public interested in the art of cinema. Masterclass Schedule: • August 17, 10:00 – 11:30 – Paolo Sorrentino • August 18, 10:00 – 11:30 – Michel Franco • August 19, 10:00 – 11:30 – Ray Winstone • August 20, 10:00 – 11:30 – Ilya Khrzhanovskiy • August 21, 10:00 – 11:30 – Willem Dafoe Entry to the Masterclass sessions is free, with tickets available online at tickets.sff.ba or at the Main Box Office of the Sarajevo Film Festival (Bosnian Cultural Center, Branilaca Sarajeva 24). Tickets for the Masterclass sessions are already available and must be collected half an hour before the start of the session. The number of tickets is limited. MASTERCLASS PAOLO SORRENTINO / Sunday / 17 August / 10:00 - 11:30 Italian director and screenwriter Paolo Sorrentino is one of the most prominent authors in cinema. He is the winner of the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA for The Great Beauty, and a multiple-time participant in the competition programmes of Cannes and Venice. His body of work includes Youth, The Hand of God, This Must Be the Place, and his latest film, Parthenope, screened at Cannes in 2024. He also directed the acclaimed TV series The Young Pope and The New Pope, starring Jude Law. His work is marked by a distinctive visual style, wit, and reflections on contemporary society. The masterclass will be moderated by Ognjen Glavonić. MASTERCLASS MICHEL FRANCO / Monday / 18 August / 10:00 - 11:30 Michel Franco is a leading voice in contemporary Mexican cinema, known for his auteur approach and socially engaged themes. His films, including New Order, Chronic, Sundown, and After Lucía, have won multiple awards at Cannes and Venice. His latest work, Dreams, starring Jessica Chastain, premiered at the 2025 Berlinale. In addition to directing, Franco is also active as a producer through his company Teorema, supporting emerging voices in Latin American cinema. The masterclass will be moderated by Ennis Ćehić. MASTERCLASS RAY WINSTONE / Tuesday / 19 August / 10:00 - 11:30 A veteran of British film and television, Ray Winstone is easily recognisable face in world cinema. His career spans over four decades, from his debut in Alan Clarke’s 1979 drama Scum to roles in films such as Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, Beowulf, Black Widow, King of Thieves, The Proposition, and many others. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including the British Independent Film Award and the International Emmy for Best Actor. Known for his powerful portrayals of tough yet emotionally complex characters, Winstone is regarded as a symbol of authentic British acting. The masterclass will be moderated by Alissa Simon. MASTERCLASS ILYA KHRZHANOVSKIY / Wednesday / 20 August / 10:00 – 11:30 Director, producer, and artistic researcher Ilya Khrzhanovskiy is known for his bold and innovative film projects. Following his internationally acclaimed debut 4, he devoted himself to the multi-year project DAU – a unique fusion of film, anthropology, and performance, involving over 700 hours of footage and the reconstruction of a real “institute” in Paris. The films DAU. Natasha and DAU. Degeneration were screened at the 2020 Berlinale, where DAU. Natasha won the Silver Bear. Khrzhanovskiy is currently the Artistic Director of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center in Ukraine and remains active in the fields of contemporary art and production. The masterclass will be moderated by Stefan Ivančić. MASTERCLASS WILLEM DAFOE / Thursday / 21 August / 10:00 – 11:30 Willem Dafoe is one of the most acclaimed actors of our time, with a career spanning over 100 films and collaborations with many of the world’s leading directors. A four-time Academy Award® nominee, he has delivered memorable performances in At Eternity’s Gate, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Florida Project, The Lighthouse, Spider-Man, John Wick, Pasolini, and many others. Dafoe is the recipient of the Volpi Cup in Venice, the Honorary Golden Bear at the Berlinale, and numerous other accolades. He is also active in theatre - he was a founding member of The Wooster Group and was recently appointed Artistic Director of the theatre department at the Venice Biennale (2025–2026). The masterclass will be moderated by Neil Young. Sarajevo Film Festival once again presents its exclusive Masterclass programme, which, as part of the Festival’s 31st edition, will host some of the most prominent names in contemporary cinema. The program will run from August 17 to 21 at the Sarajevo Film Festival’s Festival Center (Bosnian Cultural Center, Branilaca Sarajeva 24), offering participants a unique opportunity for direct exchange of knowledge and experiences with acclaimed filmmakers. The 2025 Masterclass programme covers a wide range of topics in directing, screenwriting, production, and acting, providing insight into the creative and professional challenges of filmmaking. The conversations are open to film professionals, students, and the broader public interested in the art of cinema. Masterclass