The Council of Europe will organize several activities within program of this-year’s 20th Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF), whose aim is to promote European values and culture.
Head of the Council of Europe Office in Sarajevo Mary Ann Hannessey emphasized at today’s press conference in Sarajevo that the Council of Europe is sponsor again within this-year’s Festival, and it sponsors the main prize Heart of Sarajevo for the best film.
European cultural identity is integral part of European values, democracy, human rights and rule of law and SFF contributes to that mission with an amazing offer of films. Council of Europe celebrates 60 years of the European cultural cooperation this year with the topic “Culture: heart and soul of democracy”, and that the exhibition which emphasizes activities of the Council within the Cultural Convention will be shown at the Festival center.
Hannessey emphasized that special attention will be paid to film and its role in transferring tolerance, appreciation and respect for diversity, which will be one of the topics of a debate which will be organized on August 18th on Human Rights Day.
Director of SFF Mirsad Purivatra emphasized the Festival has worked with the Council of Europe for seven years and shares the same mission. He finds that in 20 years the SFF has contributed to creating a different scene, not only in context of offering different films, but in changing views of people.
”I believe that around 250 films at this-year’s Festival will create a new audience and excite discussions. I hope that by doing that we make this city, state and the region better and space of wider understanding”, he emphasized.
Euroimages Representative for BiH Jovan Marjanović reminded that Council of Europe Euroimages Fund was established in 1999 to support the European co-production. That aim has been achieved, he said, assessing that the European co-production has blossomed in 25 years.
”BiH has been participating in the Fund since 2004, ever since great number of BiH films got support from the Fund, which was crucial for those films to be made”, he emphasized, adding that in this-year’s Festival program there will be eight films that were made with support of Euroimages.
(Source: Fena)
