Page 16 - SFF Prilog

Beginnings HOW DID THE SARAJEVO FILM FESTIVAL, WHICH CELEBRATES THE SEVENTH ART, COME TO EXIST

Icreation of the Sarajevo Film Festival Arose under
n wartime autumn of 1993 the
director Haris Pašović initiated the

translating and subtitling nearly 150 the rain of
(SFF), and young enthusiasts from
the team of the International Theatre
Festival - MESS have helped him by

films and making the programme. The
theme of the festival was “ Poslije kraja shells, and
svijeta “ (Beyond the end of the world),
and those days’ eight-page catalog had
been published by a Daily Newspaper
“Oslobođenje“. SFF arose under the became a
rain of shells, and became a shelter for
the mind.
Citizens the Stars shelter for

- When asked by curious journal-
to the question was “Why are they the mind
ists from other major world cities,
“Why choose Sarajevo to host a film
festival?”, my most common answer

killing us?” After that, almost always
I noticed a smile of confusion at my
interlocutor, a sort of silent apolo-
gy for overlooking the fundamental
questions. None of Sarajevans ever
asked: “Why the film festival?”. Most
of the filmmakers around the world
have not asked why. The first answer
came from Wim Wenders who said:
“Of course, I am sending you the
films you’re looking for!”, then Lina
Wertmiler said: “I support!” and then
Dana Rothberg appeared in Saraje-
vo, in a private visit. She said: “We’ll
make a great festival!”. After that came
Vanessa Redgrave on the occasion of
another art project. We told her about
the festival, she did not say anything.
She left, and after what she has done
so far, it seems to me that for her,
all this time, only Sarajevo and the
Festival exist – Pašović wrote in the In two decades of existence it has grown
introductory text. into an international festival with a special
He noted that nothing can be prom-
ised, because they are not sure that focus on the region of South-East Europe
all the screenings will be held, that all

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