Schedule: • August 17, 10:00 – 11:30 – Paolo Sorrentino • August 18, 10:00 – 11:30 – Michel Franco • August 19, 10:00 – 11:30 – Ray Winstone • August 20, 10:00 – 11:30 – Ilya Khrzhanovskiy • August 21, 10:00 – 11:30 – Willem Dafoe Entry to the Masterclass sessions is free, with tickets available online at tickets.sff.ba or at the Main Box Office of the Sarajevo Film Festival (Bosnian Cultural Center, Branilaca Sarajeva 24). Tickets for the Masterclass sessions are already available and must be collected half an hour before the start of the session. The number of tickets is limited. MASTERCLASS PAOLO SORRENTINO / Sunday / 17 August / 10:00 - 11:30 Italian director and screenwriter Paolo Sorrentino is one of the most prominent authors in cinema. He is the winner of the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA for The Great Beauty, and a multiple-time participant in the competition programmes of Cannes and Venice. His body of work includes Youth, The Hand of God, This Must Be the Place, and his latest film, Parthenope, screened at Cannes in 2024. He also directed the acclaimed TV series The Young Pope and The New Pope, starring Jude Law. His work is marked by a distinctive visual style, wit, and reflections on contemporary society. The masterclass will be moderated by Ognjen Glavonić. MASTERCLASS MICHEL FRANCO / Monday / 18 August / 10:00 - 11:30 Michel Franco is a leading voice in contemporary Mexican cinema, known for his auteur approach and socially engaged themes. His films, including New Order, Chronic, Sundown, and After Lucía, have won multiple awards at Cannes and Venice. His latest work, Dreams, starring Jessica Chastain, premiered at the 2025 Berlinale. In addition to directing, Franco is also active as a producer through his company Teorema, supporting emerging voices in Latin American cinema. The masterclass will be moderated by Ennis Ćehić. MASTERCLASS RAY WINSTONE / Tuesday / 19 August / 10:00 - 11:30 A veteran of British film and television, Ray Winstone is easily recognisable face in world cinema. His career spans over four decades, from his debut in Alan Clarke’s 1979 drama Scum to roles in films such as Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, Beowulf, Black Widow, King of Thieves, The Proposition, and many others. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including the British Independent Film Award and the International Emmy for Best Actor. Known for his powerful portrayals of tough yet emotionally complex characters, Winstone is regarded as a symbol of authentic British acting. The masterclass will be moderated by Alissa Simon. MASTERCLASS ILYA KHRZHANOVSKIY / Wednesday / 20 August / 10:00 – 11:30 Director, producer, and artistic researcher Ilya Khrzhanovskiy is known for his bold and innovative film projects. Following his internationally acclaimed debut 4, he devoted himself to the multi-year project DAU – a unique fusion of film, anthropology, and performance, involving over 700 hours of footage and the reconstruction of a real “institute” in Paris. The films DAU. Natasha and DAU. Degeneration were screened at the 2020 Berlinale, where DAU. Natasha won the Silver Bear. Khrzhanovskiy is currently the Artistic Director of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center in Ukraine and remains active in the fields of contemporary art and production. The masterclass will be moderated by Stefan Ivančić. MASTERCLASS WILLEM DAFOE / Thursday / 21 August / 10:00 – 11:30 Willem Dafoe is one of the most acclaimed actors of our time, with a career spanning over 100 films and collaborations with many of the world’s leading directors. A four-time Academy Award® nominee, he has delivered memorable performances in At Eternity’s Gate, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Florida Project, The Lighthouse, Spider-Man, John Wick, Pasolini, and many others. Dafoe is the recipient of the Volpi Cup in Venice, the Honorary Golden Bear at the Berlinale, and numerous other accolades. He is also active in theatre - he was a founding member of The Wooster Group and was recently appointed Artistic Director of the theatre department at the Venice Biennale (2025–2026). The masterclass will be moderated by Neil Young.
Mathilde Henrot i Alessandro Raja selektori programa
Umjetnost pred licem ekstremnog nasilja
KINOSCOPE
