Sarajevo Film Festival marks 31st anniversary of its inaugural edition

The Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF) marks the anniversary of its first edition, which took place 31 years ago in 1995. Held under difficult conditions during the aggression in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the inaugural festival featured 37 films from 15 countries.

Originally intended as a summer event, the first festival was moved to late October due to the deteriorating security situation in the besieged city. Despite the circumstances, the 12-day event attracted 15,000 spectators, with all screenings completely sold out. The opening film was ‘White Balloon’ by Iranian director Jafar Panahi.

Over the past three decades, SFF has evolved into a major international film festival with a specific focus on Southeast Europe, serving as a platform for regional talent and the film industry.