Love for the Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF) could be felt everywhere, there was strangely positive energy all around, Mirsad Purivatra, the festival director, said in N1's programme a day after the solemn opening ceremony, held Friday evening at the Sarajevo National Theatre.
The jubilee 25th edition opened with the world premiere of The Son, a film by Bosnian filmmaker Ines Tanovic. That was special, according to Purivatra, who said he couldn't be happier with the opening evening.
“It is the best gift for us if we have a domestic film for the opening. People love local topics, and this is the story about Sarajevo, a modern topic that could be part of Sarajevo today,” he noted.
The film was screened at two locations, the National Theatre where the opening ceremony took place and at one of the most popular festival's location, the Open Air Cinema, colloquially called Metalac cinema.
Despite difficulties caused by the crowd and the delay that followed, nobody left the Open Air Cinema screening before it was over, at midnight, according to the festival director.
SFF has been sending good messages from the Bosnian capital for years, he stressed.
“That's the strategy and the way the SFF crew thinks. We're trying to send out good messages, UNESCO has recognised that. We're promoting different values, diversities. There are no harsh words, people recognised that. We're opening the possibilities. Last night was a wonderful story,” he added.
SFF's opening on Friday was also marked with a special award ceremony, when two great names of the film industry, Pawel Pawlikowski and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu were handed the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo, for their contribution in the world of film.
According to Purivatra, the Mexican artist was deeply moved with this recognition.
“Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu told me that the (Honorary) Heart of Sarajevo was his most significant reward. And the man won five Oscars and numerous other rewards. He was never moved like he was in Sarajevo,” he added.
The atmosphere seen in Sarajevo during the festival days is rarely seen anywhere else, he said. There is a special bond between the city, the people and the festival. “People feel great,” added Purivatra.
The number of screenings might increase the next year, according to him, since Sarajevo will get a Cineplexx cinema which will open new options.
The festival works only with locals and cannot hire foreign professionals.
“But we work, we don't complain. Everything's great. Let's enjoy the film. We create the festival to have the films watched,” said the first man of the Sarajevo Film Festival.
