Celebrating life, humanity and art

This year's edition of the Sarajevo Film Festival will open on August 14 with the world premiere of the film "Concentrate, Grandma" by Bosnian director Pjer Žalica, with a cast from the region, including Montenegrin actor Branimir Popović, the organizers of the festival, which lasts until August 21, announced. At the end of last week, SFF published the list of films in all competitive selections of this year's edition of this one of the largest regional film events, the holding of which has not been canceled.

There are also three film productions, as well as producers and authors from Montenegro, namely: two films as part of the competitive selection for the best documentary film of 2020 - "Peace of Our Lady" by Montenegrin director Vladimir Perović (production: Center for Culture Tivat) and "Conspiracy", authored by Šemsudin Radončić (production: Dokument - Podgorica). These are also the world premieres of these two new Montenegrin documentary films, the Film Center of Montenegro reminds. The film "Great Achievements", directed by Nikola Vučinić, is the Montenegrin representative in the competition selection for the best student film. His film was produced by the Faculty of Dramatic Arts - Cetinje, where Vučinić is a student, and the project was supported by FCCG.

A total of 26 films will compete for the Heart of Sarajevo awards in the competition programs of the 49th Sarajevo Film Festival. In four competitive selections - feature, documentary, short and student film, as many as 29 films will have their world premiere, six international, two European, 11 regional and one Bosnian premiere.

This year, the selection team led by Izeta Građević, the creative director of the Sarajevo Film Festival, watched 750 films: 130 feature films, 220 documentaries, 250 shorts and 150 student films.

The jury of the competition program - feature film consists of: director and screenwriter Mišel Hazanavicius (president of the jury), artistic director of the International Film Festival in Berlin Karlo Čatrian, actress Jadranka Đokić, director Srdan Golubović and manager of the Industry segment and education of the Morelia Film Festival Andrea Stavenhagen, and recently The composition of the jury of the competition program - short film was also announced and it consists of: director Stefan Đorđević, director Tanasis Neofotistos and director, screenwriter and producer Ines Tanović. The Honorary Heart of Sarajevo award of the 26th Sarajevo Film Festival will be presented to Michel Franco, a Mexican director, screenwriter and producer, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to film art, as well as his support for the Sarajevo Film Festival. Franz is one of the most important independent filmmakers, the author of a striking and recognizable film language, and he will also be recognized with a retrospective of his works in the festival program "Tribute to".

On the official SFF website - www.sff.ba, you can find instructions and measures taken by the organizers to ensure the safety and health of visitors and participants of this year's festival, due to the corona virus pandemic.

"We are aware of our responsibility in organizing such an event. Covid-19 has affected all aspects of life around the world, so the Sarajevo Film Festival must go through certain changes. This means smaller groups, fewer guests, no reception like we are used to, but as always, there will be many quality films and great screenings. Our mission is the same as on the first day when the festival was founded in our city under siege - to celebrate life, humanity and art. And here, we have another opportunity to fight the problem with culture - by organizing the festival in accordance with the advice of health experts and behaving responsibly and within clearly defined guidelines, we can show how social cohesion can be built even where we are obliged to maintain physical distance." said the director of the Sarajevo Film Festival, Mirsad Purivatra.

At CineLink Co-Production Market and Montenegrin "Vidra"

The Montenegrin project "Otter" (working title: "Monument Valley"), directed by Srđan Vuletić and screenwriter Stefan Bošković, produced by Artikulacija Film from Podgorica, was selected for this year's CineLink Co-Production Market, the industry program of the Sarajevo Film Festival.

CineLink Co-Production Market has published the complete list of selected projects for this year, and earlier it was announced that the Montenegrin project "Thaw" directed by Ivan Salatić was selected in the CineLink selection, which is dedicated to the director's first and second films. The part of the program related to co-production market meetings, screenings of work-in-progress projects, workshops for participants, as well as the CineLink Talks program will be held online, from August 14 to 18. The second part of the program, which refers to professionals who will be able to travel and organize live meetings, will be held in Sarajevo from August 18 to 21.

The Montenegrin project "Vidra" was awarded the "Cannes Producers Network" award this year at the "When East Meets West" forum held as part of the Trieste Film Festival. By presenting the project, the team also received recognition for the best pitch, in the competition of 22 selected projects.

"Concentrate, Grandma" gathered actors from the region

The film "Concentrate, Grandma" is Pjero Žalica's third feature film, after the films "Gori Vatra" (2003) and "Kod Amidža Idriz" (2004), and this is also the director's third time opening SFF.

In addition to Popović, Jasna Žalica, Emir Hadžihafizbegović, Alma Prica, Jadranka Đokić, Vedrana Božinović, Admir Glamočak, Dženita Imamović, Izudin Bajrović, Dino Sarija and Mira Banjac also play in the film.

The action takes place in April 1992, when a large family, scattered throughout Yugoslavia, gathers in Sarajevo around the bier of an old mother. Grandma is not well, but the family doctor's prognosis that her death is a matter of minutes turns into hours, then days. Intrigues, frauds and arguments begin about the inheritance that will be left behind by the old woman, especially about the large family house in Sarajevo.

"Grandma also participates in all of this, and maybe that's what keeps her alive. Intrigues and scheming to the detriment of one of the sisters are more important to this family than the clear, terrifying signs of the coming cataclysm. When, in the end, the fraud is discovered, it is already too late...", the announcement states. The film was shot in Sarajevo in November 2019, and according to Žalica, it was very demanding, but also pure enjoyment.