Šta karakteriše ovogodišnji izbor programa Kinoscope? Ovogodišnji izbor obilježen je trenutnim stanjem u kojem se nalazi naš svijet. Svijet razdiran ratovima i razaranjem, svijet u kojem autokratske sile prkose demokratijama i pravdi, svijet u kojem se umjetnici često osjećaju nemoćno. Filmski stvaraoci promišljaju o ovom svijetu i postavljaju sebi pitanje: što umjetnost može učiniti pred licem ekstremnog nasilja? Suočeni s bezobzirnim uništavanjem zemlje Palestine, masakrom njenog stanovništva i kulture iz dana u dan, na užasan i sistematičan način, hitnost filma „Stavi svoju dušu na dlan i hodaj“, u režiji Sepideh Farsi, izdvaja sudbinu jedne prelijepe žene. Fatma: njeni snovi, njen smijeh, njeno lice, njene nade. Film „Da“, je muzička satira/tragedija Nadava Lapida koja prikazuje zemlju proždiranu žeđi za osvetom i otkriva slabosti umjetnika spremnih da se prodaju za moć i novac. To je svijet uronjen u strah i potpuni haos. Iznad sadašnjeg trenutka, filmski autori razmišljaju o vremenu. Koje teme su dominirale filmovima odabranim za 31. Sarajevo Film Festival? Vrijeme je ključna ideja koja prožima ovogodišnji izbor. Naše ograničeno vrijeme kao ljudi koji nadilaze kroz priče. Smješten u marokanskoj pustinji, zapanjujući „Sirât“ Olivera Laxea (Cannes – Nagrada žirija) pretvara rejvere u očajne preživjele. To je film prepun senzornog iskustva. Sirât je tanka ćuprija između pakla i raja, koja odjekuje grčkom mitološkom rijekom Stiks, koja razdvaja mrtve od živih. Na nepoznatom mjestu i u nepoznato vrijeme, „Žetva“ Athine Rachel Tsangari (takmičarski program Venecije) duboko istražuje malu zajednicu koja iz raja pada u pakao. „Zvuk pada“ Masche Schilinski (Cannes – Nagrada žirija) takođe nadilazi pojam vremena u svom izvanrednom filmu, uvodeći težnje i patnje različitih generacija žena. Radnja je smještena u Njemačkoj, ali predstavlja priču o represivnim strukturama evropskih društava prema ženama. U suptilnom filmu „Romeria“, Carla Simón zaključuje svoju trilogiju istražujući porodičnu prošlost. U poetskom „Julski fantomi“ u režiji Juliana Radlmaiera, prošlost se ulijeva u snove sadašnjih stanovnika. Potraga za vlastitim identitetom, raseljenost i pripadnost. U „Imago“, Déni Oumar Pitsaev promišlja o emocionalnoj i geografskoj udaljenosti dok se iz egzila vraća na Kavkaz da ponovo uspostavi vezu sa svojim čečenskim korijenima. Pedro Pinhov „Odmaram se samo u oluji“ prati mladog Portugalca u Gvineji-Bisau, koji balansira između želje i sumnje, na politički i senzualno nabijenom putovanju. Emocionalne veze su u središtu „Happyend“ Nea Sore, koji hvata intenzitet tinejdžerskih prijateljstava kao oblik otpora i povezanosti. U filmu „Ljubav koja ostaje“, Hlynur Pálmason razmišlja o blijedenju ljubavi obojenom osjećajem magije, dok u filmu „Kika“ Alexe Poukine žena prolazi kroz dubok gubitak, pronalazeći neočekivane načine da razumije, kontroliše i na neki način prihvati svoju bol. Granica između dobra i zla vrlo je tanka u debitantskom „Zemlja trske“ Svena Bressera, meditativnom trileru koji crpi jezivu poeziju iz holandskih močvara, kao i u filmu „Kolovođa“ Kelly Reichardt, snažnoj psihološkoj drami koja istražuje razočaranje i potvrđuje njenu poziciju kao vrhunske i beskompromisne autorice. Možete li nam reći nešto više o programu Kinoscope Surreal? Konačno, još jedna zanimljiva perspektiva koja se pojavila tek nakon što smo završili selekciju jeste tema geometrijskih oblika koja se provlači kroz izbor programa Kinoscope Surreal. „Odraz u mrtvom dijamantu“ Hélène Cattet i Brune Forzani odaje počast Jamesu Bondu i italijanskom giallu kroz oblik dijamanta. „Izlaz 8“ Genkija Kawamure, inspirisan video igrom, fokusira se na petlju smještenu u podzemne tunele. „Kula od leda“ Lucile Hadžihalilović koristi cilindar kako bi dočarala snovitu, klaustrofobičnu atmosferu. U filmu „SOS - Poziv u pomoć“ Pedra Martín-Calera, krug simbolizira ponavljajući generacijski teror. Kroz trokutastu strukturu filma „Kraj“ Parka Sye-younga istražuje distopijske teme, učvršćujući njegovu reputaciju kao smjelog novog glasa korejske kinematografije. Koji je najveći izazov pri odabiru filmova za program Kinoscope? Kreativne vizije nas inspirišu jer nas uvijek iznova uspijevaju iznenaditi, uprkos tome što svake godine pogledamo na stotine filmova! Najveći izazov u kreiranju selekcije jeste održati ravnotežu programa. Selekcija programa ne znači samo odabrati najbolje filmove sa festivalskog kruga, već konstruirati dosljednu i izuzetnu cjelinu, što ponekad podrazumijeva i uvrštavanje disruptivnih glasova. Program se osmišljava za taj trenutak; ljeto 2025, na tom mjestu, Sarajevo, i za njegovu publiku. Postoji li neka karakteristika publike Sarajevo Film Festivala koju imate na umu kada birate filmove za program Kinoscope? Znamo da je sarajevska publika jedna od najboljih na svijetu. Ona je otvorena za nove talente, mnogi unaprijed čitaju filmske kritike prije projekcija i iskreno i velikodušno komuniciraju s autorima. Upravo zato želimo da joj odamo počast pažljivo gradeći program Kinoscope. Lejla Karić
Selektori programa Kinoscope, Mathilde Henrot i Alessandro Raja, predstavljaju izbor za 31. Sarajevo Film Festival koji reflektira prolazak vremena, globalne nemire i evoluciju filmskog jezika kroz generacije.
KINOSCOPE • Mathilde Henrot i Alessandro Raja • selektori programa
Stavi svoju dušu na dlan i hodaj/ Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk
Mathilde Henrot & Alessandro Raja Programme Selectors
Art in the Face of Extreme Violence
Kinoscope programme selectors Mathilde Henrot and Alessandro Raja present a selection for the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival that reflects on the passage of time, global unrest, and the evolving language of cinema across generations.
What characterizes this year's Kinoscope Programme selection? This year's selection is marked by the current state of our world. A world torn by wars and destruction, a world in which autocratic powers defy democracies and justice, in a world in which artists often feel powerless. Filmmakers reflect on this world and question themselves: what can art do when faced with extreme violence? Confronted with the reckless destruction of the country of Palestine, the massacre of its population and its culture day after day in an atrocious systematic manner, the urgency of Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk directed by Sepideh Farsi, singles out one beautiful woman’s fate. Fatma: her dreams, her laughs, her face, her hopes. Yes, Nadav Lapid’s musical satire / tragedy, portrays a country consumed by a thirst for vengeance and reveals the weakness of artists ready to compromise for power and money. It’s a world plunged into dread and utter chaos. Beyond the present, filmmakers reflect on time. What themes dominated the films selected for the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival? Time is a crucial notion throughout our selection this year. Our limited time as humans that we transcend through stories. Set in the desert of Morocco, the mind blowing Sirât by Oliver Laxe (Cannes FF Competition – Jury Prize) transforms ravers into desperate survivors. It’s a film exploding with sensory experiences. Sirât is the thin bridge between Hell and Heaven, and it echoes the Greek mythological river Styx, separating the dead from the living. In an unknown place and at an unknown time, Harvest by Athina Rachel Tsangari (Venice FF Competition), profoundly explores a small community going from paradise to hell. Sound Of Falling by Mascha Schilinski (Cannes FF Competition – Jury Prize) also transcends time in her absolutely brilliant film, introducing the aspirations and sufferings of different generations of women. It is set in Germany but stands for the story of the oppressive structure of European societies to women. In the subtle Romeria, Carla Simón concludes her trilogy exploring her family’s past. In the poetic Phantoms Of July directed by Julian Radlmaier, the past infuses the present inhabitants’ dreams. The search of one’s own identity, displacement, and belonging. In Imago, Déni Oumar Pitsaev reflects on emotional and geographical distance as he returns from exile to the Caucasus to reconnect with his Chechen roots. Pedro Pinho’s I Only Rest in the Storm follows a young Portuguese man in Guinea-Bissau, navigating between desire and doubt, in a politically and sensually charged journey. Emotional ties are central in Neo Sora’s Happyend, capturing the intensity of teenage friendships as a form of resistance and connection. In The Love That Remains, Hlynur Pálmason reflects on fading affection touched by a sense of magic, and in Alexe Poukine’s Kika, a woman navigates profound loss, finding unexpected paths to understand, control and somehow welcome her pain. The line between good and evil is very thin in Sven Bresser’s debut Reedland, a meditative thriller that draws eerie poetry from the Dutch marshes and in Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind, a powerful psychological drama that delves into disillusionment, affirming her place as a masterful and uncompromising filmmaker. Can you tell us more about the programme of Kinoscope Surreal? Finally, another interesting perspective that came to light only after we wrapped up the selection, is the geometrical shapes theme throughout the Kinoscope surreal selection. Reflection Of a Dead Diamond by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani pays homage to James Bond and Italian giallo through the diamond shape. The Exit 8 by Genki Kawamura, inspired by a video game, centers on a loop set in the underground tunnels. Lucile Hadžihalilović’s The Ice Tower uses the cylinder to evoke a dreamlike, claustrophobic atmosphere. In Pedro Martín-Calero’s The Wailing, the circle symbolizes recurring generational terror. Park Sye-young’s triangular The Fin explores dystopian themes, solidifying his reputation as a bold new voice in Korean cinema. What is the biggest challenge in selecting films for the Kinoscope Programme? Creative visions inspire us as they constantly manage to surprise us, despite watching some hundreds of films every year! The biggest challenge in composing the selection is the balance of the program. Programming isn’t picking the best films from the festival circuit, it’s more constructing a consistent remarkable ensemble, and that implies sometimes also with disruptive voices. It is meant to be assembled at that moment; summer 2025, in that place, Sarajevo and for its audience. Is there a characteristic of the Sarajevo Film Festival audience that you keep in mind when making a selection for the Kinoscope Programme? We know the Sarajevo audience is one of the best in the world. They are welcoming new talent, many are reading film reviews ahead of the screenings and engaging with the filmmakers in a genuine and generous way. That’s the reason why we want to honour it by carefully building the Kinoscope programme. Lejla Karić
KINOSCOPE • Mathilde Henrot& Alessandro Raja • Programme Selectors
U FOKUSU
Elma Tataragić, selektorica programa U Fokusu, predstavlja izbor filmova koji snažno artikulišu savremene dileme kroz istančane autorske pristupe i hrabre tematske izbore
Što je bilo ključno za selekciju filmova programa U fokusu? Ovogodišnji program U fokusu donosi snažan spoj etabliranih autora i nove generacije regionalnih filmskih stvaralaca, ujedinjenih zajedničkom ambicijom: ispričati hitne i važne priče u sve nestabilnijem i uzdrmanijem svijetu. Selektovano je sedam igranih i, izuzetno, jedan kratki film - svi s međunarodnim festivalskim uspjesima i priznanjima kritike. Koja je glavna karakteristika ovogodišnjeg programa? U fokusu pruža važan uvid u ono što se istaklo protekle godine u regionalnoj kinematografiji. Ove godine predstavljamo jednu dobru mješavinu debitantskih naslova, drugih filmova, ali i filmova velikih majstora filma poput Segeja Loznice, Želimira Žilnika i Radu Judea. S obzirom da ovaj program nije natjecateljski, možete li izdvojiti neki naslov kojem se posebno radujete da će ga imati priliku vidjeti publika u Sarajevu? Jedan od velikana evropske kinematografije, Želimir Žilnik, donosi svoj najnoviji film „Restitucija, ili sjaj i bijeda stare garde“, prikazan u Forum sekciji Berlinalea. Ovaj hibrid dokudrame prati Stevana, ostarjelog džez pijanistu, koji se nakon šest decenija života u Njemačkoj vraća u Vojvodinu, nakon što je restitucijom dobio nazad porodično imanje. Kroz neprofesionalne glumce, improvizaciju i dokumentarni pristup, Žilnik prikazuje bogat portret četiri generacije oblikovane političkim i društvenim promjenama—od Austro-Ugarske, preko socijalizma, do savremenog kapitalizma. Veliki reditelj Sergei Loznitsa će premijerno prikazati svoj kratki film „Lekcija iz paleontologije“, uz njegov nagrađivani igrani film „Dva tužitelja“. Film je zasnovan na noveli preživjelog Gulaga Georgija Demidova i prati mladog boljševičkog tužioca Aleksandra Korneva, koji prima molbu ispisanu krvlju od zatvorenika i pokušava se suprotstaviti korupciji NKVD-a. Loznitsa povlači jasne paralele između staljinističkog terora i savremenog autoritarizma - uključujući današnju Rusiju - upućujući hitno upozorenje kako istočnim, tako i zapadnim demokratijama. Poznati rumunski reditelj Radu Jude donosi film „Kontinental ’25“, dobitnika Srebrnog medvjeda za najbolji scenarij. Film kombinuje crni humor, egzistencijalna pitanja i oštru društvenu kritiku. U proteklim mjesecima bili ste na brojnim festivalima i programima za filmske profesionalce. Koji su trenutno ključni filmski trendovi, a vidjet ćemo ih i u Sarajevu? Ono što ćemo sigurno vidjeti u ovom programu jesu jaki autorski glasovi poput rediteljice Urške Đukić sa debitantskim dugometražnim filmom „Dobre djevojke“. Kroz teme adolescentne želje, krivnje i pobune unutar religijskih okvira, film predstavlja senzualan, introspektivan i izrazito originalan prikaz tinejdžerske ženstvenosti - rijetke teme u istočnoevropskoj kinematografiji. Sa suptilnošću i lirizmom, Đukić isporučuje snažnu umjetničku izjavu o vjeri, ženstvenosti i samospoznaji. Također, dobar primjer nečega novog je drugi igrani film Ivana Salatića, „Otapanje vladara“, smješten u Crnu Goru 19. stoljeća. Film prati Morlaka, pjesnika-episkopa viđenog kao plemenskog vođu i intelektualca, koji odlazi u južnu Italiju tražeći lijek za tuberkulozu. Morlakovo putovanje postaje studija o raseljenosti i unutrašnjem konfliktu u nekonvencionalnom biografskom filmu koji razgrađuje nacionalne mitove i propituje pitanja patrijarhata, identiteta i egzila. Nakon hvaljenog debija „Tilva Roš“ iz 2010., dobitnika Srca Sarajeva, Nikola Ležaić se vraća s dugo očekivanim drugim filmom „Kako je ovdje tako zeleno?“, koji je autobiografski film samoga autora. Ono što počinje kao običan porodični zadatak prerasta u emotivnu meditaciju o sjećanju, generacijskim raskolima i emocionalnom naslijeđu. Dane Komljen, poznato ime Sarajevo Film Festivala, predstavlja svoj drugi igrani film „Linije želje“ nakon premijere u takmičarskom programu u Locarnu. Ovaj filmski putopis i psihološka studija likova donosi poetsku i emocionalno nabijenu refleksiju o identitetu i pripadanju. Sa ovim filmom, Komljen ponovo potvrđuje status jednog od najautentičnijih glasova savremenog art-house filma. Lejla Karić Discussing the past is always challenging, and particularly as we face the flickering of a potential global conflict that might engulf us all. Yet, the past always persists. What remains when peace—whether temporary or permanent—finally arrives? Often, what persists is only the traces of memory, a lingering sense of displacement from locales once called home. This year’s Dealing with the Past programme is shaped by these themes: the void that exists between the familiar and the foreign; the necessity of leaving; and the process of forging new lives and new memories. We explore the arc of displacement, reflecting on what we carry forward and what we leave behind. Once again, we invite audiences to delve into the depths of human experience, traversing the fraught histories of the Holocaust and conflicts in Cambodia, Lebanon, Palestine, and the former Yugoslavia. In exploring episodes of these various conflicts, we are left with the enduring truth that responsibility ultimately rests with individuals. This year’s reflective, cinematic journey through the past begins with the regional premiere of Michel Hazanavicius’s The Most Precious of Cargoes, which had its premiere at the Festival de Cannes. This animated film is a grim story that resembles a Brothers Grimm fairy tale with subtle hints of magic realism and fantasy, all the while being deeply rooted in the cruel, unbearable reality of the Holocaust. This film is followed by Ivan Ramljak’s brilliant El Shatt: A Blueprint For Utopia, a documentary that explores the story of refugees from Dalmatia who escaped the