Mirsad Purivatra is very satisfied with the 19th Sarajevo Film Festival because it was done even more than planned. The founder and director of the biggest film festival in the region admits that behind them was tough year for many reasons, but despite everything was more beautiful than ever.
“It is difficult for us was from the standpoint of logistics and all what was needed to provide such logistics from government institutions. It was a difficult political year, and of course it was all due to budget cuts and therefore the preparation and the realization of the festival were really harder than ever”, reminds Purivatra.
However, due to local and foreign associates was done everything that SFF this year is just as good or maybe better than the previous editions.
“I think we have succeeded, all have estimated that we have had one of the best programs, which means that we have had qualitative films that have fascinated all. Halls were fuller than ever, we had 11 percent more audience. This means that we have largely fulfilled our objective, and that is that new, young audience, and even the middle generation to bring back in Cinema, for people to have the habit to go to the cinema and to watch movies of different stories, different cultures. In the work area of our industrial part of the festival, we had the largest number of visitors so far, some have come by paying their own expenses because they simply wanted to support the Festival in this tough year”, highlights Purivatra.
With the largest number of world premieres so far, the Festival this year has offered a new, young generation of artists from the region, for which this film festival served as a springboard.
With preparations for the 20th edition of Sarajevo Film Festival of 2014 we began immediately yesterday, and if the financial situation that followed the previous edition will continue, it will be difficult to go further, said Purivatra
“The next festival should be the crown of all these 20 years of work and the celebration of B&H cinema, as well as regional. However, I believe that this project, which now surpasses the capabilities of the Directorate of SFF and all those who supported us, from the media, partners, sponsors … I think it’s now the question of Sarajevo City, Sarajevo Canton, including the Federation, State and all, whether they want to make a step more. And this is that the Sarajevo Film Festival as a brand to use for the promotion of all and to make a new atmosphere for film people, but also for tourism and the economy of the city and state”, concluded Purivatra.
“I am very pleased that even this year we opened the Festival with a B&H achievement and we hope there will be more, and that will create the conditions to make as many movies in B&H. I hope that the new, young generation of B&H authors will come very quickly and will bring new value to our cinema. This year we have worked a lot on it through our programs for teenagers and through the “TeenAction”, in which young people have filmed all across the country”, says Purivatra.
(Source: Dnevni avaz)
