The Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF), taking place this year from 11-18 August, has announced several structural changes intended to strengthen the synergies between the existing segments: programming, industry (CineLink Industry Days) and training (Talents Sarajevo). All three segments will be firmly integrated and realised in parallel during the first seven days of the festival.

This year, the gathering is also launching the new Competition Programme – Student Film, for regional film schools and academies. The programme will round off the full circle of activities through which the festival discovers, supports and promotes regional filmmakers and serves as the market access point for wider audiovisual industries in the region to other European and global markets.

“Better integration of the existing segments and development of the new competition programme will enable the Sarajevo Film Festival to further assert itself as a must-attend film festival for authors, film professionals, students, cinemagoers and journalists,” said the festival in a press release.

The SFF will present two new venues: House of Shorts, intended for filmmakers, film students and film professionals who wish to gain an insight into short film production, and Youth Theatre, which will serve as a central gathering point for the Children’s Programme and TeenArena audiences.

Also, the festival’s most popular venue, the Open Air Cinema, which attracts some 3,000 moviegoers each night, will be reconstructed and will offer a new experience revolving around movie-watching under the stars. 

Also, for the first time in its 23 years of existence, the SFF will dedicate the last day of the festival to re-runs of the award-winning films.