horrors of the German invasion after Italy’s capitulation to the Allies during World War II and found a haven in El Shatt, a former Allied Forces base in Egypt. Ramljak’s film sheds light on a subject that is often overlooked by historians but that is important in the context of today’s world—a reflection on what we all share with refugees in our collective history. Myriam El Hajj’s Diaries From Lebanon, which was showcased to Sarajevo Film Festival audiences as a work-in-progress, continues our focus on the Middle East. Offering unique and varying perspectives on the recent failed Lebanese revolution and its aftermath, the film is as inspiring as it is gt-wrenching, sculpted as a collage of instances of hope and resilience contrasted with utter disappointment, bringing responsibility back to the individual to determine their course of action. After everything, there is still hope. Life Is Beautiful, the second feature-length film by Palestinian documentary filmmaker Mohamed Jabaly, depicts his own personal struggles in finding his place in Norway after he became stranded there ten years ago while on a student exchange due to the closing of the border at Rafah. We also take special pride in bringing No Other Land, by Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, Rachel Sozs, and Hamdan Ballal, to Sarajevo audiences, after it reaped rave reviews during its premiere at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. No Other Land emphasizes the collective efforts to fight for the truth, by individuals from seemingly incompatible positions, united by a noble common goal in preserving empathy, despite grand narratives corrupting their realities. These four films offer a glimpse into the turbulent past of the Middle East, which extends far beyond the struggles of today. We present a special programme of short films that concern the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s. From Željko Stanetić’s Milena, which concerns the forced displacement of Serbian refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia during the wars, to Samir Mehić Bowie – Letters From Srebrenica, a film about the late Srebrenica musician who faced disillusionment and hopelessness. This is followed by Nikola Ilić’s expressive documentary Exit Through the Cuckoo’s Nest, a cinematic retelling of his escape from mobilisation during the conflict in Kosovo* while feigning mental illness to escape the madness of war. The programme is crowned by the winner of the Palme d’Or for Best Short Film at Cannes: Nebojša Slijepčević’s The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent, which concerns the murder of a Yugoslav National Army Captain who stood up to the paramilitary forces that were executing Muslim civilians from Bosnia and Herzegovina in Štrbci in 1993. On the final day of the programme, two films are dedicated to war reporters and journalists —the people who bring glimpses of truth to the rest of the world while putting their own lives at stake. Lucy Lawless’s Never Look Away is a captivating documentary that depicts the life of Margaret Moth, the brave ‘warrior princess’ camerawoman who fought for the truth on the front lines, camera in hand. Finally, Rithy Phan’s Meeting With Pol Pot traces the fate of three journalists who find themselves in Democratic Kampuchea (now Cambodia) during the bloodiest years of the Khmer Rouge regime. Alongside its rich selection of films, the Dealing with the Past programme remains committed to its socially engaged nature, welcoming more than twenty-five young participants from the Western Balkans as part of the In Youth Eyes programme, which is made possible thanks to the cooperation of the Freidrich-Ebert Stiftung SOE and forumZFD. These young participants attend the screenings, as well as panel discussions, workshops, and exhibitions during the Sarajevo Film Festival, engaging in meaningful discussion that will serve as a foundation for the development of their critical thinking skills—so crucial in building a better future while taking the reality of the past into account. We are also proud to announce this year’s edition of the True Stories Market, featuring seven carefully curated, true stories presented by esteemed organisations and individuals. These stories are presented to film industry professionals during an open pitching session, with the intention that some of them will be picked up for cinematic development. After the Festival, attendees are invited to submit concepts for films based on the stories and enter the competition for the €10,000 development award presented by the Freidrich-Ebert Stiftung SOE. This year, the Sarajevo Film Festival celebrates its thirtieth edition. Now seems like a good time to look back at how far our beloved Festival has come, and how it has grown up in up in times of seemingly never-ending transition since its beginnings in wartime. Three decades ago, the Festival opened a window to the outside world for the people of a besieged city. Today, we hope the Dealing with the Past programme keeps the hearts of audiences open to lessons learned and never to be unlearned, so that the humanity in all of us may prevail, never to be displaced. Maša Marković Sub-headings Sub-headings
Snažan spoj etabliranih autora i nove generacije
Elma Tataragić selektorica programa U Fokusu
Dva tužioca/Two Prosecutors
Elma Tataragić, programmer for the In Focus programme, presents a selection of films that strongly articulate contemporary dilemmas through sophisticated author approaches and bold thematic choices.
