Bosnia: 27th Sarajevo Film Festival kicks off

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - The 27th Sarajevo Film Festival kicked off Friday in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina featuring a special award for famed director Wim Wenders and five movies from Turkey’s national broadcaster.

The opening ceremony was held at the National Theater, a red carpet parade with the participation of top names from the world of cinema.

The festival was inaugurated by the world premiere of Not So Friendly Neighbourhood by Bosnian director Danis Tanovic.

Festival Director Mirsad Purivatra, in his opening speech, said how the festival was held online last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, adding that this year's event promises to return to normal.

This year’s Heart of Sarajevo award was given to world-renowned German director Wim Wenders for his many contributions to the art of film.

"The eye is a very valuable organ. However, the most important organ for a filmmaker is the heart,” said Wenders. “The heart is an organ for seeing the beauty and avoiding bad things. The heart sees peace and fights a war, seeks the truth, avoids lies, escapes. This heart-shaped award is one of the most beautiful awards."

The festival will feature five films produced and co-produced by the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT).

TRT co-productions include Quo Vadis, Aida?, Forgiveness, Cinelink, Hesitation Wound and To Carnations a Song.

Set to feature 47 films in four categories, the festival began 27 years ago to make the city a destination of culture and art again and help heal the memories of the 1990s bloody Bosnian War.

The festival is scheduled to run through Aug. 13 with 10 short and nine feature films as well as 10 documentaries and 12 student films.

The projects will all compete for the special Heart of Sarajevo award.

The festival will also feature world premieres of 18 films, international premieres of three films, a European premiere, regional premieres of 24 films, and a film of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Attendees at past festivals include such luminaries as Robert de Niro, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Daniel Craig, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Gerard Depardieu and Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan.