Mexican filmmaker Guillermo Garcia Vejar decided to visit Sarajevo ten years ago. He thought of staying for a month but his adventure in the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina has lasted much longer. He enrolled in university and made his first films here, and now is about to present his first feature film 'La puerta Verde', a Mexican-Bosnian co-production. Sarajevo, he says, is his home.

It was in Sarajevo that he saw a mosque for the firs ttime in his life but also a fusion of different cultures. This is where he experienced winter and felt snowflakes on his skin, also for the first time.

“It was fate because I first came to Croatia to work when my father had just passed away and I decided to isolate myself. Everyone told me that Sarajevo is the most beautiful place in the Balkans. I got on the bus and started talking to people about it,” the Mexican told N1.

He planned to stay for a month but he stayed much longer, as he entered the Academy of Performing Arts.

“It changed my life. I saw snow here for the first time. I was overjoyed, but I was freezing and wanted to kill myself because of winter. I experienced it for the first time. I saw a mosque for the first time. Sarajevo is an explosion of emotions, that's different for me. Cultural contacts – that's the most beautiful thing for me. I felt at home for the first time. I've been to America and Belgium, but I feel I belong here. The people are warm here,” said Garcia Vejar describing the experience of living in Sarajevo.

The first film he made was ‘Escarabajo’. It was also his final exam at the Academy. The plot is about people who, like him, came to Sarajevo looking for life and love. He met a girl from Mexico who talked to a Bosnian for eight months before she decided to come to Sarajevo to meet him. Her story was included in Garcia Vejar's film.

His first feature film ‘La puerta Verde’ will be released by the end of the year.

“It is so emotional for me because I started the story here and I will end it here. We Mexicans and Bosnians have a lot in common. I'm happy because with this film I got the largest grant in Mexico. So we had the money but it was very difficult because of the pandemic. We are happy with what we have,” he said

The Mexican filmmaker with residence in Sarajevo said he hoped that his film would be screened during the Sarajevo Film Festival one day.