IN FOCUS
Elma Tataragić Programmer
A strong blend of established authors and the new generation
What was key for the selection of films for the In Focus programme? This year's In Focus programme brings a strong blend of established authors and a new generation of regional filmmakers, united by a common ambition: to tell urgent and important stories in an increasingly unstable and shaky world. Seven feature and, as an exception, one short film were selected - all with international festival successes and critical accolades. What is the main characteristic of this year's programme? In Focus provides an important insight into what has stood out over the past year in regional cinema. This year, we present a good mix of debut titles, other films, but also films by great filmmakers such as Segej Loznica, Želimir Žilnik and Radu Jude. Since this programme is not part of competition programmes, can you single out a title that you are particularly looking forward to the opportunity for the audience in Sarajevo to see? One of the greats of European cinema, Želimir Žilnik, brings his latest film Eighty Plus, shown in the Forum section of the Berlinale. This docudrama hybrid follows Stevan, an aging jazz pianist, who returns to Vojvodina after six decades of living in Germany, after receiving his family estate back through restitution. Through non-professional actors, improvisation and a documentary approach, Žilnik portrays a rich portrait of four generations shaped by political and social changes from Austria-Hungary, through socialism, to contemporary capitalism. The great director Sergei Loznitsa will premiere his short film Paleontology Lesson, alongside his award-winning feature film Two Prosecutors. The film is based on the novel by the Gulag survivor Georgi Demidov and follows the young Bolshevik prosecutor Alexander Kornev, who receives a plea written in blood from a prisoner and tries to oppose the corruption of the NKVD. Loznitsa draws clear parallels between Stalinist terror and contemporary authoritarianism - including today's Russia - by issuing an urgent warning to both Eastern and Western democracies. The famous Romanian director Radu Jude brings the film Continental ’25, winner of the Silver Bear for best screenplay. The film combines dark humour, existential issues and harsh social criticism. In the past months, you have been to numerous festivals and programmes for film professionals. What are the key film trends at the moment, that we will also see in Sarajevo? What we will certainly see in this programme are strong author voices such as director Urška Đukić with her debut feature film Little Trouble Girls. Through the themes of adolescent desire, guilt and rebellion within religious frameworks, the film presents a sensual, introspective and distinctly original portrayal of teenage femininity - a rare theme in Eastern European cinema. With subtlety and lyricism, Đukić delivers a strong artistic statement of faith, femininity and self-knowledge. Also, a good example of something new is Ivan Salatić's second feature film, Wondrous Is the Silence of My Master, set in 19th-century Montenegro. The film follows Morlak, a poet-bishop seen as a tribal leader and intellectual, who goes to southern Italy in search of a cure for tuberculosis. Morlak's journey becomes a study of displacement and internal conflict in an unconventional biographical film that debunks national myths and questions patriarchy, identity, and exile. After the acclaimed debut of Tilva Rosh from 2010, the winner of the Heart of Sarajevo, Nikola Ležaić returns with the long-awaited second film How Come It's All Green Out Here?, which is an autobiographical film by the author himself. What begins as an ordinary family task turns into an emotional meditation on memory, generational schisms, and emotional heritage. Dane Komljen, a well-known name of the Sarajevo Film Festival, presents his second feature film Desire Lines after its premiere in the competition programme in Locarno. This film travelogue and psychological study of characters brings a poetic and emotionally charged reflection on identity and belonging. With this film, Komljen reaffirms his status as one of the most authentic voices of contemporary art-house film. Lejla Karić What was key for the selection of films for the In Focus programme? This year's In Focus programme brings a strong blend of established authors and a new generation of regional filmmakers, united by a common ambition: to tell urgent and important stories in an increasingly unstable and shaky world. Seven feature and, as an exception, one short film were selected - all with international festival successes and critical accolades. What is the main characteristic of this year's programme? In Focus provides an important insight into what has stood out over the past year in regional cinema. This year, we present a good mix of debut titles, other films, but also films by great filmmakers such as Segej Loznica, Želimir Žilnik and Radu Jude. Since this programme is not part of competition programmes, can you single out a title that you are particularly looking forward to the opportunity for the audience in Sarajevo to see? One of the greats of European cinema, Želimir Žilnik, brings his latest film Eighty Plus, shown in the Forum section of the Berlinale. This docudrama hybrid follows Stevan, an aging jazz pianist, who returns to Vojvodina after six decades of living in Germany, after receiving his family estate back through restitution. Through non-professional actors, improvisation and a documentary approach, Žilnik portrays a rich portrait of four generations shaped by political and social changes from Austria-Hungary, through socialism, to contemporary capitalism. The great director Sergei Loznitsa will premiere his short film Paleontology Lesson, alongside his award-winning feature film Two Prosecutors. The film is based on the novel by the Gulag survivor Georgi Demidov and follows the young Bolshevik prosecutor Alexander Kornev, who receives a plea written in blood from a prisoner and tries to oppose the corruption of the NKVD. Loznitsa draws clear parallels between Stalinist terror and contemporary authoritarianism - including today's Russia - by issuing an urgent warning to both Eastern and Western democracies. The famous Romanian director Radu Jude brings the film Continental ’25, winner of the Silver Bear for best screenplay. The film combines dark humour, existential issues and harsh social criticism. In the past months, you have been to numerous festivals and programmes for film professionals. What are the key film trends at the moment, that we will also see in Sarajevo? What we will certainly see in this programme are strong author voices such as director Urška Đukić with her debut feature film Little Trouble Girls. Through the themes of adolescent desire, guilt and rebellion within religious frameworks, the film presents a sensual, introspective and distinctly original portrayal of teenage femininity - a rare theme in Eastern European cinema. With subtlety and lyricism, Đukić delivers a strong artistic statement of faith, femininity and self-knowledge. Also, a good example of something new is Ivan Salatić's second feature film, Wondrous Is the Silence of My Master, set in 19th-century Montenegro. The film follows Morlak, a poet-bishop seen as a tribal leader and intellectual, who goes to southern Italy in search of a cure for tuberculosis. Morlak's journey becomes a study of displacement and internal conflict in an unconventional biographical film that debunks national myths and questions patriarchy, identity, and exile. After the acclaimed debut of Tilva Rosh from 2010, the winner of the Heart of Sarajevo, Nikola Ležaić returns with the long-awaited second film How Come It's All Green Out Here?, which is an autobiographical film by the author himself. What begins as an ordinary family task turns into an emotional meditation on memory, generational schisms, and emotional heritage. Dane Komljen, a well-known name of the Sarajevo Film Festival, presents his second feature film Desire Lines after its premiere in the competition programme in Locarno. This film travelogue and psychological study of characters brings a poetic and emotionally charged reflection on identity and belonging. With this film, Komljen reaffirms his status as one of the most authentic voices of contemporary art-house film.
