Focus of the UK programme at the 23. Sarajevo Film Festival is PlayUK, our platform that aims to support and develop the audio-visual sector in the region stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Asia, Russia to Israel. Through creating connections between professionals from the UK and 15 countries, this programme supports knowledge and skills transfer in the areas of virtual reality, augmented reality, visual effects and animation, film production, distribution and marketing.
Talents Sarajevo
workshops and lectures for young talents | 11–18 August
Participants of the Talents Sarajevo programme this year come from 14 countries, including four countries of the Western Balkans. In addition to the already traditional Pack & Pitch sessions with Selin Ukwoum and mentoring sessions for screenwriters with Olivia Hetreed, after the success of last year's themes, this year we will continue focusing on new technologies.
Simon Wilkinson, British artist in the field of virtual reality, will talk about storytelling using an example of his VR installation called 'Whilst The Rest Were Sleeping' as well as others which have been successfully implemented with his Sarajevo co-workers for over two years.
MJ McMahon from Capture production company will present examples of successful operations in the area of special effects at his session titled 'Creative Survival'. MJ will challenge combining commercially successful and artistically inspiring tasks in careers of young professionals.
Cinelink Industry Days, Regional Forum
lectures and panel discussions with representatives of the UK film industry | 12–17 August
CineLink Industry Days programme presents 24 film professionals from the UK, including producers who will present their co-production projects, agents, media representatives, as well as lecturers and panel discussion participants during the festival.
Regional Forum is the annual film industry conference in Southeast Europe, with the aim of improving the business and exchange of knowledge. The Forum gathers over 200 key experts from 20 countries from the private and public sectors to talk about industry challenges, public policies, and connect with each other.
On 12 August, SFF will present a study by the British Olsberg SPI agency on the topic of cultural, economic and social impact of the Sarajevo Film Festival on the city of Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and impact of the film and television drama production on the growth of creative industries. The Forum will also present Northern Ireland and Belfast as a model for developing the city and national economy through creative industries. Since 2007, the capacity of studies in Northern Ireland has increased and attracted great international productions. There are Titanic Studios and Linen Mill Studios, the Game of Thrones, the Britvic facility and the new Belfast Harbor Studios, which are currently under construction. As a representative of Northern Ireland Screen, guest of this year's SFF will be Head of Production Andrew Reid.
UK films screenings
To the wider public, this year's SFF will bring a great selection of British films. Among the 16 UK co-productions, we will particularly highlight the premiere of the first Bosnia-Herzegovina animated film, 'Birds Like Us', realized in BiH-British co-production. The audience will also have the opportunity to watch the film 'Dom' as a result of the UK-Kosovo co-production, which this year won the prestigious BAFTA Award for Best Short Film.
Successful co-operation with the Edinburgh International Film Festival continues, so this year we have a jury member of the Competition Programme Mark Adams, artistic director of this British festival of international significance.
Honourable Heart of Sarajevo for the extraordinary contribution to film art will be presented to a legendary comedian, British actor John Cleese. On Thursday 17 August 17 at the Festival Square, Cleese will talk about his work and long career in an unusual and unquestionably funny conversation with Mike Goodridge, the programmaker of the Sarajevo Film Festival, the former Editor of the world-famous Screen International magazine.
Grayson Perry exhibition
In the spirit of the film week, the entrance to the British contemporary artist Grayson Perry's exhibition 'The Vanity of Small Differences' set in the Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina is free for all accredited guests of SFF.
The exhibition will be presented to the audience with a new author's interpretation on Thursday 17 August at 17.00. This time round, the guided tour will be presented by film director Aida Begić. Entry to this special guided tour will be free for all visitors.
