The Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF) has received a new recognition after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded it the status of a qualifying film festival in the short film category.

Short films that win the heart of Sarajevo Award and nomination for the European Film Academy (EFA) short film award at the SFF will be eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film/Live Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards, the SFF management said on Wednesday.

In this way, the SFF joined the family of leading international Oscar-qualifying festivals that among others include the film festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Locarno as well as the Sundance Film Festival and the British Academy of Television and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards.

SFF will have its 25th edition in 2019, starting August 16 through August 23.