Dobre djevojke/Little Trouble Girls
BUY TICKET
NOVI TALAS / NEW WAVE France, 2025, 105 min. Director: Richard Linklater Cast: Guillaume Marbeck, Zoey Deutch, Aubry Dullin, Adrien Rouyard, Antoine Besson, Jodie Ruth Forest
RADIO RAMBO AMADEUS Serbia, 2025, 73 min. Director: Dušan Varda
OPEN AIR PREMIERE
Priča o Jean-Lucu Godardu i njegovom radu na filmu DO POSLJEDNJEG DAHA, ispričana na isti način i u istom duhu u kojem je Godard snimio taj film. The story of Jean-Luc Godard making BREATHLESS, told in the style and spirit in which Godard made BREATHLESS.
Internacionalni muzički superstar Rambo Amadeus je jedna od najpopularnijih ličnosti Balkana. Kao jedinstven performer, tokom karijere duže od četrdeset godina, postao je važna ličnost u oblasti muzike, poezije, jedrenja, filozofije, marketinga i političke historije ovog dijela Evrope. Film prati razmišljanja, probe i razvoj njegove ideje iz 2022. godine kada je riješio da pokrene svoj radioprogram. International music superstar Rambo Amadeus is among the most popular personalities in the Balkans. A unique performer with a forty-year-long career, he gained importance in this part of Europe in the fields of music, poetry, sailing, philosophy, marketing, and political history. This film traces his thinking about, testing and developing an idea to launch his own radio programme in 2022.
TRIBUTE TO
Na programu danas... / On today's schedule...
SUTRA ĆU BITI HRABAR / TOMORROW I'LL BE BRAVE Germany, 2025, 80 min. Director: Bernd Sahling Cast: Jonathan Köhn, Darius Pascu, Cheyenne Aaliyah Roth, Anna Bahners, Elijas Amerein n
Film dokumentuje četiri zadate izvedbe učesnika u audiciji koji su direktni i indirektni učesnici rata: ratni veterani, civilne žrtve rata, osobe s tjelesnim oštećenjima ili osobe traumatizovane ratom. Projekt, adekvatno naslovljen THE FINAL BATTLE, odvija se - kako u realnosti, tako i u svojoj filmskoj manifestaciji – u formi filmskog trejlera-audicije. Four delegated performances and castings feature participants who are directly or indirectly actors of war: veterans, civilian victims, disabled individuals, or those traumatised by conflict. The project, aptly titled THE FINAL BATTLE, unfolds both in actuality and in its eventual cinematic manifestation through a casting call for a trailer.
SUOČAVANJE S PROŠLOšću / dealing with the past
THE FINAL BATTLE Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2024, 66 min. Director: Mladen Miljanović
DJEČIJI PROGRAM / CHILDRENS PROGRAMME
Da je dvanaestogodišnji Karl mogao birati u koga će se zaljubiti, to ne bi bila Lea iz njegovog razreda, koja je puno viša od njega. Sada nema puno vremena da otkrije može li mu Lea uzvratiti ljubav. Nakon ljetnog raspusta, Lea prelazi u drugu školu. Školsko putovanje posljednja je prilika da postane Lein momak. Tokom putovanja čitav razred snima film pod naslovom "Zaljubljenost". Odjednom postaje očigledno da i drugi imaju isti problem kao i Karl. If twelve-year-old Karl had been able to decide whom to fall in love with, he would not have chosen Lea, a much taller student in his class. Now, he doesn't have much time to find out whether Lea can reciprocate his feelings. After the summer holidays, she will change schools. Karl has one last chance to become Lea's boyfriend on the upcoming school trip. During this project week, the class shoots a film titled "In Love." Suddenly, it becomes clear that Karl is not the only one with his problem.