United Nations and Sarajevo Film Festival: Partnership for Sustainability and Peace on the Festival's 30th Anniversary

As the Sarajevo Film Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary, the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina proudly highlights its long-standing partnership with this influential regional cultural event, which has played a key role in promoting positive social change, prosperity, sustainable development, and peace—values that are central to the United Nations' efforts in the country.

Sarajevo's recognition as a UNESCO City of Film in 2019 and inclusion in the global Network of Creative Cities have further reinforced the importance of the Sarajevo Film Festival, enabling it to expand international cooperation and increase its impact on cultural, economic, and social development.

"On behalf of the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I would like to congratulate the Sarajevo Film Festival on its 30th anniversary! For three decades, the Sarajevo Film Festival has been a symbol of resilience and cinematographic excellence, addressing key social issues through culture, art, and dialogue. We are proud to support this significant cultural platform that reflects our values and contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, as we strive for a prosperous, peaceful, and green future of Bosnia and Herzegovina," stated Ingrid Macdonald, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and emphasized the vital impact of the Festival on the local economy, tourism, culture, and society. An independent study presented in 2021, supported by UNESCO and conducted by Olsberg SPI—one of the leading international consulting firms in the creative industry—showed that the Sarajevo Film Festival generates significant economic benefits, improves the international image of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and strengthens local cultural pride.

This year, the Sarajevo Film Festival is also supported by the United Nations Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), an instrument that enables a more inclusive approach to peacebuilding and reconciliation across Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Jovan Marjanović, Director of the Sarajevo Film Festival, proudly highlighted the Festival's impact and the expanding cooperation with the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina: "Since its inception, we have used art to preserve the spirit, create new values, and push cultural boundaries. Our 30-year experience shows that reflecting on challenging times through dialogue and art plays a key role in building peace and the future. The success of the Sarajevo Film Festival is also due to the continuous support of our partners, including the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina."

During the Sarajevo Film Festival, the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina will support a series of initiatives aimed at advancing human rights, gender equality, environmental sustainability, youth empowerment, and peacebuilding.

The 30th edition of the Sarajevo Film Festival is held under the patronage of UNESCO, emphasizing its role as a guardian of cultural heritage and diversity, promoting dialogue, tolerance, and cultural understanding. UNESCO, together with the City of Sarajevo and Sarajevo Film Festival, will host ceremonial activities, highlighting Sarajevo's status as a UNESCO City of Film, and celebrating UNESCO’s support to the Festival.  

For the second consecutive year, UNDP will support the Sarajevo Film Festival's partnership with the Green Club, including events that bring together parliamentarians from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans region, united in their common goal of addressing climate change, leveraging the Festival’s impressive commitment to achieving a net-zero green future. This collaboration will also feature panel discussions on the role of women in the energy transition, as well as urban mobility that will promote the United Nations’ Global Road Safety campaign launched during the recent visit of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, to Sarajevo. Additionally, this cooperation includes the "Films for the Future" youth award, which provides a unique opportunity for young people in the country to engage with climate change issues.

UNHCR will focus on their decade-long global #IBelong campaign against statelessness, through the screening of short films related to this issue and the organization of a panel during the Sarajevo Film Festival's dedicated Human Rights Day, discussing the challenges that stateless people face in their daily lives, as well as joint actions to help improve their situation, in view of the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina could be  among the first countries in Europe to resolve known cases of statelessness with the support of UNHCR through this campaign.

UN Women will support the organization of intimacy coordination workshops, specifically designed for actors and actresses, and conducted by an intimacy coordinator and acting instructor. These workshops aim to promote a sensitive approach to filming intimate scenes while empowering women and advancing gender equality in the film industry. Additionally, as part of the "Women Leading the Way to Peace and Security in BiH" project—supported by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund and jointly implemented by UN Women, UNFPA, and IOM—a panel discussion will be held on Human Rights Day. This panel will explore the multifaceted dimensions of feminism, femicide, and freedom, as well as the challenges and misunderstandings surrounding these crucial topics. The project will also support the CineLink Female Voices Award, backed also by the Slovenian Film Center. This Cross-Section Award is dedicated to recognizing and nurturing the development of female filmmakers in the CineLink Co-Production Market & CineLink Drama programmes. By celebrating the unique perspectives and voices of women in the film industry, this award underscores the importance of supporting gender equality and empowering female talent in the development stage of film production, often the most challenging phase due to limited resources and opportunities.

The 30th Sarajevo Film Festival will take place from 16 to 23 August 2024, culminating in an awards ceremony that will honor the Festival's achievements and celebrate the contributions of filmmakers from around the world. This year, in partnership with UNDP, a new award will be introduced to recognize films that highlight the importance of environmental protection and awareness: Special Environmental Awareness Award. Additionally, a prestigious award for Best Director will be supported by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund and presented under the patronage of UNESCO.