The Bosnian cultural scene remained rich, diverse and extremely dynamic in 2025. Despite long-standing financial difficulties and uncertainty in the cultural sector, the audience had the opportunity to enjoy numerous valuable artistic contents and encounters with top domestic and international artists.
This year, the Sarajevo Film Festival confirmed its status as the most important cultural event in the country. 227 films and series from 65 countries were screened, and Sarajevo once again hosted numerous film stars. The festival opened with the film “Pavilion” by director Dino Mustafić, one of the most significant film achievements of the year, which once again confirmed the artistic strength of domestic cinema.
Another notable cultural event was the exhibition of one of the most significant contemporary painters, Safet Zec, who presented the exhibition “Tears and Prayer” to the audience in the Sarajevo City Hall. The exhibition was organized to mark the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, and on that occasion, director Danis Tanović and Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Damir Šagolj paid tribute to the victims with their works. Šagolj also presented a photo exhibition titled “Srebrenica, 30 Years” during the year.
The cultural scene across the country was extremely vibrant. Audiences enjoyed performances at MESS, Sarajevo Poetry Evenings, Slovo Gorčina Cultural Festival, International Theatre Meetings in Brčko, Theatre Games in Jajce, Sarajevo Winter, Mostar Spring, Bookstan, Cum grano salis literary meetings, as well as the Petar Kočić Theatre Fest. Despite modest budgets, the organizers enthusiastically improved the program content and tried to provide the audience with the best possible experience.
The cultural year ended with another important step forward, the premiere of the first Bosnian-Herzegovinian musical. The work “Sarajevo, my dear” brought an emotional and nostalgic image of the capital, winning over the audience, which is eagerly awaiting new performances this year.
