The 29th Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF) commenced in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, featuring the film "Kiss the Future" directed by Nenad Cicin-Sain from Slovenia.
"Kiss the Future," a documentary movie showcases the struggle of Sarajevo citizens and how aid worker Bill Carter's determination resulted in enlisting U2 and drawing the world’s attention to the Bosnian war. It follows the city's alternative scene, which uses music and art to provoke change and attract world attention.
A post-war U2 concert celebrated the city's hard-won victory against nationalism.
The arrival of surprise guests and film crew members Bono and The Edge from the U2 rock band marked the screening of the opening film. The U2 stars arrived with their wives Ali Hewson and Morleigh Steinberg, along with model and activist Christy Turlington.
The opening ceremony was held at the National Theater with major celebrities from the world of cinema taking to the red carpet parade.
The SFF will run until Aug. 18, and viewers worldwide can watch over 230 films from 70 countries. The festival began 29 years ago to erase the traces of the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and make the city a center of culture and art again.
Türkiye's public broadcaster, TRT, will compete in the SFF with three award-winning films set to run until Friday.
With a strong array of motion pictures, TRT is competing with "Kanto," "Club Zero," "La Chimera" and "Blaga's Lessons."
"Kanto" by director Ensar Altay, tells the story of an elderly woman who suddenly disappeared but her disappearance was not noticed. "Kanto" will compete in the "Work in Progress" category of the SFF and the winner will be awarded the "TRT award."
The Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi series, broadcast on TRT's digital platform, "Tabi", will have its world premiere at SFF. A panel will be held Aug. 13 where the script, production and broadcast processes of the series will be discussed.
Past festival attendees included Robert de Niro, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Daniel Craig, Orlando Bloom, John Malkovich, Gerard Depardieu, Morgan Freeman and Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan.
